best mic pre's for recording drums

[noznarf]

I have a drumstudio set up in my basement,the kit runs through a mackie onyx 16 ch mixer with firewire interface to logic.The onyx preamps sounds pretty good for that amount of money,150 usd per channel but i'm thinking about buying a "class A" preamp for the kick & snare.

I've been looking at: API 3124 & Daking,both 4 channels.I have not been able to try anyone yet so therefore i would be happy for some help/experience.

What do you guy's think is the best drum preamp if you prefere a real punchy,warm sound.


///noznarf

[redddog]

API is widely considered to be the go to preamp for drums. Daking also has a great rep.

If you wan to have the same preamps on drums as countless major league studios all over the world do, go with API.

[digibird]

2 API 3124s would be ultimate 8 channel drum pre set-up for me, but will set you back about $4800.

[ozraves]

You might check out the A Designs tube gear. It's become my favorite for overheads.

[warhead]

Originally Posted by noznarf

What do you guy's think is the best drum preamp if you prefere a real punchy,warm sound.

Well I gotta say...those Onyx preamps are very good all around on the drum kit and I use an Onyx 1640 to track drums on a regular basis.

Going above and beyond though on kick and snare?

I would consider Oz's suggestion of the A Designs MP2A.

The Daking have a real presence to them with lots of snap.

A pair of Chameleon Labs 7602 with smokin' EQ sections would net a ton of useful sounds not only on kick and snare...but everywhere else.

War

[noznarf]

Thanx for your input.I decided to go for the Daking after i spoke to an engineer i use to work with,he has both api,daking,neve & focusrite.

He found the daking 4 ch to be the most praiseworthy with just that nice presence and punch i'm missing with my onyx pre.


Thanx/noznarf

[StuartMac]

Originally Posted by ozraves

You might check out the A Designs tube gear. It's become my favorite for overheads.

The MP2 is great on kick as well.

[Push845]

Originally Posted by digibird

2 API 3124s would be ultimate 8 channel drum pre set-up for me, but will set you back about $4800.

I just bought 2 of the APIs. Well worth the investment.

[drumkideric]

The Api's are amazing pre's. I also like the Pacifica on drums.

[lynyrd]

I think your Onyx pres will serve you well and were a very good choice. Having said that, I have some Seventh Circle Audio pres which are just fantastic on my kit. When I first fired them up I was smiling from ear to ear. If you are good with a soldering iron you might like to go that route. Otherwise, I don't think you could go wrong with API's.

[absrec]

Originally Posted by digibird

2 API 3124s would be ultimate 8 channel drum pre set-up for me, but will set you back about $4800.

For a little more you could get a Brent Averill 11 space lunchbox and 8 BAE 312s. I personally (having used both) think the BAE 312s with the Avedis 1122 opamp are a little better for the money. They are more punchy and musical, IMO.

The Dakings are pretty sweet, too. I am huge Daking fan, being an owner myself. They are going to be a little more hi mid heavy if the Pre IV is anything like the 52270. It's supposed to be the exact same thing, I think. The low end is going to be tighter on the Daking than an 312. The 312 has got this rediculous sub low end. Almost a little mushy sounding which can be great if that's what you're into.

If you're really feeling slutty, get both just so you have a little different flavor for different things.

With that setup, I would go:

Kick - 312
Snare - 312
Rack - Daking
Floor - Daking
OH L - 312
OH R - 312
Room L - Daking
Room R - Daking

Or, you could try the opposite for something different.

-Aaron

[doggy6812]

I cut a few tracks last week using the daking iv on toms and snare.i also used the osa l3 on kick.if you would like to hear something,i could load an mp3 fer ya.

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by redddog

API is widely considered to be the go to preamp for drums. Daking also has a great rep.

If you wan to have the same preamps on drums as countless major league studios all over the world do, go with API.

i went to a buddy's studio that had the old api's...WOW..loved them..i used my TD1 on the kick and API's on the rest of the kit...really worked fantastic..all these years and never had the opportunity and was blown away when i got home


i was a 550a eq nut on gtr eq ..i shoulda thunk about their pre's!

duh...