HERE IT IS! The 500 Series Shootout Files!

[James 'LA' Lugo]

MP3's are on post #211 on this thread!

Mike's singing into a Pearlman TM-1 with CineMag/EF14

Mics:
Male vocal = Pearlman TM-1 (w/ Cinemag Xfomer & EF14 tube)
Female vocal = Neumann TLM49
Acoustic guitar = Audio Technica ATM-450
Electric guitar = Shure SM57

Preamps top row:
Purple Pants
Purple Biz
Brett Averill BAE 312
Bizzar Audio Mint Julep
API 512C
Shadow Hills Mono Gama

Single unit rack:
JMK Audio JM 130

Preamps middle row:
Avedis MA5 (gold)
Chandler Germanium (this was not working properly and not included in the shootout)
OSA MP1-L/DI
OSA MP1-L3/DI
OSA MP1-C/DI
OSA MP1-A
A-Designs P-1
A-Designs Montessi Gold
VSI M-1
La Chapelle 583v (this is a beta version and uses a Cinebag input Xformer)

Preamps bottom row:
Buzz Elixir
A-Designs Montessi Blue
A-Designs Montessi Red
Avedis MA-5 (red) this was not included in the shootout as the MA-5 (gold) already had been and the only difference is the color of the faceplate
La Chapelle 583s (uses a Jensen input Xformer)

[James 'LA' Lugo]

Lori

The pic of Lori is in front of the TM-1 but she sang into a Neumann TLM49.

[James 'LA' Lugo]

Dan on guitar

[James 'LA' Lugo]

Me playing a Les Paul Standard with a Duncan Custom 5 in the bridge through my Herbert into a Recto 4X12 cab with V30 and an ole SM57

[James 'LA' Lugo]

All right guys I did the best I could, I matched levels to the best of my ability.

Enjoy!

James 'LA' Lugo

[James 'LA' Lugo]

Let the games begin...

[primemeat64]

That's a LOT of work.

Thank you!

[dylansmale]

wow, the Shadow Hills pre blew everything out of the water here. The 512 and the pacifica gold I really liked too.

do you record using every pre you have at the same time?

[dylansmale]

I like the shadow hills nickel rather than the steal, but its hard to tell with the drums beating so hard I can't listen to the guitars.

[AllAboutTone]

All i can say is the MA5 is kicking some serious ASS !!! in most every shootout. Very easy to hear the difference, MA5 also has the most depth of the entire series. Glad to own a couple.
In the meantime back to the shoot outs.
Thanks so much 4 the shootout, great work guys.


btw, was the 28K engaged ?

[boyinthebox]

James,

You are truly a gentleman and a scholar. This is an incredible amount of work you put in. Thank you for taking so much time for the sake of others! All the best.

Cheers.

[NathanEldred]

Nice tracks James, great job.

I just quickly listened to about 12 different samples, they all sound nice...I don't hear anything blowing anything else away. Subtle shades of clarity vs color with more or less mid emphasis. Some sound similar even among different brands/models. TEHO.

Just an observation, I did notice that in some of the mixes the vocals sound louder than others, that could make a difference to the sound and give one sample an advantage or disadvantage.

[SK1]

Hey James thanks for doing this !!!

It's really helping me because I've already got a tm1 and a 57 .... lol !!! Maybe I should pick up a 450 for ac gtr to help put things in perspective.

Of course shoot outs, and shoot outs with mp3's can only tell part of the story. But it's part of the story that I'm thankful to hear. Much better than reading a bunch of advertising hype, that's for sure.

I've got 4 spaces in the api 10 space to fill .

The mono gama nickel and mono gama steel are sounding like they might fit the bill nicely.

Thanks again !!!

[James 'LA' Lugo]

The Mono gama tracks are all the same pre, it has 3 modes. Very sweet!

[teleman]

James,
Thanks for the shootout. I just joined the 500 club today with an API lunchbox and an MA5. I was going to get the API 512 next but after hearing the Shadow Hills that one might be next, or maybe the P1, or the A Designs Red, or the.....
I'm going to need a bigger lunchbox.
Gotta go listen to some more samples.

Thanks again,
Len

[SK1]

Originally Posted by NathanEldred

I just quickly listened to about 12 different samples, they all sound nice...I don't hear anything blowing anything else away. Subtle shades of clarity vs color with more or less mid emphasis. TEHO.

Just an observation, I did notice that in some of the mixes the vocals sound louder than others, that can make a big difference to the sound.

Yeah it's amazing how the tm1 sounds like ....... a tm1 .... regardless of what pre James sent it through.

As far as the loudness of the vocals .......... the takes are different too, that makes a difference ........ f it I can hear the difference.

I wouldn't base my decision on what 500 pre to buy next entirely off this shootout ...... but it definitely helps.

Thanks again James!

[SK1]

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

The Mono gama tracks are all the same pre, it has 3 modes. Very sweet!

Wow, that's a real contender then. Male vocs sounded sweet through the pearlman and the mono gama.

[AllAboutTone]

Originally Posted by teleman

James,
Thanks for the shootout. I just joined the 500 club today with an API lunchbox and an MA5. I was going to get the API 512 next but after hearing the Shadow Hills that one might be next, or maybe the P1, or the A Designs Red, or the.....
I'm going to need a bigger lunchbox.
Gotta go listen to some more samples.

Thanks again,
Len

lol, yup very addictive indeed, i wished a Hardy could have been part of the shootout, well maybe someday.

[Veritas.Sound]

Mr. James 'L.A.' Lugo,

Sincere thanks for this resource. Your time invested to produce this thread is very much appreciated.

[gm5k]

for heavy guitars, i thought the MA5, OSA L3, and A Designs pre's were awesome. acoustic guitar i thought the LaChapell had the most depth...sounded "like an album", if you will. thanks James

i agree with Nathan that nothing absolutely blew anything else away in this shootout IMHO. just different strokes for different folks.

[dylansmale]

i overlooked the lachapelle which was the obvious winner too me...

[James 'LA' Lugo]

I'm a dips**t I originally labelled the LaChapell Audio pres 538s & v instead of 583s & v. I fixed the f'up, so now the LaChapell 583s & 583v are labelled correctly and at the bottom of each of the audio posts. Sorry Scott. I feel bad Scott's my boy and I screwed him over! You always hurt the ones you love...

[staudio]

Thank you so much.

[Scott LaChapell]

James! No worries at all my friend, seriously, you've been putting in SOOOO many hours with this project. A simple type-o is nothing; I don't even want to know how much time you've invested with this project... Nicely done though, it's a great resource that I'm sure will be accessed for quite a while.

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

I'm a dips**t I originally labelled the LaChapell Audio pres 538s & v instead of 583s & v. I fixed the f'up, so now the LaChapell 583s & 583v are labelled correctly and at the bottom of each of the audio posts. Sorry Scott. I feel bad Scott's my boy and I screwed him over! You always hurt the ones you love...

[James 'LA' Lugo]

Originally Posted by dylansmale

i overlooked the lachapelle which was the obvious winner too me...

I'm with you on that. After listening to these tracks a 1000 times at full bandwidth the LaChapell is the best pre IMO. The Mono, MA5, P1/Red/Blue, Mint Julep were all awesome to. Again at the end of the day I don't think you could go wrong with most of these pres.

The next few weeks are brutal for me with American Idol wrapping up (I'm host on the red carpet on grand finale day at the Nokia Center - Yikes!) but when it's all done I'm gonna offer to send out full bandwidth CD of all the files and/or DVD's of the PT session for a very minimal cost to everyone (just enough cost to pay for shipping and my assistant's time). So that will be happening after May 21st.

If you're interested in getting a hard copy of this shootout send and email to:
dena@jameslugo.com

but nothing will be shipping till Idol is done.

[wilkinswp]

Thanks for doing this. This is a lot of work you've done.

[BLueROom]

James, you should be applauded for the amount of effort that you put into something like this. Really great work.

[Scinx]

Thanks James...very nice collection...from instructional vocal CDs to preamp shootouts - you continue to rip things up around here

Tak

[NandoOg7]

I need to change my pants after looking at those pictures!

[TheMarqueeYears]

Hi James,

I've never met you - but I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all this fantastic work. What a resource. Huge.

I'm looking into getting into a 500 collection and this is just brilliant.

Your the man

TMY
(Rob)