Tube "preamp" for adding THAT sound to the mix.

[AUDIOBOMBER]

if you wanna go that way studer d19 is an option. you can use it with or without valves , got very fine gain adjustments and there a pot where you can swift between soft and hard clipping. very nic pre !

[Huntley Miller]

Originally Posted by sat159p1

Is there any tube line preamp that can be used for mastering, e.g. for too dry harsh mixes, to sweeten them up, add some harmonics and punch? I came across few that might be the ticket, like SPL Tube Vitalizer, but maybe the tube stage of Drawmer 1961 (when EQs bypassed, the tube stage is active) or... UA Twin-Finity? Am I missing something better?

You might be better off going with a compressor that sounds great as a line amp rather than a tube pre.

[Ruairi]

I'd agree with Huntley here. The gain staging in a mic pre doesn't lend itself to the mastering chain. I've tried it in the past with tube mic pres that I really liked and it just didn't work.

[AUDIOBOMBER]

drawmer 1961 is definitely to weak for mastering..btw

[Andrew Kinsey]

Im using a passive summing box going into a two ch preamp on mix down and deffinately like what the different preamps can bring to the party.

You can do this with just two channels by using an inline pad such as the Fearn LP1,which converts line level signal to the correct impedance to work with mic pre inputs.

Also by using a preamp to add harmonics its essentially a form of upward expansion making the softer parts louder as opposed to using a compressor which reduces volume of the louder parts.

It is also a way gelling the mix a bit more, and adding some analog mojo depending on choice of preamp and how hard your driving.

Im really digging the Thermionic Earlybird, and the 1073 for this type of application, and it really helps me to get a certain sonic imprint that i just wouldn't get with a valve compressor or ITB.

[Andrew Kinsey]

Originally Posted by Ruairi

I'd agree with Huntley here. The gain staging in a mic pre doesn't lend itself to the mastering chain. I've tried it in the past with tube mic pres that I really liked and it just didn't work.

I agree that this can be an issue with some preamps that use pots to adjust gain, however if you use a preamp such as the 1073 that has stepped gain control, matching the gain is not an issue.

[Riccardo]

If you have to perform such a drastic change we are talking mixing here.

[teebaum]

check the rockruepel
Rockruepel Pro.Audio
a great vari-mu with a short high-class path, who can also be used in a "amp solo"-mode to give some transformer and tube tast to the signal.

[OberHeim-Kenobi]

I tried one day to put my Daking IV PRE in a mastering session and it was great. Now i'm using it always on lifeless ITB songs. It imparts a round fat vibe to the party. And it is fantastic to repeat set up since it has detented pots.

J

[sat159p1]

Thanks for the input, guys.

Originally Posted by Riccardo

If you have to perform such a drastic change we are talking mixing here.

I normally transfer most my masters through the tape, so I think in my situation this would be another tool for adding little mojo from time to time, and especially when working on stems, this is really helpful.

And about compressors, I've demoed the TC Phoenix, it's really great for what I want to do, but can't afford it right now (Rockruepel comp sells more than 5k euro so, this is out of mb too). I've got Tubecore comp but it's too clean for that.

Is Studer D19 comes in only 8-channel option?

[lu432]

I have a UA 8110 that sometimes gets use. I run an oscillator through it to match the levels. It's really, however like someone mentioned, not ideal, and you are better off going with a nice tube compressor like a thermionic phoenix or a Manley Vari-Mu.

[nickelironsteel]

being a mixing engineer i sum my mixes through a matched pair pultec eqp-1s3 mastering edition and if i want additional tube sound siemens-albis 512c with neumann BV stepuptransformers. i would not want the mastering engineer to add additional tube sound by default.

[wado1942]

I have a couple of Radio Shack matching transformers and a PCM-501es set to 14-bit mode to get that something special.

[sessionatstudiom]

I have used a Summit TPA 200 tube mic pre on the mix before with excellent results. Not that I would use it all the time. But I have one around in the mastering rack just for that once or twice a year that I need a little extra something.

Using a tube pre in mastering requires a bit of subtlety but can yield excellent results.

YMMV
Mike

[polybonk]

Originally Posted by sat159p1

And about compressors, I've demoed the TC Phoenix, it's really great for what I want to do, but can't afford it right now

Culture vulture gets the sound without the compression(actualy it can get that needles barely moving compression/glue) if you change the tubes to Telefunken or Amperex etc. I tend to use it as a parallel unit these days tho.

There are a lot cheap 2cnd hand.

Feel free to PM me if you get one and need any help.

[sat159p1]

That's what I am talking about. This will be the "tool" for ocassional use. Not for everyday work, not for jazz, classical music. I don't want to ruin the mixes (but I've already had couple of bands wanted me to "crush" their mixes). I'm wondering if 50s preamps or smth like Altec tube comps will be ready for that, even with no compression.

Culture vulture gets the sound without the compression(actualy it can get that needles barely moving compression/glue) if you change the tubes to Telefunken or Amperex etc. I tend to use it as a parallel unit these days tho.

There is a mastering plus version I've worked with one time (stock came with NOS tubes I remember), but we transfered vocal thorugh it so I don't know how it goes on 2-bus. Is it good just only for tube color / warm (no distortion)?

[polybonk]

If it has good tubes its fantastic for 3d/harmonic tube colour on the 2 bus.
But if you run hot into it with filters/eq and bring it in parallel you can get that oldschool desk/tape/degraded colour sound and just add it to the Hi-Fi modern master signal.

[AUDIOBOMBER]

Originally Posted by sat159p1

Is Studer D19 comes in only 8-channel option?

no , mine is stereo

[string6theory]

Originally Posted by sat159p1

Is there any tube line preamp that can be used for mastering, e.g. for too dry harsh mixes, to sweeten them up, add some harmonics and punch? I came across few that might be the ticket, like SPL Tube Vitalizer, but maybe the tube stage of Drawmer 1961 (when EQs bypassed, the tube stage is active) or... UA Twin-Finity? Am I missing something better?

A few years back I demoed the Ridge Farm Gas Cooker, and this may be worth your consideration in the application you're inquiring about.


(copied from product info on their site)...
The Gas Cooker mic pre
Product information

The Ridge Farm Industries "Gas Cooker" is a high performance all-valve, twin channel Microphone Amplifier and DI box.

...It may also be used to add a variable degree of valve warmth and presence to any sampler or hard disk recording system for any mono or stereo audio source.

In order to meet professional standards, the Gas Cooker includes a switchable 20dB input pad, a buffered, unbalanced line output (pre-gain control), and both balanced and unbalanced post gain control outputs. The balanced output features transformer isolation with a maximum gain of 3, and switchable ground lift, while the unbalanced output has a maximum gain of 30x, enabling instruments such as guitars, keyboards etc to be matched to the line input of a mixing console.

Carefully designed, high voltage valve circuitry enables the user to vary the drive level to the output tube stage, making it possible to control the amount of harmonics and coloration added to the signal.

[CharlesCola]

How about DIY? - the Nelson Pass designs are very pure, highly specified (-1db points @ 5hz and 100khz), sound very beautiful (mainly 2nd harmonics) and easy to build.

The Zen range of amplifiers use a single or a few transistors which with little modification can be substituted with vacuum tube. Even if you don't use a vacuum tube the circuit still sounds like a tube circuit.

For 10 - 20db gain try: http://www.passdiy.com/pdf/balzenpre.pdf

There are many sources for PCB.