Dual channel High end mic pre, advice!

[Wakena2003]

Hi everybody,

I'm looking for a dual channel mic pre for all kind of recordings and all kind of objetives: drums, vocals, acoustic guitar, bass ...

Amek 9098 was adviced for a friend, but I never hear it before. I can spent up to 2000$.

Advices please!

[Al Chine]

Hi

You may want to consider the Great River MP-2NV.

Have fun.

[zimv20]

have a look at the phoenix drs-2

[RoundBadge]

Maybe a chandler TG-2..$1600-1700.00 or a 4 channel daking [pre's only] around $1800.oo I think

[84K]

Pendulum MDP-1b is a gem.

[Prince Alsihad]

Originally posted by Al Chine
Hi

You may want to consider the Great River MP-2NV.

Have fun.

I agree. I just tracked some huge backing vocals with this pre and a Telefunken M12 and it sounds ****ing incredible. I never used this pre before for vocals and just thought I give it a try. However, from now on, this is going to be the first pre I reach for whenever doing vocals. I've also used it on acoustic guitars and electrics in the past with fantastic results. The API pres are nice too. There's just so many killer preamps out there nowadays, that it'll make your head spin just thinking about it. Just try out a few and pick what you like best. But I think for an all-arounder, the MP-2NV's are super sweet.

[NemoTracks]

AMS-Neve have brought out two 1073 pre amps in a 1u package.

http://www.ams-neve.com/prod/1073dpa.htm

[Beech]

Might as well add the Avalon AD2022 to this list. Great vocal pre!

[NathanEldred]

Whatever you decide, stick with something versatile since this sounds like it may be your first and only (for a while anyway) great preamp. Some preamps lend themselves to very wide usage, some sound a little more application specific. If you are doing rock or pop music, you might want to consider something with at least a bit of obvious color (i.e. one or more transformers in the path) and a nice round low end so your tracks are balanced instead of being either overly dark or overly airy. I wouldn't recommend buying the cleanest piece or the most colored piece available on the market either (some of which, but not every one on here, have been recommended in this thread, IMHO). Of course this is all subjective, but being that you asked this in the 'high end' it's all about the inches, not the miles.

[joaquin]

Focusrite red8

[hollywood_steve]

Something very different:

The API lunchbox with a pair of 512c preamps. It would offer you a plan for future growth with future modules being added for as little as $600ea. (312 variations from a variety of companies; not to mention EQs, compressors etc.)

[LittleDogAudio]

John Hardy M1 or Millennia HV3-C (C vers. just released)

These 2 will do anything on any day.

Chris

[enharmonic]

I wonder if you could scare up a used Flamingo for that kind of $$? That would be my first objective. If 2000 is a little light for a used Flamingo, I'd probably save a few hundred more and wait for one to pop up. I've been window shopping, and the Flamingo looks like one tough customer to beat when it comes to quality and flexibility that won't break the bank.

[Revelation]

Don't forget the Langevin DVC. Two Manley pre's , two optic limiters, and a little EQ all under $2,000.

[chuckj]

Just bought a used Hardy M-1 from a fellow Gearslut. I have not had it sound bad on anything. This has the pre I reach for when it needs to sound good and it needs to be done in a hurry. I do have a slight preference for the xfmr in/out option though when tracking directly into PT.

Chuck

[Wakena2003]

Thanks to everybody fou your advice...

But now my problem is more big. there are some pres mentioned more than 1 times:

Great River MP-2NV ----- 2795$
John Hardy M1 ----------- 1099 $ x 2 pres
millenia HV3D------------- 1800$
API pres: 512c x 2 + launch box --- 2200$
3214 + ------------ 2500$

Only the Millenia is in my budget...

This will be the first class A preamp that I'll buy. And prices in Spain are so higher than prices in USA. And I'll must include VAT tax.

Anybody knows if a US company could sell me without problems? there are problems with guitars and bass, but I don't know if preamps have problems too. the only problem is the 120V, in spain is 220V.

[maskedman72]

Originally posted by Wakena2003

But now my problem is more big. there are some pres mentioned more than 1 times:

Great River MP-2NV ----- 2795$
John Hardy M1 ----------- 1099 $ x 2 pres
millenia HV3D------------- 1800$
API pres: 512c x 2 + launch box --- 2200$
3214 + ------------ 2500$

Only the Millenia is in my budget...

the 2nv is $2150.

http://www.mercenary.com/greatrivelmp.html

i have seen them used for 1800.

[studjo]

Boys you're talking about High End pres and nobody mentioned the Buzz Audio MA2.2???????????????????????????????

A really fast and clean pre.


Btw I'd go with a uncolored pre first (you can **** up your lovely signal while you mix through a Rat or something similar )


Jo


PS did I say check the Buzz MA 2.2?

[kittonian]

Yesterday I was tracking a vocal on a singer and tried a couple different pre's and the one that sounded the best was the DBX 786. A bit expensive but amazing dual pre.

[chetatkinsdiet]

Dude, where did you get those prices from?

A quick check at Mercenary shows the API 512c pres at $725 ea. The 6 space 500-6b lunchbox is $450. That comes out to $1900 for the lot.
If you want, you can even try out some of the OSA pres from Atlas. I've got three of them and love them. Very API-ish. They're in the $450ea range for the MPC1-A and MPC1-C. So, for your $2K budget, you could pick up 3 OSA pres and the 6 space lunchbox. Then, whenever you get an extra $500 or so, grab another. Or, as someone else mentioned, grab a nice API eq like the 560 that usually goes for a tad over $500 used all the time. The API compressors are around a grand and are killer as well.
I highly recommend the OSA pres I got from Nathan at Atlas.
later,
m

[mr. T]

Don't forget the PSU.

Thomas

[Beauarts]

2 channels of Hardy pres w/tranformer outs(which I recommend) is $1715

[chetatkinsdiet]

The PSU is included with the API lunchbox.
later,
m

[Wakena2003]

If preamps will be used mainly for rock and pop music, it rules out any preamp?

Does any preamp works better than other with this kind of recordings?

[Wakena2003]

Anybody knows where can I hear mentioned preamps samples??

sample links please!!

[Wakena2003]

what's your opinion on TLAudio PA-1???

[chetatkinsdiet]

I finally made up my mind a couple of years ago....after going through the really cheap stuff and then moving into a few items like this TL Audio, Focusrite Platinum gear, etc...
That I'm not going to get anything unless it's really top notch stuff, or just cheap/kooky gear for effects.
Not to say I'll only use high end expensive stuff....I LOVE the very inexpensive dbx 160x compressors, OSA mic pres, etc....
I'm just sick and tired of getting the Guitar Center-type stuff that's really not pro audio. You know?
Have you ever heard of any major producer or engineer using this pre? No. But API, GR, Neve, etc.....all day long.
later,
m

[BenJah]

Well, been from New Zealand I have to recomend the Buzz Audio pre. Tracks recorded through this pre sound so natural and detailed.Would be a great first pre because of its neutral flavour. Multiple overdubs stack really well as well. I have one (I live down the road from where they are made) and I use it almost exclusively. But really, all pre's in the price range you are looking at sound like a million bucks.

[Wakena2003]

Unfortunately, I'm from Spain, here proaudio gear are very dificult to buy on a good price...I usually buy on germany online shops... buy a Api pre on a music shop is 35% over his price in a online shop.
But there are no wide range of preamps in this shops ... Anybody knows where should I buy this preamps in a online shop in europe?

[Al Chine]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Wakena2003
[B]what's your opinion on TLAudio PA-1???


I still use this once in a while. It adds a bit of thickness to the signal.

Nice on syn pads, organ, polyphonic sound patches.

The mic pre goes into peak easily, so watch your levels.