Need help choosing pres

[jdjustice]

Originally Posted by kwilliams

What I need is something to add character to the sounds on the way into Protools. The pre can't be too distinct as I'll be doing passes for all instruments and wouldn't want to track through overly "warm" pres and repeat this 40 times over ending up with a noisy final product.

Ultimately, I need versatile pres. Something that's clean enough to do 30 or more passes through and keep the final sum of all the tracks sounding clean and yet add some type of character so that I get the extra depth and qualities you get out of great pres.

Millenia, api 3124, Avalon 2022, SSL ???

What do you guys suggest?

i really cannot say enough good things about the Great River NV preamps.
they are extremely versatile, are great at adding the amount of 'character' you may desire to your tracks and then at 'stacking' very well in a dense mix.

don't be fooled into thinking that because they are based on a 1073 schematic they are at all noisy or cause muddy buildup as you stack tracks.
they are quite the opposite.

i have API and Avalon preamps but end up using Great River 95% of the time, regardless of the source.

Millennia and SSL, imho, may be too boring and sterile for what you are looking to do (add depth and some character).

~j.d.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by kwilliams

Ultimately, I need versatile pres. Something that's clean enough to do 30 or more passes through and keep the final sum of all the tracks sounding clean and yet add some type of character so that I get the extra depth and qualities you get out of great pres.

Millenia, api 3124, Avalon 2022, SSL ???

What do you guys suggest?

Any of the above are fine, although some aren't going to really add any character (what is the point if you aren't adding some analog character)....

I think API's are extremely versatile preamps. I would go with a combination of Neve 1073's and API preamps. Neve 1073's are quite expensive, but there are alternatives made by companies like Brent Averill and Aurora Audio that are capable of delivering that sound.

Originally Posted by jdjustice

don't be fooled into thinking that because they are based on a 1073 schematic they are at all noisy or cause muddy buildup as you stack tracks.
they are quite the opposite.

Which is something that a Neve 1073 doesn't do either (unless it's broken)... Neve 1073's are not noisy at all, and don't add muddy buildup when stacking tracks. Sure they have present sounding low mids, but nothing that should scare people away. And of course, it is all dependent on the microphone being used (which plays a bigger role than any preamp as far low mid buildup).

The whole Great River NV circuit being based on a 1073 is marketing jibber jabber. Who cares what circuit someone started with, it doesn't matter.... the end result is what matters. In this situation, we have a preamp that doesn't sound like a 1073, so why it is constantly referred back to I will never understand.

It should stand on it's own as a good sounding preamp. Dan Kennedy is a great designer and his products can speak for themselves.

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by kwilliams

I'll be doing passes for all instruments and wouldn't want to track through overly "warm" pres

Ultimately, I need versatile pres. Something that's clean enough to do 30 or more passes through and keep the final sum of all the tracks sounding clean and yet add some type of character so that I get the extra depth and qualities you get out of great pres?

Sounds like you are describing the Buzz Audio Elixir...

[RCM - Ronan]

Originally Posted by kwilliams

Millenia, api 3124, Avalon 2022, SSL ???

What do you guys suggest?

For what you describe I think the API might be best of those choices, but if I understand correctly you are looking to transfer things between two computers in the analog domain, from a line level output to a line level input. To add a little bit of that analog color, I think you might be better served by getting a nice transformer based EQ. You could get a little of the transformer coloration just by running through it but you could also do a little bit of tone sculpting on the tracks as you do the transfers.

My favorite mojo tone EQ of the moment is the new A Designs EM-PEQ, but I would also give very serious consideration to the new Avedis EQ

My pal John Rodd, that is on this board sometimes is mostly a mixer for feature films and now a lot of the big video games, and I have heard him to some pretty amazing stuff running some giga studio tracks through some cool analog EQ to give them life and excitement.

[Plush]

You don't need any help with choosing a mic amp.

Any modern mic amp will do the job you describe in a creditable manner.

So, just use any mic amp you can find.

[daillman]

Pacifica!pacifica you cant go wrong...

[AMIEL]

I would go with the Millenia...is a great preamp...cleaner than the others but with a great detail and body!

API are great...Pacifica too...any of those preamp will do it great....but if I want a preamp that will add the analog sound keeping the definition and make the source sound bigger and clearer i would take the Millennia...better if you can take 2 STT1 you can have EQ/Comp and the choice between Vacuum Tube or and solid state at the preamp and comp.

[JohnRodd]

Originally Posted by rcm

For what you describe I think the API might be best of those choices, but if I understand correctly you are looking to transfer things between two computers in the analog domain, from a line level output to a line level input. To add a little bit of that analog color, I think you might be better served by getting a nice transformer based EQ. You could get a little of the transformer coloration just by running through it but you could also do a little bit of tone sculpting on the tracks as you do the transfers.

My favorite mojo tone EQ of the moment is the new A Designs EM-PEQ, but I would also give very serious consideration to the new Avedis EQ

My pal John Rodd, that is on this board sometimes is mostly a mixer for feature films and now a lot of the big video games, and I have heard him to some pretty amazing stuff running some giga studio tracks through some cool analog EQ to give them life and excitement.

Thanks for the shout out, Ronan!

Yeah - I think something like an API 5500 EQ would fit the bill nicely.... or the A-Designs EM-PEQ, or the Avedis e-27 - all great gear, all with unique sounds....

[kwilliams]

Interesting!! Lot of different recommendations yet very consistent with the same pieces.
Pacifica, Millenia, api and all the other usual suspects.

I guess at this point it's really "six of one half and half a dozen of the other"

I have an SSL fx logic g383 that I haven't been using much that I would use towards the purchase of this new pre. I was hoping for something that has DI's so I can also track keyboards through it. I thought of simply buying good DI's for the g383 but the pres on this unit aren't giving me what I'm looking for...having said that, I love the eq's on it.

Some of you guys suggested using eq's to "warm" up the sound, which is an interesting idea but at the same time I do need a good set of pre's for other purposes as well....and I have a Millenia NS EQ-2!

I also have the option to pick up a pair of slightly used api 512c? How do they compare to the 3124? It all comes down to a choice between the api3124, api 512c, Pacifica or possibly Millenia......tough decision...in a perfect world I would take them all back to the studio and try them...but it ain't happening!

[mosrite]

You don't need any help with choosing a mic amp.

Any modern mic amp will do the job you describe in a creditable manner.

So, just use any mic amp you can find.

I couldn't agree more. Don't buy a cheap one and you'll be fine.

Stop this preamp madness

[mixerguy]

Originally Posted by mosrite

I couldn't agree more. Don't buy a cheap one and you'll be fine.

Stop this preamp madness

ahhh but the madness is FUN!

[studiocare]

Go with the 1073 all the way, look at the resale value of any of the Neve gear and you will find that 3-4 years down the line you will get close to your purchase price. The 'replicas' won't keep their value half as much as the real deals.

also might be worth considering is the new Neve 4081, 4 channels of 1081!!

Neve 4081 Quad Mic-Pre [SNEV4081] - £2291.25 : Studiocare Professional Audio, Online Store

[MickeySmid]

I would also not go for a pre, but a pre-compressor-eq... and each channel can have a little different setting... Not compress the hell out of everything... just mini... slight differences... eq. vibe...

Perhaps a few different once... keep the low end tight and transformer based, and put the melodies tru a tube type pre compr eq... add a little high 2 those vienna violins... and a good outboard reverb... nice... the kids that play computer games will hear the difference! :O

etc.

ciaow,
m.