Looking for an extravagant gift for that special recording engineer or working musician in your life?
Giving the ultimate gift - regardless of price - can still be daunting, especially if you're buying for the the hard-to-please type. Let's take a look at some of the ultimate gifts out there, regardless of the price! These items are sure the be a hit with even the most picky recording engineer!
Giving the ultimate gift - regardless of price - can still be daunting, especially if you're buying for the the hard-to-please type. Let's take a look at some of the ultimate gifts out there, regardless of the price! These items are sure the be a hit with even the most picky recording engineer!
1. Ultimate Ears UE-11 Pro Custom Personal Monitors
The Ultimate Ears UE-10 Pro were the cream-of-the-crop of armature-based, custom-molded monitors; that is, until the UE-11 Pro was introduced to much fanfare in August of 07! Studio quality sound, custom-molded to your ears -- it's a great thing! As reviewed last September, these custom-molded beauties are the absolute top quality in sound reproduction for onstage monitoring, listening in the recording studio, or chilling out with your iPod. They're not cheap ($1250, not including audiologist fees), but they're absolutely the best you'll find anywhere at this price, and top-notch customer service puts this product over the edge as my top pick for an extravagant purchase.2. Digidesign Digi 003 Rack Mount Pro Tools Interface
The MBox 2 series is a great addition to the Pro Tools lineup, but once you've gotten a taste of Pro Tools' power, you quickly want more. The $1200 Digi003 rackmount Pro Tools system is the absolute best for home recording engineers looking to record 8 tracks simultaneously. Included is the powerful Pro Tools software as well as a host of plug-ins to make your recording go flawlessly. Check out our guide to Pro Tools for more information on this powerful recording software.3. Neumann KMS-105 Vocal Condenser Microphone
If you've got a great vocalist, nothing beats pairing them with a world-class microphone. Join top vocalists such as Tori Amos, John Mayer, and Dave Matthews in their choice of vocal microphone, the Neumann KMS105. Silky smooth midrange, enhanced low-end response, and perfect sound reproduction for even the most intricate of vocalists. It's pricey at around $639, but very much worth it - it's usable both live and in the studio.For more information about recording vocals with a good condenser microphone, check out our guide to microphone types.


