Avid HD Omni Mic Pre for Vocals

[Shan]

It really depends what you're after. I've used my Omni pres for vocals and voice over, and have no issues with the sound quality. It's a very clean and neutral sound.

Shane

[psycho_monkey]

The Digi PRE used to have a good reputation as a clean but quiet preamp. I'm guessing here, but I'd imagine the Omni pres follow the same thought processes. It's designed with one eye on the voiceover market after all.

[musicminister187]

Okay, hope I'll get some more comments on people's experience. I believe that the Avid upgrade would be better than Digi? Would tracking with a good compressor using these mic pre's on the OMNI give professional vocals. If the compressor and the Mic both have a tube, this should make up for the cleanness of the omni pre's?

[psycho_monkey]

Originally Posted by musicminister187

Okay, hope I'll get some more comments on people's experience. I believe that the Avid upgrade would be better than Digi? Would tracking with a good compressor using these mic pre's on the OMNI give professional vocals. If the compressor and the Mic both have a tube, this should make up for the cleanness of the omni pre's?

Depends on the operator surely? Plenty of pro vocals have been done on budget preamps.

[musicminister187]

So there's no one out there who can share their experience with the Omno mic pre's?

[psycho_monkey]

Originally Posted by musicminister187

So there's no one out there who can share their experience with the Omno mic pre's?

Give me a few months and I'll be able to tell you

[musicminister187]

Originally Posted by psycho_monkey

Give me a few months and I'll be able to tell you

Hmm... that's not funny!!

[by-tor]

Tracked some vox with my omni! Sounds great...nice and clean. CURV can be a cool effect for screaming parts as well.

[psycho_monkey]

Originally Posted by musicminister187

Hmm... that's not funny!!

Sorry for telling the truth!

[musicminister187]

Originally Posted by by-tor

Tracked some vox with my omni! Sounds great...nice and clean. CURV can be a cool effect for screaming parts as well.

Hey, thanks. Finally!!!!

Can you compare it to any other Mic Pre's you have used? Would it give you that professional vocal sound without the color? I know you said it's clean but need more. Pleassseee...

[by-tor]

Originally Posted by musicminister187

Hey, thanks. Finally!!!!

Can you compare it to any other Mic Pre's you have used? Would it give you that professional vocal sound without the color? I know you said it's clean but need more. Pleassseee...

Sounds like the DIGI pre a bit. Maybe somewhat Grace like. Tons of gain. Sounds great. If you can't get a good sound with that check your room, singer, mic. (All those are more important anyway.)

[musicminister187]

Originally Posted by by-tor

Sounds like the DIGI pre a bit. Maybe somewhat Grace like. Tons of gain. Sounds great. If you can't get a good sound with that check your room, singer, mic. (All those are more important anyway.)

Hey, is it possible for me to hear some vocal takes that were done with the Omni mic pre's?

[musicminister187]

bump

[talozz]

Here's my experience with the OMNI pre's. I've had my OMNI since PT9 was introduced in November of 2010...

I've used them plenty of times on a minimal (4 input) drum micing approach. They're clean and get the job done, but nothing to write home about.

I did a small impromptu shootout with a 414 on acoustic guitar and vocals through my mic pre's and chose the OMNI as the least preferable. My options were Martech MSS10, Retro Powerstrip, GAP Pre-73, and OMNI.

I seem to remember it being flat and possibly even a little dull in comparison to the others.

You can def get useable results from this box, in fact everything else about it I rave about, but I would suggest another pre-amp if you have the budget for it.

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by musicminister187

Okay, hope I'll get some more comments on people's experience. I believe that the Avid upgrade would be better than Digi?

Converter wise - that would be an incorrect assumption. I recently tried the new HDX converters next to the Lynx "Aurora" converters with great expectation... and all I could when I played it all back was "wow - what a disappointment". I was so ready to believe that AVID made some converters that sounded better than their 192's. I guess I'm just a dreamer as I really want to believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy too.

Would tracking with a good compressor using these mic pre's on the OMNI give professional vocals. If the compressor and the Mic both have a tube, this should make up for the cleanness of the omni pre's?

Oh shit. Having or not having a tube [or especially a "toob"] won't compensate for a got damn thing. If something sounds good - it sounds good. If something doesn't sound good then throwing another piece of gear at it won't help that much.

I don't know about the specific pre's you're talking about... but I did try some previous iteration of Digi pre-amps [the remotely controlled ones that had "zipper noise" whenever you changed the gain level] that sounded like ass with some zipper noise thrown in when you changed the input level.

There are some really great products out there that won't put you in a world of compromise... all due respect - you'll probably be best served if you make friends with some dealer that can send you a bunch of options... then work with those options until you find some tools that suit your music, sense of aesthetic, and budget. You'll be happy in the long run that you invested the time.

Peace

[heysimo]

I have no experience with OMNI, but I do believe Avid components are more or less always the same.
Said that, talking about my C|24 pres, I say I hate them.
If it's an high end point of view we're watching from, they sound extremely noisy and undefinite.
They are really my last choice in the studio, and the equipment I have mostly can be barely considered high end.

Sorry if this was a lil bit inappropriate but since Avid stuff costs like crazy I thought it'd be right to share this disappointing experience.

I realize this mostly comparing...so try do make some comparisons with your Omni too if you can.

[jjdpro]

Really? I respectfully disagree with your assessment on the new Avid converters.
When we compared our 192s vs the Omni, it was way better. More detailed, dept, width..

Then, we compared to the Aurora, and again the new Avid converters had more detail etc..

Originally Posted by Fletcher

Converter wise - that would be an incorrect assumption. I recently tried the new HDX converters next to the Lynx "Aurora" converters with great expectation... and all I could when I played it all back was "wow - what a disappointment". I was so ready to believe that AVID made some converters that sounded better than their 192's. I guess I'm just a dreamer as I really want to believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy too.



Oh shit. Having or not having a tube [or especially a "toob"] won't compensate for a got damn thing. If something sounds good - it sounds good. If something doesn't sound good then throwing another piece of gear at it won't help that much.

I don't know about the specific pre's you're talking about... but I did try some previous iteration of Digi pre-amps [the remotely controlled ones that had "zipper noise" whenever you changed the gain level] that sounded like ass with some zipper noise thrown in when you changed the input level.

There are some really great products out there that won't put you in a world of compromise... all due respect - you'll probably be best served if you make friends with some dealer that can send you a bunch of options... then work with those options until you find some tools that suit your music, sense of aesthetic, and budget. You'll be happy in the long run that you invested the time.

Peace

[oceantracks]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

Converter wise - that would be an incorrect assumption. I recently tried the new HDX converters next to the Lynx "Aurora" converters with great expectation... and all I could when I played it all back was "wow - what a disappointment". I was so ready to believe that AVID made some converters that sounded better than their 192's. I guess I'm just a dreamer as I really want to believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy too.



Oh shit. Having or not having a tube [or especially a "toob"] won't compensate for a got damn thing. If something sounds good - it sounds good. If something doesn't sound good then throwing another piece of gear at it won't help that much.

I don't know about the specific pre's you're talking about... but I did try some previous iteration of Digi pre-amps [the remotely controlled ones that had "zipper noise" whenever you changed the gain level] that sounded like ass with some zipper noise thrown in when you changed the input level.

There are some really great products out there that won't put you in a world of compromise... all due respect - you'll probably be best served if you make friends with some dealer that can send you a bunch of options... then work with those options until you find some tools that suit your music, sense of aesthetic, and budget. You'll be happy in the long run that you invested the time.

Peace

Love you Fletch (after all, you DID send me a free T shirt that said "Daddy Will Fix It In The Mix" when my daughter was born)....but I think you are in the vast minority of the world audio population if you don't think the new Avid boxes don't sound better than the old ones.

TH

[by-tor]

Originally Posted by jjdpro

Really? I respectfully disagree with your assessment on the new Avid converters.
When we compared our 192s vs the Omni, it was way better. More detailed, dept, width..

Then, we compared to the Aurora, and again the new Avid converters had more detail etc..

I agree. I did a shoot out vs lynx and apogee and one other I can not recall right now. The avid was amazing. The lynx had slightly fuller low end but one could say the avid was flatter. The apogee, the new top of the line one, sounded small compared to both. I never trust a review from fletcher if avid is involved. He has a well documented bias.

I will have omni pre stuff up in a few months. Nothing I have recorded with it is for release as of now.

[Doc Mixwell]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

Converter wise - that would be an incorrect assumption. I recently tried the new HDX converters next to the Lynx "Aurora" converters with great expectation... and all I could when I played it all back was "wow - what a disappointment". I was so ready to believe that AVID made some converters that sounded better than their 192's. I guess I'm just a dreamer as I really want to believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy too.

"HDX Converters"? Don't You mean the "HD I/O's"?

Wow...It seems that asking you about Pro Tools, is like asking the Tooth fairy about Santa.