I need help in selecting pre amps, compressors, and mics for 8 channels worth of I/O

herecomesyourman · 16th May 2007

Hi guys. This is my first post. So sorry if it's really long...

Basically I was using an M-Audio card, RNP and a RNLA for my original setup. I own Cubase 4 and have KRK monitors (RP5's and a 10s sub.)

My mics are a Shure SM57, SM58 and Beta87...
As well as an Audio-Technica 4060 Tube LDC

I just recently got a deal on a demo unit RME Fireface 800 I really couldn't refuse, and although it's not an APOGEE the converter quality is amazingly greater than what I had. the FF has four pre's that I like...but I'd really like to go up from here to a much higher end class A catalog of gear.

PREAMPS:

I have 8 I/O with this unit...and I'd like to fill that up. What I've been leaning towards after months of research and saving are...

Neve Style channels:

Great River 2-NV Mercenary Edition

Or...

A-Designs Pacifica

Or...

Rupert Neve Portico

API Style Channels:

3124+

Or...

3124MB+ (With the stereo buss mixer built in)

Then I've been looking at Tube Pre's to round them out...

The Manley SLAM! looks enticing...But how does it stack up vs the Dual Mono Mic Pre...or the version of the Dual mono with EQ?

Or even the new TNT which just came out that has a channel of SLAM! Preamp?

COMPRESSORS:

I've been staring at the Langevin Dual Vocal Combo for having Elop compressor/Limiters built into it...(Another reason the SLAM was so enticing...it's compressor stages looked nice.) But are the pre's something to write home about? I've heard mixed reviews? How does it stack versus the others I've listed above?

I've also been looking at the Mercenary Edition Drawmer 1968...as I've used a Fairchild at a studio I've worked at here in AZ before several times...and this seems to be an updated version...(I was thinking with API 3124MB+ I could use it as the stereo bus compressor possibly too?)

the 1969 looks really nice as well...but are the Pre's in it really worth the extra money? Again I've never heard them...or if they really stack versus say API or Great River style pre amps. Plus Would it be that much more flexible to go for the 1968 for tracking?

Finally I've been seriously thinking about a pair of Distressors with British mods and stereo link. And getting a couple RNC's or an RNC and another RNLA...

MICROPHONES:

There's a lot of LDC candidates out there that beat my Audio Technica...But I'd like to get to that in another thread perhaps. Ribbon Mics are really what I'm interested in at the moment. I'm thinking a pair of AEA R92s? Or are the Royers that much more resiliant to blowing up? Or maybe other brands of Ribbon Mics would be better for Guitar Cabs? After that I've been seriously thinking about these...

A pair of Sennheiser 421's
A pair of AKG 414's
A Beyerdynamic Opus 99
A Yamaha Subkick
A pair of Josephson C42's...or Nueman KM184's...

And maybe a few more Shure SM57's...

My budget is getting close to $15,000...so...yeah...any help with narrowing this stuff down...I just want really versitile stuff that won't ever quit on me.

- Cary.

artnoiser · 23rd June 2007

Hey Cary did you ever figure out what you're getting?

I'm in the middle of it and it's killing me!

artnoiser

PS: wasn't there a smiley that shoots itself at some point?

16th May 2007	#1
herecomesyourman Lives for gear Joined: May 2007 Location: Phoenix AZ. Posts: 716 Thread Starter	I need help in selecting pre amps, compressors, and mics for 8 channels worth of I/O Hi guys. This is my first post. So sorry if it's really long... Basically I was using an M-Audio card, RNP and a RNLA for my original setup. I own Cubase 4 and have KRK monitors (RP5's and a 10s sub.) My mics are a Shure SM57, SM58 and Beta87... As well as an Audio-Technica 4060 Tube LDC I just recently got a deal on a demo unit RME Fireface 800 I really couldn't refuse, and although it's not an APOGEE the converter quality is amazingly greater than what I had. the FF has four pre's that I like...but I'd really like to go up from here to a much higher end class A catalog of gear. PREAMPS: I have 8 I/O with this unit...and I'd like to fill that up. What I've been leaning towards after months of research and saving are... Neve Style channels: Great River 2-NV Mercenary Edition Or... A-Designs Pacifica Or... Rupert Neve Portico API Style Channels: 3124+ Or... 3124MB+ (With the stereo buss mixer built in) Then I've been looking at Tube Pre's to round them out... The Manley SLAM! looks enticing...But how does it stack up vs the Dual Mono Mic Pre...or the version of the Dual mono with EQ? Or even the new TNT which just came out that has a channel of SLAM! Preamp? *COMPRESSORS:* I've been staring at the Langevin Dual Vocal Combo for having Elop compressor/Limiters built into it...(Another reason the SLAM was so enticing...it's compressor stages looked nice.) But are the pre's something to write home about? I've heard mixed reviews? How does it stack versus the others I've listed above? I've also been looking at the Mercenary Edition Drawmer 1968...as I've used a Fairchild at a studio I've worked at here in AZ before several times...and this seems to be an updated version...(I was thinking with API 3124MB+ I could use it as the stereo bus compressor possibly too?) the 1969 looks really nice as well...but are the Pre's in it really worth the extra money? Again I've never heard them...or if they really stack versus say API or Great River style pre amps. Plus Would it be that much more flexible to go for the 1968 for tracking? Finally I've been seriously thinking about a pair of Distressors with British mods and stereo link. And getting a couple RNC's or an RNC and another RNLA... *MICROPHONES:* There's a lot of LDC candidates out there that beat my Audio Technica...But I'd like to get to that in another thread perhaps. Ribbon Mics are really what I'm interested in at the moment. I'm thinking a pair of AEA R92s? Or are the Royers that much more resiliant to blowing up? Or maybe other brands of Ribbon Mics would be better for Guitar Cabs? After that I've been seriously thinking about these... A pair of Sennheiser 421's A pair of AKG 414's A Beyerdynamic Opus 99 A Yamaha Subkick A pair of Josephson C42's...or Nueman KM184's... And maybe a few more Shure SM57's... My budget is getting close to $15,000...so...yeah...any help with narrowing this stuff down...I just want really versitile stuff that won't ever quit on me. - Cary.

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23rd June 2007	#2
artnoiser Gear maniac Joined: Jun 2002 Location: +-4 GMT Posts: 189	Hey Cary did you ever figure out what you're getting? I'm in the middle of it and it's killing me! artnoiser PS: wasn't there a smiley that shoots itself at some point?