Art DMPA vs Aphex 207 D vs FMR RNP

[Saxtrack]

Hi,

I´m looking for a preamp for my M 160 ribbon mic. Since I can´t afford that high end gear I´m considering the following:

Art DMPA
(+) variable impedance, digital converter, 75 db gain
(-) no headphone jack, no inserts

Aphex 207 D
(+) digital converter, headpone jack
(-) no variable impedance

Does it have inserts?

FMR RNP
(+) best reviews here?
(-) no digital converters, noisy?


Which of them would you choose? Will they result in any audible upgrade to the preamps of a Presonus Firebox? Any other recommendations in the same price range?

Hope someone can help. Thanks a lot.

[Sounds Great]

I currently have an Aphex 207. (not the D version). It is a pretty decent pre for the money, obviously not as good as the Hardy M1 I recently sold, but certainly usable, and plenty of gain. I give it a thumbsup

[diamondjim]

I was about to get the Aphex 207D, based on a review in Recording magazine, but then found lots of naysayers here and elsewhere. The biggest rap was in the harsher sounding mid to high end. The ART Digital MPA Gold seems to be a better buy for the same money, and some people re-tube them for even better results.

I am currently looking for tube mic pre, hopefully 2 channel, and the ART is my lower end fav so far, but I talked my wife into 5 years worth of foot rubs in exchange for some leeway on this purchase, so am looking in the $1000 + range, and looking at Great River NEV1, Groove Tubes Supre (not out yet...), and others.

There is so much subjectivity here that it is hard to decide, the Aphex might just be fine, but I have no way to try one out. Do a search on it here, there is a long thread on the "worst purchases", and Aphex comes up consistently, at least as far as their Exciter box. Keep searching, prosoundweb.com, other forums on gear, and maybe you will get more ideas.

RIght now I have too many......choice is a bitch!

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by diamondjim

thread on the "worst purchases", and Aphex comes up consistently, at least as far as their Exciter box.

Don't base anything on that, Exciters suck in general.

I am using my 207 all the time and it is decent enough. It is a big step up from the 107 which some might confuse it with.

[shikawkee]

Originally Posted by diamondjim

I was about to get the Aphex 207D, based on a review in Recording magazine, but then found lots of naysayers here and elsewhere. The biggest rap was in the harsher sounding mid to high end. The ART Digital MPA Gold seems to be a better buy for the same money, and some people re-tube them for even better results.

Not for nothing but I don't believe changing the tubes on a starved tube design will do much at all. It might make the owners feel better however!

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by shikawkee

Not for nothing but I don't believe changing the tubes on a starved tube design will do much at all. It might make the owners feel better however!

Does "starved tube" design actually mean "tubes that are there for looks but don't really do anything" design?

[shikawkee]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

Does "starved tube" design actually mean "tubes that are there for looks but don't really do anything" design?

Yup.

[Jimbo]

That is not what starved plate means.

By running the tube at low voltages (i.e., "starving" the plate) the tube will run-out of headroom quickly, and easily distort. In a starved plate design, the tube is certainly doing something -- it is distorting -- however, it isn't adding much, if any, gain to the signal.

Aphex claims that the tube in the 207 is the "main gain element" (I'm quoting that from the manual) in the circuit. They also refer to it as Reflected Plate. I'm not sure if they are doing some kind of voodoo with low-voltages, but it seems that they are claiming to that the circuit gets most of its gain out of tube run at low voltages.

I'd like to know more about their approach.

[doncaparker]

I have an ART MPA Gold, and I like it.

I'm no engineer, but from what I have read here and elsewhere, the ART MPA Gold is not a starved plate design.

I replaced the stock tubes with better ones, and I really like the sound.

If you already have AD conversion, you can save $100 by just buying the MPA Gold instead of the Digital MPA Gold.

[dickiefunk]

Also consider the M-Audio Tampa. You can only get them second hand but are very sweet pres and a real bargain!

[Jimbo]

Dudes,

This thread is pretty old, and I'd be willing to bet the OP doesn't care about recs anymore.

The only reason I replied was to correct the "starved plate is only for looks" comment.

[dickiefunk]

Oops sorry!

[chris carter]

Since you are specifically looking for a pre to go with your ribbon mic, it's worth considering that ribbon mics are HIGHLY affected by impedence. So haveing variable impedence can be really handy.