My Vocal Chain

[sonofnazca]

Hello to All the Slutz here

this year i used different sets of gear to record vocals in various studios

just thinking about getting a rack of my own for that purpose

so far the best ones i used was an original C12 into a Neve 33114

second was a Soundelus Elam 251 into a chandler LTD 1

so trying to stay around 5000 dollars for both a mike and a pre what would be your choices if you really liked those chains i mentionned before

tried avalon M5 on the the 251 and it sounded pretty harsh to me
even if i like that preamp for jazz recordings...with KM84 for example

tried also to plug a 251 into a LA 610 and it sounded just ok compared to the high end stuff...

I also really liked the LTD1 more than the TG2 channel from Chandler...

what about Great River and Aurora are they as good as it seems ?

also for a tracking comp I'm thinking of getting a distressor ?

any other competitors in that range ?

thanx a lot

Ben

[jdjustice]

Originally Posted by sonofnazca

so far the best ones i used was an original C12 into a Neve 33114

second was a Soundelus Elam 251 into a chandler LTD 1

do you mean you were using an original, vintage Telefunken ELAM 251, the re-issued Telefunken ELAM 251 or the new and in-production Soundelux ELUX251?

Originally Posted by sonofnazca

so trying to stay around 5000 dollars for both a mike and a pre what would be your choices if you really liked those chains i mentionned before

well you can get the Chandler LTD-1 preamp/eq for $2200 USD or so, and that would leave you about $2800 USD for a great microphone.

i have used the Soundelux ELUX251 and was really impressed. i like the fact that it is multipattern and you can record with it in omni mode, but if multiple patterns are not necessary for your work then perhaps the Soundelux E251C, which is cardioid-only, would be a decent bet. It retails for about $2900 USD, so that would put you at $5100 USD, just above your desired budget. i have never used the E251C but supposedly it is very close to the ELUX251, with only small differences in specs.....

Originally Posted by sonofnazca

tried also to plug a 251 into a LA 610 and it sounded just ok compared to the high end stuff...

i am not really a fan of the LA-610 either.

Originally Posted by sonofnazca

I also really liked the LTD1 more than the TG2 channel from Chandler...

well they are totally different designs i think.... the LTD-1 is close to a Neve 1073 and the TG-2 is based on EMI designs.

Originally Posted by sonofnazca

what about Great River and Aurora are they as good as it seems ?

i use a GR MP-2NV and i love it. it perhaps is not as close to the sound of a 1073 as the LTD-1 is, if the 1073 sound is what you are going for...

i have never used an Aurora and don't know anything about it.

Originally Posted by sonofnazca

also for a tracking comp I'm thinking of getting a distressor ?
any other competitors in that range ?

the distressor is a great choice for tracking compressor; for a little more money i personally would spring for a Crane Song TRAKKER instead, but the distressor hasn't become ubiquitous for nothing..... almost every professional studio has a pair it seems. another tracking compressor to consider is the Tube-Tech CL-1B.

BTW you mentioned you used an original C12: there of course has been a re-issued version (C12-VR) but most people i have heard from that have used it were not so impressed; apparently it does not come very close to the original.

maybe now some other people will chime in with microphone suggestions in your price range other than the E251C... perhaps the Lawson L251 Tube microphone ($2500 USD) would be one to check out, but i have no experience with it personally.


hope some of this helps,
J.D.

[Lectra]

[shameless spam mode on] I have a Soundelux Elux 251 for sale in a few days so maybe that's a good way for you to save some money ?
Together with a new LTD-1, it's just a little more than 5k
The Elux 251 street price is 4.8k$ ...[shameless spam mode off]


http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php?t=92959

[vernier]

Best vocals I've heard are through tube pre's ...and it's quite obvious when listening to records.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by vernier

Best vocals I've heard are through tube pre's ...and it's quite obvious when listening to records.

I would disagree.

[t.dizzle]

Me too.

[turk sanchez]

Me three. I like the tube in the mic or compressor.

[George Necola]

me too.. but who am I

[sonofnazca]

Originally Posted by jdjustice

do you mean you were using an original, vintage Telefunken ELAM 251, the re-issued Telefunken ELAM 251 or the new and in-production Soundelux ELUX251?

yes i used the Soundelux ELUX251

thanx a lot for taking the time to reply to my post