>>The only problem I have with this statement is that it was Neve that designed this circuit and probably spent alot of money doing so.<<
PA-LEEZE! That guy has made his money back a million times over. He ain't scrounging for his next meal!
My beef with all those companies is that they're living off their legacy and hyping it to the hilt. Let's be real here. Three grand for a mic? Or the Neve, for that matter? I don't think so. There was a time when these things were actually fairly normally priced, believe it or not. That's not what's going on today. Highway robbery is what we call it in the 'States.
While there are some differences in the quality of the components used in that gear, it ain't $2700 difference! These companies are a complete rip-off.
More important to realize is that the mass-produced state of the art can make gear you can pit up to that stuff. Some of it sucks for sure, but a lot of it doesn't.
Studio Projects made buffoons of many a "golden ears" fool when they first introduced their mics at NAMM and dared anyone to pick the $3000 U-87 from their $300 C3 in direct comparison recordings. Many of those "golden ears" chose the C3. THAT is smart, modern engineered mass production.
Mind you, the mics don't sound the same. No two mics sound the same. The real point SP made was the superb sonic quality their mics have.
The same goes for the Pre-73. There may be a few loose ends with the Pre-73, yet look how well a $300 box fares against it's $3000 forebear.
As much as people love to bash Behringer, look at products like the V-Verb, ULTRAMATCH PRO, etc. Great stuff, mass-produced.
The bottom line is that the age of needing overpriced gear to make GREAT-sounding music is LONG over.
And ultimately the most important ingredient in making great music has never changed, and that is the talent you're actually recording, NOT what you're recording it with.
The Neve is dead, long live the Neve...
