Favorite Four Channel Preamp for drums

[gouge]

one option is a sytek unit. 4 channels of quality drum and acoustic guitar pres for $600 then you have money left over for mics or extra preamps.

[indie folk guy]

Originally Posted by gouge

one option is a sytek unit. 4 channels of quality drum and acoustic guitar pres for $600 then you have money left over for mics or extra preamps.

that sounds appealing where can I find one for sale? Would $400ish leave room for a good character preamp to use for vocals or a room mic?

[gouge]

there was some syteks in the 2nd forum and they come up on ebay from time to time.

for drum overheads, acoustic guitar and room mics they are as good as most choices out there. plenty of clean, fast, gain. excellent on ribbon mics also.

not my preferred choice for vocals. for that i'd look for something with transformers in it.

taking colour out of the equation. the main difference between the sytek and the likes of ma-5, daking, api stuff is the syteks don't have quite the same level of 3d sound. this is not a problem with mics placed away from the source like overheads, room mics etc.

most of the preamps i use for vocals are just outside of your budget. like the ma-5 the dakings etc.

you could look into a daking mic pre one second hand. probably more than $400 but worth it. it will work on electric guitars, drums, vocals and bass. there is also the ma-5 which is outside of your current budget. ma-5 is excellent on bass, heavy/beefy guitars and vocals.

i haven't used any of the cheaper neve styled preamps so can't compare. depends what your long term plan is.

[gouge]

you might also consider the alctron mp-100 as your option preamp. not heard it myself though it's under $400

[retrogradeorbit]

Originally Posted by gouge

one option is a sytek unit. 4 channels of quality drum and acoustic guitar pres for $600 then you have money left over for mics or extra preamps.

+1 for sytek mpx-4a. Love mine. Great advice.

Also API 3124 comes to mind for a lot more. If you're handy with a soldering iron you can get a similar API sound from ClassicAPI's VP25/VP26 kits (requires a lunchbox or equivalent rack and PSU).

[indie folk guy]

I know it's a little more than I'd wanted to spend but does anyone have any opinions on the UA 4-710d?

I thought that might be another option worth looking into for $2k I'd get the flexibility of solid/tube.

[superwack]

Originally Posted by retrogradeorbit

+1 for sytek mpx-4a. Love mine. Great advice.

Also API 3124 comes to mind for a lot more. If you're handy with a soldering iron you can get a similar API sound from ClassicAPI's VP25/VP26 kits (requires a lunchbox or equivalent rack and PSU).

Actually, FYI the ClassicAPIs VP312s are designed where you can trim the PCB and fit 4 of them in a 1RU case with PSU. Could probably get a PSU from JLM or the like and be pretty close to your budget.

[greyskull]

having owned one i can tell you the isa 428 is toilet. save for an API.

[digibird]

Save up for the API 3124. That way you only buy once & keep it for life.

[retrogradeorbit]

Originally Posted by indie folk guy

I know it's a little more than I'd wanted to spend but does anyone have any opinions on the UA 4-710d?

I thought that might be another option worth looking into for $2k I'd get the flexibility of solid/tube.

I've heard all of them, and IMHO the sytek will destroy the the UA 4-710, and the API will destroy both of them more so.

The 'flexibility' of the solid/tube choice is not worth the loss of quality in both the 710's SS and tube sections. To fit both into a unit of that price compromises have been made and I've looked (and listened) and compromises are present in the circuit. The 710's tube section doesn't sound as good as a read tube pre amp (I shot it out with a 610), nor its solid state section as good as a decent solid state preamp (I compared with a sytek).

[indie folk guy]

well then it sounds like the API is the way to go

[icecubeman]

It should be API, but Daking is also very good choice

[RiF]

I know that the API 3124 is not really Low End Theory'ish at all, but as it has been said, it is perfect for drums and you'll keep it for a lifetime and you'll never need to think about drum preamps anymore. It's $675 per channel...

If that's too much money (which I can totally understand), what's wrong with the ISA 428, greyskull?

Ahhh... and if you want to go the 500-series route, the new Lindell Audio units ($300 per channel) look promising. But I'd check first-hand experience first.

[javierboz]

My favorites preamp for drums:

-Overheads.........................Neve 1073 preamps
-Snare...............................Neumann V476b / API512 Preamps
-Kick.................................Neumann V476b / API512 Preamps

[drumrec.com]

1. Classic API VP26

2. API 3124

3. Vintage Design

KR
/H

[jakson]

I was recently looking for the same thing, and if the budget would have permitted i would have went for the API 3124+. But someone suggested the sytek so i picked on up and even though i cant compare it to the api unit... im extremely happy with the sytek. It gave me exactly the sound i wanted. So +1 for the sytek

[Andy]

Hi,

since this is low end theory I suggest you to try out Steinberg MR816X. I've been very happy it. It 'just works'. Good solid clean sound what ever you throw at it. It's not your mojo-color-ballsy-preamp, but it's good. Incredible bang for buck 8 channels of micpres and ADDA converter. That would save some money for good mics. I see you have Heil Sound mics. I got mine 6mo. ago and really like'em.

[LinearScott]

I picked up 2 Daking Mic Pre IV's for the purpose of recording drums and they sound great. You can get them for $1500-1700 used, if you can find them. People typically don't sell them which is a good testament to their quality and sound.

[electricity17]

+1 on the Daking Mic Pre IV. I've only got one but we've been using it for a Glyn Johns setup on the drums (thank god my drummer is good), it sounds great. The drum sound big and full through it, we're doing a lot of reamping so everything except the bass ends up going through the Daking. I love it, I'm sure the API is great as well. I feel like the Daking combined with the right mid-level mics (Oktavamod NT1, Beyerdynamic M201, PR48, Little Blondies) is the reason our recordings don't sound like home demos anymore.

If the price tag is too high for either of those, my next choice would be to get two FMR RNP's.

[gouge]

Originally Posted by electricity17

+1 on the Daking Mic Pre IV. I've only got one but we've been using it for a Glyn Johns setup on the drums (thank god my drummer is good), it sounds great. The drum sound big and full through it, we're doing a lot of reamping so everything except the bass ends up going through the Daking. I love it, I'm sure the API is great as well. I feel like the Daking combined with the right mid-level mics (Oktavamod NT1, Beyerdynamic M201, PR48, Little Blondies) is the reason our recordings don't sound like home demos anymore.

If the price tag is too high for either of those, my next choice would be to get two FMR RNP's.

yep, i prefer daking over api. but that may change when the vp28 arrives.

the daking makes everything sound big and punchy but not as forward and in your face as the api which i like. to me the daking is just laid back enough to sound sweet. plus the daking has bass content which the api doesn't do much for.

like you the daking suits my oktavamodded mics exceptionally well also.

i was chasing a mic pre 4 but a 1969 premier kit put a hole in that fund.

[sonic dogg]

Originally Posted by RiF

I know that the API 3124 is not really Low End Theory'ish at all, but as it has been said, it is perfect for drums and you'll keep it for a lifetime and you'll never need to think about drum preamps anymore. It's $675 per channel...

If that's too much money (which I can totally understand), what's wrong with the ISA 428, greyskull?

Ahhh... and if you want to go the 500-series route, the new Lindell Audio units ($300 per channel) look promising. But I'd check first-hand experience first.

Really. If you cant get a good sound with the 428 the problem lies somewhere else.

[jrod9900]

I own APIs, Dakings, and Classic API VP26s. I've also used the Syteks a bit at two local rooms I use a lot.

While the Syteks are good for the money, I never say "Gee, I can't wait to use a Sytek here.". They are what they are, and they do a good job. But there are a lot better.

API (3124 or 512s) - my go-to pres. I use these everywhere. Drums, guitars, vox, bass. They rarely don't work. May not be the best in every case, but they always sound good. Punchy as hell. Love em.

Daking - love em. The only beef I had was I only had one. I needed more! It always sounded great. Very 3d. Like the API in versatility, but a little more sheen. Great with ribbon mics. Just had a great aura to it. I will get more.

CAPI - I have some of the VP26s. They do a really good job, though not a lot like a modern day 512 or 312. They are a little less punchy and maybe a bit more gushy. You can really hear this on toms and kick. I still use them a lot on harms, guitars, and drums. Tons of bang for the buck. Def dig these pres.

So, that's my input. Nothing is going to give you everything, but these can get you great results for the time being.

Good luck,

JROD

[NEWTON IN ORBIT]

The 428 is ok. I like it better than API's for one drum app, and that is tom toms.

I'd go API or an API knock off if it were me.

Sytek is good, but now there are better options out there for just a little more, it doesn't make as much sense. Ten years ago it was a great preamp for the money, times change though. While still very good, there are better now.

john

[mikeyman]

try and find some samples of the Daking.I like the sound that i heard in one comparision of different preamps