ART MPA pre & VLA comp - Low end price, High end performance?

[stevetgn]

Ok, I've posted this in the High-End forum to see how many (if any) more professional engineers/studios are using the ART units as oppose to home/hobby users. Over the years I've spent a fortune building up a collection for the studio of Smart C2, 1176, SSL, API, ISA, Buzz Audio etc etc. and for some reason recently I seem to be seeing the name of these two "low end" priced bits of kit everywhere.

Who's using them? Are they any good? Are they worth buying a few to use when you run out of the "good stuff" so to speak? Are you using the older versions or the new Chinese made versions

All Comments welcome

Thanks in advance
Regards

Steve

[phillysoulman]

Originally Posted by stevetgn

Ok, I've posted this in the High-End forum to see how many (if any) more professional engineers/studios are using the ART units as oppose to home/hobby users. Over the years I've spent a fortune building up a collection for the studio of Smart C2, 1176, SSL, API, ISA, Buzz Audio etc etc. and for some reason recently I seem to be seeing the name of these two "low end" priced bits of kit everywhere.

Who's using them? Are they any good? Are they worth buying a few to use when you run out of the "good stuff" so to speak? Are you using the older versions or the new Chinese made versions

All Comments welcome

Thanks in advance
Regards

Steve

I have an ART Tube PAC which I really like on certain things,including,vocals,bass,guitar..not bad at all.

[stevetgn]

Originally Posted by phillysoulman

I have an ART Tube PAC which I really like on certain things,including,vocals,bass,guitar..not bad at all.

I'm not familiar with the Tube PAC. Is that a current model?

[jchadstopherhuez]

i've used the mpa preamps a few times. did not impress me.

i have 3 of the vla compressors. they sit in my racks next to daking comps, manley elops, spectrasonics 610's, api, etc.

i use them on nearly every session and mix.

they have their own sound...like it or not.

i like using them sometimes on drum overheads....alot on drum rooms. sometimes as a parrallel drum bus comp....and occassionally even on acoustic gtrs.

they work for me.

best,

jchristopherhughes

[kbshearer]

I have no experience with the mic pre, but the Pro VLA is just a really good unit. I second the previous post. I have some other decent compressors but these units get used all the time. I hope they haven't screwed up a good thing with the new "version II."

Kirt Shearer
Paradise Studios

[rarseman]

I have two of Pro VLA; use them on guitars, bass and backing vocals
they are cool

[Actualsizeaudio]

I concur with what the others here say. I have some original ISA 430s, a C2s, and some other comps, and the Pro VLA is really useful. If you need to "mellow" something out I reach for it. Probably why someone else here said they like it on drum room (I'll have to try).

Mine is 12 years old, and has new tubes in it (I don't recall why I changed them or with what). I guess since we are slutz we can start a rumor that only the ones from the nineties sound any good

I have heard of people replacing the opamps on the input and output stage and squeezing even more performance out of them.

[stevetgn]

So far then we have quite a few thumbs up for the VLA and one thumbs down for the MPA.
I'm assuming its a soft and gentle smoothing of the dynamics kind of compressor then and not a fast grabby one, Yes?
For the price might be worth having a go with one. Is anyone using the new Chinese version or are you all on the old one?

[Actualsizeaudio]

Originally Posted by stevetgn

I'm assuming its a soft and gentle smoothing of the dynamics kind of compressor then and not a fast grabby one, Yes?
For the price might be worth having a go with one.

Correct, no one would describe it as fast and grabby. It is on the slow and mellow side. If you are concerned about the newer ones the older ones are on ebay pretty much non-stop.

[warhead]

The new one seems very well built, and I love the detented pots etc. It certainly is a smoother type of sound.

For under $300 the VLA II is silly nice.

The MPA preamp pair is good for the price, but not as stand out of a product as the VLA II. I do like the "high gain" switch on it, it gets pretty tingly / electric sounding. It's a real tube pre and not some tube blend design, not as much of a sparkle-y sound like higher end units, but again considering its pricing it's a stand out in my opinion.

War

If you want fast / grabby on the cheap, a seriously overlooked box is the Toft DC-2 dual mono / linkable compressor. FET design, familiar sort of sound when plowing down a drum kit, bass etc.

[tvolhein]

This may be a stupid question, but does the VLA provide any gain? I use the Shure SM7B and it needs a boost.

Thanks

Tom

[Goldfish]

The Pro VLA can sometimes be useful for fattening up guitars in a "dirty" way. I have two old units sitting next to the API's, Chandlers and the usual stuff. Put some good tubes in it and it's good to go for dirtying duties.

[Brad McGowan]

I really like my Pro VLA on acoustic guitars, drum rooms, and snare drum. It sounds super punchy on snare when set to auto/auto and doing about 3dB's of gain reduction. In auto release mode the release is actually faster than the "fast" mode when doing smaller amounts of gain reduction.

I highly recommend putting some NOS GE 12AT7's in there. I did atest of a bunch of different tubes and I chose these over NOS Mullards and Philips since they seemed to have the best depth and the most high end sparkle. The unit cannot be described as dark or mellow sounding with the GE's in it. I got a matched and balanced pair from thetubestore.com or tubedepot.com.

Brad