Cheapish, clean (cold/lean sounding) single mic pre?

[cactus_farmer]

I'm looking for an 'opposite' companion to the Golden Age Project Pre 73, essentially. The GAP 73 is very warm, thick...etc..., is there a unit you guys can recommend that is roughly the same cost, but offers a very different sound?

[guitarboy94]

Grace 101

[FilmNMusicman]

Not the grace 101.....Cheap was the optimal word.

Look into a M-audio DMP3

You said cheap (but good quality obviously)
$150 ish for the DMP3
$500 ish for the Grace 101

....or, check out the Focusrite Trakmaster....It's a channel strip, it's extremely clean like the Grace 101....Just not well in the same league overall...$300 for that one.

[cactus_farmer]

thanks, good suggestions, the Grace design might be a tad out of my budget (is it available new for $500? Goes for £550 new in UK). Is there anything like it about one price bracket below the Grace Design, and one bracket above the M-Audio?

[changeng]

another cheap choice would be the Rane MS1-b - you can find them used for around $50.

[changeng]

another idea would be a Soundcraft notebook small board - the pres are supposed to be really clean.

[ttown23]

D.a.v. Bg-1?

[aclarson]

I've found my Black Lion B12A to be quite different than my Pre-73s, in a good way. In fact, I use it way more than my two GAPs since I got it. Much cleaner sound to it, though I wouldn't say cold sounding. Definitely sounds a lot more 'real' to my ears than the GAP. Great pre, I highly recommend it, and it's actually slightly cheaper than the GAP.