Clean pre for vocals in treated porta-booth?

[PsilohsaiBiN]

I want to start this off by saying that I already have a UA solo 610, Blue Robbie and M-Audio Tampa(only used for the optical compressor, really). As you know, all of these preamps are a bit colored, the 610 really colored. I have a tube mic(Sputnik) that is set up in a porta booth that really does make the vox dry as all hell(and only cost about $50) and really isolates it from my bedroom that isn't treated. I also have some cheaper solid state LDCs being an AT2020 and Rode Nt1a. These are all going into a Digi 003 Rack Plus(I know the conversion isn't the greatest but it'll do for now).
I really need a dedicated vocal preamp that isn't too colored and really lets the tube mic do it's thing, or at least helps it cut through the mix a little better than combining it with tube preamps. It will also give me a more versatile setup with a quality solid state pre. I also want to add that I'll be picking up an SM7b in the near future.
Probably shouldn't have got two tube pres in succession like I did, but it's a little to late now.
Would you go Grace m 101, Daking Mic Pre One or Great river ME-1NV?

[Insomniaclown]

Well, you said you wanted clean, and the Grace m101 is certainly that. I think you should do some more research on the ones you have listed though. The great river me-1nv and Daking mic pre one both have reputations for being quite coloured.

For an SM 7b you want at least 60db of clean gain, but I think you really want closer to 65 or even 70. I have done some recordings through my Ensemble where I have had to set the gain at 66db to get a good signal level, so look at that when researching pre's.

The cleanest pre's are the straight wire with gain type. No transformer balancing. True systems P solo, AEA, Grace m101, Focusrite ISA one, Audient Mico would be worth looking at for a good clean pre amp that would let the colour and tonality of the tube mic shine through.

[PsilohsaiBiN]

Right, I guess what I should've said was versatile and somewhat clean. From what I understand you can have the Great River pretty clean long as you don't drive the output but it's like a swiss army knife. The Daking is punchy like an API moreso than being like a Neve, but it just works good on everything. Lastly, yea, the Grace is transparent as a gold digging housewife. Guess I just need a little push. Thanks tho.

[Insomniaclown]

Well, now you are into a place that noone can really help you with. Do you want a swiss army knife? Punchy? Transparent? The best thing you can do is try them out if possibly. The 3 pre amps you listed are all great, so it's kind of a no wrong answer.

You said in your post that you wanted a pre that would let the tube mic do its thing. In that instance, I'd go Grace.

[VacuousZounds]

My vote is for the SSL Alpha Channel, I have one and it's a good middle ground pre, a little more character than my zero-distortion Mindprint but no where near the amount of coloration of my API. It's quite versatile with the switchable impedance and VHD control. It also has on board A/D, so you can go spdif in right into your 003, bypassing the Digi converters. On top of which you get some pretty decent EQ with different high-pass options.

[scottstoked]

A Safe Sound P1 might fit the bill.

[bluebird1]

without question or reservation and entirely subjective, the grace m101.

[cschuby]

+1 for the Grace m101.....just about as clean as they come. I love mine

[PsilohsaiBiN]

Really wanted the Grace, but went for the SSL because I got one used for what a brand new Grace costs. I can always sell it if I don't like it. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[PsilohsaiBiN]

I just felt like the better than average converters plus an eq and limiter was just too hard to pass up. I just might still grab a grace in the near future.

[dickiefunk]

Originally Posted by Insomniaclown

The cleanest pre's are the straight wire with gain type. No transformer balancing. True systems P solo, AEA, Grace m101, Focusrite ISA one, Audient Mico would be worth looking at for a good clean pre amp that would let the colour and tonality of the tube mic shine through.

The ISA One uses a lundahl transformer and the tone is slightly colored.

The others you mentioned would be cleaner.

[Chrisc_o]

Do a search.