Purple Audio "Biz" mic pre VS Shadow Hills Mono mic pre

SLy_drums · 3rd January 2006

I need a pair of those to record some drum OH, metal guitars and vocals.
I want something a cleaner than API.
May I go for the Shadow Hills or for the Purple Audio one ?

Saucyjack · 3rd January 2006

Haven't heard the Shadow Hills but I have had the Biz for a few months.
It's hard to pinhole in a good way.

It can be clean but with the dual switch can be driven harder for color.

I thought it has sounded great on vocals,Acoustic/Electric gtr...haven't had the chance top use it on OH yet.
The DI is cool as well.

rickrock305 · 3rd January 2006

i actually have one of each of these modules on order now for the purpose of A/Bing them. I'll let you know my thoughts when they get here. Unfortunately, I'm still on the shadow hills waiting list.

tvanveen · 3rd January 2006

I've been using a pair of Biz (bizzes? bizzum?) and right now they're my favorite for OH. I like them better as OH's then the MP1-C's or L3's, which I also have pairs of.

I guess I'm using them differently then other folks. Saucyjack and Nathan have called them clean, though I like them cuz they have a thickness in the midrange that I really dig. That's the first word I would use in describing them - thick.

Maybe I don't really know how they work and I'm driving the crap out of them! Usually I set them up so really hard drum hits just barely put the input meters in the yellow, then adjust the output so my audiofire meters are hitting -3 on really hard hits. Maybe that's a bit high, but I like the sound I'm getting. I haven't been using them much in dual mode.

Anyway, I find the MP1-A's to be the clean 500 preamps of the ones I have.

Haven't used the SH gear.

Dunno if it's helpful or not, but here's a couple of clips -

biz1

biz2

Both are m/s setups though a pair of biz then through a pair of 560's. The 560's have a little low cut happening on the bottom 2 bands, plus a little tiny maybe 1db bump around 1 or 2k. Can't remember which.

They both have a Sony C-48 for the side, the first has a AT4060 for the mid, the 2nd a AT4051.

No plugs except the phase reverse for the m/s setup.

Home studio, cheap kit, shitty engineer.

tv

SLy_drums · 4th January 2006

Thanks for the help thumbsup

tvanveen : great extracts. Did you try them on rock/metal guitars ?

tvanveen · 4th January 2006

I have tried them on electrics, but nothing with much distortion...just a little crunchiness. I haven't really formed much of a preference yet...at this point I kinda dig the L3.

pramrod · 4th January 2006

Biz are ass kicking- i have 4 of them and they smoke- i did a drum kit this weekend on a hardcore record with 4 biz (and some trident b ranges racked by purple and purple mc77's) and it kicked major ass! tight tight tight and aggressive. great on distorted guitars and AMAZING on acoustic guitar. nice and fast, great colors as you vary the feedback and the gain staging, just frickin great. getting more soon- can't wait for purple's comps- i was told there are a number of comp circuits in the works, should be shweet.

pram

SLy_drums · 6th January 2006

I'm going to have the money soon, I'll go for a Royer R121 and a Purple Audio.
What are the sonic differences compared to the Shadow Hills ?

3rd January 2006	#1
SLy_drums Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 762 Thread Starter	Purple Audio "Biz" mic pre VS Shadow Hills Mono mic pre I need a pair of those to record some drum OH, metal guitars and vocals. I want something a cleaner than API. May I go for the Shadow Hills or for the Purple Audio one ?

3rd January 2006	#2
Saucyjack Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2003 Location: Dirty South Posts: 571	Haven't heard the Shadow Hills but I have had the Biz for a few months. It's hard to pinhole in a good way. It can be clean but with the dual switch can be driven harder for color. I thought it has sounded great on vocals,Acoustic/Electric gtr...haven't had the chance top use it on OH yet. The DI is cool as well. __________________ If you really want to make orginal results,work fast and cheap,because there's more of a chance that you'll get somewhere that nobody else did. Brian Eno

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3rd January 2006	#3
rickrock305 Gear Guru Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Miami FL Posts: 10,065	i actually have one of each of these modules on order now for the purpose of A/Bing them. I'll let you know my thoughts when they get here. Unfortunately, I'm still on the shadow hills waiting list.

3rd January 2006	#4
tvanveen Gear addict Joined: Aug 2005 Location: DC Posts: 312	I've been using a pair of Biz (bizzes? bizzum?) and right now they're my favorite for OH. I like them better as OH's then the MP1-C's or L3's, which I also have pairs of. I guess I'm using them differently then other folks. Saucyjack and Nathan have called them clean, though I like them cuz they have a thickness in the midrange that I really dig. That's the first word I would use in describing them - thick. Maybe I don't really know how they work and I'm driving the crap out of them! Usually I set them up so really hard drum hits just barely put the input meters in the yellow, then adjust the output so my audiofire meters are hitting -3 on really hard hits. Maybe that's a bit high, but I like the sound I'm getting. I haven't been using them much in dual mode. Anyway, I find the MP1-A's to be the clean 500 preamps of the ones I have. Haven't used the SH gear. Dunno if it's helpful or not, but here's a couple of clips - biz1 biz2 Both are m/s setups though a pair of biz then through a pair of 560's. The 560's have a little low cut happening on the bottom 2 bands, plus a little tiny maybe 1db bump around 1 or 2k. Can't remember which. They both have a Sony C-48 for the side, the first has a AT4060 for the mid, the 2nd a AT4051. No plugs except the phase reverse for the m/s setup. Home studio, cheap kit, shitty engineer. tv

4th January 2006	#5
SLy_drums Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 762 Thread Starter	Thanks for the help thumbsup tvanveen : great extracts. Did you try them on rock/metal guitars ?

4th January 2006	#7
pramrod Gear addict Joined: Jul 2003 Location: CATSKILLS Posts: 303	Biz are ass kicking- i have 4 of them and they smoke- i did a drum kit this weekend on a hardcore record with 4 biz (and some trident b ranges racked by purple and purple mc77's) and it kicked major ass! tight tight tight and aggressive. great on distorted guitars and AMAZING on acoustic guitar. nice and fast, great colors as you vary the feedback and the gain staging, just frickin great. getting more soon- can't wait for purple's comps- i was told there are a number of comp circuits in the works, should be shweet. pram

6th January 2006	#8
SLy_drums Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 762 Thread Starter	I'm going to have the money soon, I'll go for a Royer R121 and a Purple Audio. What are the sonic differences compared to the Shadow Hills ?