Nice All around Pre

DP40oz · 27th March 2006

Hey guys im looking for one really great mic pre. Right now ive been using my Soundcraft pre's which suprisingly have done an excellent job, but i would really like one really great pre, for Vox, guitar, maybe even some bass DI stuff but thats not totally necassary. Any advice would be great. I've read alot of mixed opinions on the Universal Audio 610 and the Avalon stuff. What do you guys think.

phelbin · 27th March 2006

How much money do you have to spend? Single channel or stereo? Transparent or colored?

The first high-end pre I ever had was a Grace 101. I used it on vocals, bass, guitars, and everything else I could. It was a great piece of gear. I eventually sold it and bought a Grace 201...and I use it almost every day. The Grace sound is so crystal clear, it seems to clean everything up.

tamasdragon · 27th March 2006

What about Mackie onyx 800r?
Regards Tamas Dragon

**TonyBelmont** · 27th March 2006

API lunchbox with a 512c!

**DrDeltaM** · 27th March 2006

Daking pre/EQ gets you a high-end versatile mic pre-amp with an awesome EQ thrown in for a very cool price

**matt thomas** · 27th March 2006

ok

a few questions have to be asked

how much $$$$?

single or stereo channel?

coloured or clean pre? I'm guessing you are doing rock? so I would go coloured.

narco

**matt thomas** · 27th March 2006

haha

just noticed phelbin asked exactly the same questions as me, in the same order, obviously the right questions then..

btw. Universal and Avalon are two pres which don't get good comments round here, but plenty of people use them with great results, I have'nt used either

narco

DP40oz · 27th March 2006

Im looking for a single channel pre, something under a $1000 preferably, and im thinking a colored pre. Once again though im open to anything. I would go for more then one channel and i'd raise my price if there was something great that was resonable. I've read some great stuff about the Great River, any thoughts? As far as my original thoughts on Universal Audio, and Avalon stuff, I originally was looking into them because of the respected name. I get some descent business doing this stuff and it never hurts to rattle off some respected companies names as your gearlist, but i am by no means basing my decision on that.

feyshay · 27th March 2006

Add the phoenix drs-1 to your list. If I were going to have only ONE really good preamp, I probably wouldn't get something too "colored".
Better to capture your signal correctly. You can always get some color from your preamp, compressor, plug-in, etc.

warhead · 27th March 2006

The Chameleon Labs 7602 is a contender, way under $1k and if you ever want to add a second channel it will plug into the same power supply.

It's one of those pieces where you're like "damn that's a nice pre" and then "damn that's a nice DI" and then "DAMN that EQ is nice"...

The pre is more in the "vibe" category of having some shades of color there, but is cleaner than you might think. Then again, you can turn the output down and turn up the input for some more crunchiness so it's quite versatile.

One of the best bass DI's you could want, with a very detailed midrange thing going on that wins in the mix vs some of these bombastic sounding DI's that funnel tons of low end through...and then you have to roll it all off and boost the mids some in the mix anyhow!

War

madstrat · 27th March 2006

+1 on the api lunchbox...got it so i could add modules as my
budget saw fit...i hope my shadow hills mono ships this week....

djbrough · 27th March 2006

Chandler Germanium

Sounds Great · 27th March 2006

If you can swing $1120 you can get one channel of John Hardy M1 with the meter and output transformer options. And add 3 more channels as you can afford them.

Or you can get the single channel personal mic preamp (which also includes the options) for $995.

I would get the bigger mainframe as you will undoubtedly want more channels later.

http://www.johnhardyco.com/prices.html

**matt thomas** · 29th March 2006

API lunchbox will be your best combination of "name" gear and reasonable price and future options

narco

27th March 2006	#1
DP40oz Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 410 Thread Starter	Nice All around Pre Hey guys im looking for one really great mic pre. Right now ive been using my Soundcraft pre's which suprisingly have done an excellent job, but i would really like one really great pre, for Vox, guitar, maybe even some bass DI stuff but thats not totally necassary. Any advice would be great. I've read alot of mixed opinions on the Universal Audio 610 and the Avalon stuff. What do you guys think.

27th March 2006	#5
DrDeltaM Moderator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Belgium Posts: 4,301	Daking pre/EQ gets you a high-end versatile mic pre-amp with an awesome EQ thrown in for a very cool price __________________ Mathijs Indesteege aka Mathew Lane mixing - mastering - audio restoration - plugins http://www.mathewlane.com DrMS. Focus on your stereo field. - NEW v3.2 OUT NOW! DrMS spatial processor - native RTAS/AU/VST plugin » Digital Audio Product Support Joystick Audio - Benelux High End Distributor http://www.joystick.be

27th March 2006	#6
matt thomas Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Zealand/Switzerland/guitar case Posts: 7,949	ok a few questions have to be asked how much $$$$? single or stereo channel? coloured or clean pre? I'm guessing you are doing rock? so I would go coloured. narco __________________ Steve Gadd, New York Brass, David Kahne, Abbey Road Mastering, all featuring on Lesley Meguid (my wife)'s album "The Truth About Love Songs", out now! Check out some previews on www.itunes.com/lesleymeguid or Lesley Meguid on Facebook - neve, fairchild, m49 for vox etc..

27th March 2006	#10
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 11,910	The Chameleon Labs 7602 is a contender, way under $1k and if you ever want to add a second channel it will plug into the same power supply. It's one of those pieces where you're like "damn that's a nice pre" and then "damn that's a nice DI" and then "DAMN that EQ is nice"... The pre is more in the "vibe" category of having some shades of color there, but is cleaner than you might think. Then again, you can turn the output down and turn up the input for some more crunchiness so it's quite versatile. One of the best bass DI's you could want, with a very detailed midrange thing going on that wins in the mix vs some of these bombastic sounding DI's that funnel tons of low end through...and then you have to roll it all off and boost the mids some in the mix anyhow! War __________________ Warren Dent - Owner of: www.ZenProAudio.com Where You Get Gear Now & Zen Email via Gearslutz

27th March 2006	#13
Sounds Great Gear Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 18,024 1 Review written	If you can swing $1120 you can get one channel of John Hardy M1 with the meter and output transformer options. And add 3 more channels as you can afford them. Or you can get the single channel personal mic preamp (which also includes the options) for $995. I would get the bigger mainframe as you will undoubtedly want more channels later. http://www.johnhardyco.com/prices.html __________________ http://soundcloud.com/sounds-great-1 -Rob Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

27th March 2006	#2
phelbin Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 355	How much money do you have to spend? Single channel or stereo? Transparent or colored? The first high-end pre I ever had was a Grace 101. I used it on vocals, bass, guitars, and everything else I could. It was a great piece of gear. I eventually sold it and bought a Grace 201...and I use it almost every day. The Grace sound is so crystal clear, it seems to clean everything up.

27th March 2006	#3
tamasdragon Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hungary Posts: 1,472	What about Mackie onyx 800r? Regards Tamas Dragon

27th March 2006	#4
TonyBelmont Moderator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boston,MA Providence,RI Posts: 15,753	API lunchbox with a 512c!

27th March 2006	#9
feyshay Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,359	Add the phoenix drs-1 to your list. If I were going to have only ONE really good preamp, I probably wouldn't get something too "colored". Better to capture your signal correctly. You can always get some color from your preamp, compressor, plug-in, etc.

27th March 2006	#11
madstrat Gear nut Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: sotex Posts: 99	+1 on the api lunchbox...got it so i could add modules as my budget saw fit...i hope my shadow hills mono ships this week....

27th March 2006	#12
djbrough Gear addict Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 398	Chandler Germanium

29th March 2006	#14
matt thomas Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Zealand/Switzerland/guitar case Posts: 7,949	API lunchbox will be your best combination of "name" gear and reasonable price and future options narco

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