Nice tube pre for warm, pillowy, tubey goodness--which pre or other purchase?

[Dr. Gonzo]

Hello, everyone!

This is my first post on gearslutz, but I've been lurking and searching for a while now. Partially through your guidance (and such enablers as Mercenary Audio), I ended up getting a Neve Portico 5012 dual mic pre, an AEA R84 ribbon mic, a Soundelux U99, a pair of Adam ANF 10 studio monitors, and my brother got a TAB Funkenwerk V78m. All very, very nice pieces!

While I love the Portico 5012, I really liked some of the characteristics of the TAB V78m tube pre. It had this really fat, thick character that was cool in the way that it gave a nice body to vocals with a warm smoothness with nice detail on top--kind of an opulent sound to quote Fletcher. I was hoping to get a pre (or other product) that would give me that kind of sound, but maybe MORE of that tubey goodness! I'm looking for phatness, a kind of pillowy warm ambient quality, with mucho body and chunkiness to the vocal and other instruments. Basically phat, warm, tubey goodness as I understand it. So I am considering the TAB V78m which is a killer pre, and a great price. But if I can get even more of that warm, phat, tubey goodness in another pre, I might go for that. I'm considering strongly the D W Fearn VT-1, and perhaps the Pendulum MDP-1. The Groove Tubes Vipre or Supre are also contenders. I play everything from acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin, to blues, to rock. As of right now I'm leaning toward getting the D.W. Fearn VT-1 and a Lexicon PCM-91 to get the sound I want ($4,000 is the total budget pretty much).

The only thing that concerns me is that, while my brother and I could clearly hear differences between pre's such as the Great River ME-NV, the Portico, the TAB V-78m, and a Speck, when you listen to the 3D Audio 3D Pre CD, the differences between pre's are very subtle. I'm looking for a substantial difference in sound between the Neve Portico 5012 that I have and whatever I get. I'm hoping that a nice tube pre will give me that warm, phat tubey goodness and that it will be a substantial contrast to the Portico 5012 that I have. What do fellow gearslutz think?

Thanks,

Gonzo

[T.RayBullard]

I like the electronaut, swappable transformer cards, 1800 bucks for two channels.

http://www.electronaut.info/old_site...cts/index.html

[robot gigante]

A Designs MP-2

[vernier]

You'd need an all-analog chain for the sound you want ...and prefferably, all vintage.

[not_so_new]

Originally Posted by Dr. Gonzo

Hello, everyone!

This is my first post on gearslutz, but I've been lurking and searching for a while now. Partially through your guidance (and such enablers as Mercenary Audio), I ended up getting a Neve Portico 5012 dual mic pre, an AEA R84 ribbon mic, a Soundelux U99, a pair of Adam ANF 10 studio monitors, and my brother got a TAB Funkenwerk V78m. All very, very nice pieces!

While I love the Portico 5012, I really liked some of the characteristics of the TAB V78m tube pre. It had this really fat, thick character that was cool in the way that it gave a nice body to vocals with a warm smoothness with nice detail on top--kind of an opulent sound to quote Fletcher. I was hoping to get a pre (or other product) that would give me that kind of sound, but maybe MORE of that tubey goodness! I'm looking for phatness, a kind of pillowy warm ambient quality, with mucho body and chunkiness to the vocal and other instruments. Basically phat, warm, tubey goodness as I understand it. So I am considering the TAB V78m which is a killer pre, and a great price. But if I can get even more of that warm, phat, tubey goodness in another pre, I might go for that. I'm considering strongly the D W Fearn VT-1, and perhaps the Pendulum MDP-1. The Groove Tubes Vipre or Supre are also contenders. I play everything from acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin, to blues, to rock. As of right now I'm leaning toward getting the D.W. Fearn VT-1 and a Lexicon PCM-91 to get the sound I want ($4,000 is the total budget pretty much).

The only thing that concerns me is that, while my brother and I could clearly hear differences between pre's such as the Great River ME-NV, the Portico, the TAB V-78m, and a Speck, when you listen to the 3D Audio 3D Pre CD, the differences between pre's are very subtle. I'm looking for a substantial difference in sound between the Neve Portico 5012 that I have and whatever I get. I'm hoping that a nice tube pre will give me that warm, phat tubey goodness and that it will be a substantial contrast to the Portico 5012 that I have. What do fellow gearslutz think?

Thanks,

Gonzo

All I gotta say is mic preamps are much more subtle than people around here would have you believe. The difference between mic pre 1 and mic pre 2 is not usually going to stand out like a sore thumb, after a bit you will notice a difference.

The big difference in my eyes is the addition of these tracks in a mix. One track is like .5% but 50 tracks over the course of a production and this .5% will start to add up.

I say if you like the TAB get the TAB. From what I hear about the Protico it is a really nice unit so I don't think you will step up in quality I think you will just step sideways in color or texture. YMMV....

Oh and it is a bunch of marketing whooy that tubes provide "warm, phat goodness" In my eyes what provides this is a good design, a poorly implemented tube design can be more sterile and cold than it's counterpart. Just want to make sure you are aware of the marketing hype surrounding tube equipment.

The TAB stuff sounds good because it is a quality piece of hardware based on a great design built by folks who know what the hell they are doing. It does not sound good because they used a tube, it sounds good because they build a good product and it just happends to use a tube like the gear it was designed after did.

[rwhitney]

I haven't used the AEA R84, but when it comes to preamps for ribbon mics you have to ensure there's enough gain. I haven't been able to use my Coles 4040s with the Fearn pre, for instance. Personally, I aim for at least 70dB gain for ribbons, though 65dB is usually okay.

[zkaudio]

^i thought the fearn pre's were obscenely hot? What pre do you use for that mic?

[rwhitney]

Originally Posted by zkaudio

^i thought the fearn pre's were obscenely hot? What pre do you use for that mic?

The Fearn normally provides around, or just under, 60dB gain. You can ask for an upward gain adjustment of 6dB either when ordering or as a (more expensive) modification.

I'm glad you asked about the pre I prefer for ribbons, which is the Daking (I have the Mic-Pre IV). I've used and liked others (Focusrite Red is great for ribbons, imo), but the Daking is forward, present, bright but not harsh, so it compliments the 'darker' sounding ribbons very well.

[tomdarude]

I have heard & loved the GT Vipre 3 or 4 times..tracked bassamp, guitaramps, BD (sick!), room-mics (sicker!!) and vocals (si..holiiidojswkxkx******) with it.

it´s got so much control/interaction with the mic, that´s what stood out for me..
(impedance & rise time really DO make a difference on that one)
it´s not a channelstrip type with EQ/comp/limit etc. thrown in for free (that you prob. won´t like) but actually give´s you options & control over the PRE itself

you gotta try one at least!


if you like your bro´s TAB, maybe try a well-racked (oliver?) old V76 !!

never heard the Fearn , sorry ....go try it!

if you got the $$$ maybe look into the InwardConnection stuff!
you could get a 8-slot desk with 2 pres and add EQ´s/comps later... worth checking out
(never actually heard one & its out of my price-range, but that´s a piece I´m really curious about!!! I love to get my hands on one someday)

[Kiwiburger]

www.sebatron.com - worth a look

[tmcconnell]

the tube tech gear is silky and pillowy without being mushy - and is beautifully made.