Cliping OH Mic Preamps

drumzealot · 26th February 2007

I recently acquired some (used) mic preamps: API 512b, (2) OSAs (the original model). I put a number of different LDCs over a drum set and the OSAs were clipping even with the gain all the way down and the pad (on the pres and mics) engaged. The mics have 10 db and 20 db pads. I bought the OSAs with drum OHs in mind but cannot get them to sound clean.

Also, my Beyer M260 sounds absolutely horrid through the OSAs, but sounds much better (minus the noise from the mic’s low output) through all my low-end pres. Could this be due to some resistance miss-match? When I say it sounds horrid, I don’t mean according to my taste. It seems to lose much of the frequency rage and sounds worse than a mic on a cheap cassette tape recorder circa 1980.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Joe

Daedalus77 · 12th March 2007

Get an A-Designs ATTY (or two).

I track drums though API 512s and BAE 312As and need the ATTY on all channels to "push" the pres to where they sound quite good on the kit. This goes for overheads or individual kit-piece mics.

It's a common solution to your dilemma—and they're pretty inexpensive.

Best of luck.

26th February 2007	#1
drumzealot Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 834 Thread Starter	Cliping OH Mic Preamps I recently acquired some (used) mic preamps: API 512b, (2) OSAs (the original model). I put a number of different LDCs over a drum set and the OSAs were clipping even with the gain all the way down and the pad (on the pres and mics) engaged. The mics have 10 db and 20 db pads. I bought the OSAs with drum OHs in mind but cannot get them to sound clean. Also, my Beyer M260 sounds absolutely horrid through the OSAs, but sounds much better (minus the noise from the mic’s low output) through all my low-end pres. Could this be due to some resistance miss-match? When I say it sounds horrid, I don’t mean according to my taste. It seems to lose much of the frequency rage and sounds worse than a mic on a cheap cassette tape recorder circa 1980. Any ideas? Thanks, Joe

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12th March 2007	#2
Daedalus77 Banned Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,645	Get an A-Designs ATTY (or two). I track drums though API 512s and BAE 312As and need the ATTY on all channels to "push" the pres to where they sound quite good on the kit. This goes for overheads or individual kit-piece mics. It's a common solution to your dilemma—and they're pretty inexpensive. Best of luck.