Hi End, Or Low End

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

You might consider getting pairs of mic pres of different flavors. It is more expensive that way, but in the end you'll have some nice choices, and you can buy them a pair at a time, taking advantage of the used market. (For example, right now there are some Amek 9098 pres in the classifieds here. I'd buy one if I needed a pre.) Then you can have Neve styles, Trident styles, clean style, .... makes for a more interesting mix.

[mattjew24]

I'd grab a Focusrite strip of ISA preamps man! Not the Octopre, those aren't "real" Focusrite preamps

[Tonycamp]

will you be recording more that 2 sources at any given time? The answer to this question should weigh heavily on the decision you make.

[mattjew24]

I'm assuming with the Lynx he plans to be capable of recording multiple inputs.

Get a variety of good pres. Maybe API lunchbox / Radial workhorse type setup

[DrMV]

Originally Posted by mattjew24

I'm assuming with the Lynx he plans to be capable of recording multiple inputs.

Get a variety of good pres. Maybe API lunchbox / Radial workhorse type setup

I agree with going for a lunchbox. The API 3124+ is beautiful on so many sources, but it's not my first choice for everything.

If it were me, I guess I'd just blow out the budget and go API 3124+, 2-channel Neve, 2-channel UA.

Nice to have options, and I almost always go to API on my drum close-mics (and having 4 would be a good idea for such).

[ereeber]

yeah, I'm recording full drum kits with 8-10 simultaneous tracks and want the ability to do 16 at once eventually. However, I am interested in the lunchbox idea. I was looking at the API 3124+ as well for the close mic's on drums. I love that sound. Out of the gate though, would the OctopreMKII Dynamic sound THAT MUCH worse than the API? I don't have the cash for the API, so I was thinking of picking the Octopre up just to get started.

[Tone Laborer]

Originally Posted by ereeber

Drastic difference in price, but will I really be able to hear the difference to match the cost?

The never ending question. If only we really knew.

You could do 8 chs of CAPI VP26s for around 3K, including box, and a few nights work, to throw in another option. Together with your lynx you would have a sweet 8 inputs for drums and anything else.

[Tonycamp]

sca a12's with scott Liebers opamps sound righteous. I built 2 api's and 2 neve styles for under $1,800.00, I like the api a12's better than the n72's. You just need output attenuaters, so you can slam them and not kill your daw. They sound Ziicckk

[mattjew24]

Originally Posted by ereeber

yeah, I'm recording full drum kits with 8-10 simultaneous tracks and want the ability to do 16 at once eventually. However, I am interested in the lunchbox idea. I was looking at the API 3124+ as well for the close mic's on drums. I love that sound. Out of the gate though, would the OctopreMKII Dynamic sound THAT MUCH worse than the API? I don't have the cash for the API, so I was thinking of picking the Octopre up just to get started.

Yes it's that much worse than API

[tINY]

One the low-end side...

You could get a used Mackie 800R initially. I wouldn't think that would be a hinderance. You'd get 8 channels of decent (clean, no "mojo") pre-amps, an M/S decoder, instrument inputs, and variable input inpedance for vintage mics.

Looks like they go from $600-$700 used....




-tINY

[ereeber]

You guys all have great input and ideas. THANKS! So, I'm hooking up the Lynx AES16e card and Aurora 16 today. I've decided to buy a Focusrite OctopreMKII Dynamic for the additional channels that I need for the lowest cost. I'll be able to work with this for a bit, until I can afford the "next" step of upgrading the Octopre to an API / Neve units...