Which "500" pre?

[Klauth]

Right now I'm using the "BIZ" but was wondering Which "500" pre you guys are using for your over heads and why? Klauth.

[SLy_drums]

The Biz is lovely, I like it on the snare drum a lot.

Try the A-Designs Pacifica : openness, bit of transparence but it's own color, great stereo image, not harsh at all ! Great for OH ! thumbsup

[fraz]

What's a "500" pre?

[pan60]

Originally Posted by fraz

What's a "500" pre?

it is a format used by api and others.
it is a box and power supply system that will take pre-amps or eq or compressors in the 500 format.
several companies make pre's for this format.
http://www.atlasproaudio.com/osa2.html

[jomo1234]

The Shadow Hills mono GAMA. It's sounds amazing and is like 3 pres in one. Vocals, elec. guitar, drum overheads...I've yet to find a source that it does not excel on. The DI is wonderful on bass and synths.

[kwaehner]

Not sure what the current wait time is, but the Mono Gamas are WELL worth the wait.

[claudemorrow]

QUOTE=Klauth]Yeah, I was excited about the Shadow hills stuff untill I heard about the delivery time.[/QUOTE]



I have a Shadow Hills Mono Gama for sale now in the GearSlutz Secondhand Classifeds that is less than 4 months old but you better hurry

Claude

[jomo1234]

The wait time for mono GAMAs doesnt seem to be long. I think the GAMA 8 and the compressor are a different story. Regardless, they are well worth the wait.

[pan60]

i have a mono gama and if i had to have only one i feel the A-Designs P-1 would be my pick.
thats not a slam on the gama because it is very nice i just think the P-1 is a grade better.

[NathanEldred]

This preamp, the Buzz Elixir, is too new for many people to comment, but I've tried it on drum overheads and the transient detail of the cymbals and toms were over the top.


http://www.buzzaudio.com/products/elixir.htm

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by Klauth

Hey Nathan,

Hows the coloration compared to the BIZ. as far as the over head application is concerned?

It's different, hard to put into words...but the Biz is more aggressive and in your face (in a good way), the Buzz is more natural and chisled...although I hear a little extra roundness in the lows probably attributed to the Lundahl on the output. I'd say the Biz has a little more emphasis in the high mids where the Buzz has more of a sloping rise in the top. The Buzz Elixir is going to give more detail, where the Purple Biz is going to be a bit more soft and thicker as compared to the Elixir. I could see Purples on kick and snare, and Elixirs on overheads....as a matter of fact I'll be doing that soon as I've got two of each in the rack. I predict excellent results. At this level of quality you can't go wrong as both are excellent pieces, and it's a matter of preference.

[warhead]

The A Designs P1 (closest of the 500 pres to the Pacifica) is excellent on drums and really delivers the punch. The "EM Blue" module would be another top choice from A Designs also on drums. Yummy, transformer goodness.

War

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by Klauth

Hey Nathan.

I have 4 BIZ's on kik & snare. and 7 API 512C's for toms. and am looking to add 4 more pre's for room and overhead. I was thinking that 4 more BIZ's or, A Designs P-1's would be the way to go. but, then the Elixir came out. My style is very much the, "Pantera esque" vibe. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! - Klauth.

I used the Buzz Audio MA2.2TX on Sudden Death's release which is distributed by Warner Bros, for their drum overheads. The Elixir to me has very similar characteristics to the MA2.2TX (I believe it uses the same Class A amplifiers that Tim Farrant designed)... Pantera-ish/Slayer hardcore metal kind of style with very growly vocals. That release was originally intended to be a quickly laid down EP for local release, but even with the quick speed it was finished, the Buzz made things very easy, faders up, a little compression, and an instantly tight overhead sound with no EQ. Tony Fergeson from Geffen gave me a nice unsolicited pat on the back for it which made me feel pretty damn good. Anyway for metal, you'll need a very tight, fast articulate sound for drums. You know as well as I do that the drummer wants to hear every intricacy of his kit. This is what the Elixir (or any Buzz Audio preamp) enables one to do easily IMHO.

[TonyBelmont]

I think the A Designs P1 would be a good choice for overheads!

[partnering]

here's a first run test i hurried with my sm57 thru the germ>line input 1 firepod>cubase then the three mono gama settings >line input2 firepod > cubase

i took the files and normalized it then changed the gain of each segment to try to match the loudness. not sure if this would effect the results but on my headphones the loudness is pretty close so as to render a fair judgement of the sound of the pre. i just got the germanium in today e. sorry i watched some new order documentary last night and had the melody but not the words. :P i suck at singing too so beware. ps my computer fan is bit noisy so....

oh the mic was a shure sm57 for familiarity.

germ both drive and feedback about 70% and no pad or thick

gama around 70% depending on the setting

also the performance varies but is bit more similar on the gama versions than the germ which sounds like i'm singing softer bit

[tvanveen]

I did an OH shootout with Biz's, A-Designs P1, OSA C, OSA A, OSA L3 and liked the Biz's the best.

I'm a Biz freak.

I suspect which one you like will depend on your room/mics/kit as well.