Dont have the cheese for an Aurora ..Best Preamp for under $1500?

[ginsuthaironchef]

I recently had my first experience with a Neve type pre (Thanks Dan Alexander)!

It blew me away how much nicer it is than any thing I've heard from Avalon.

I don't have that kinda dough.

Can some one suggest "the next best thing"?

I'm looking for similar qualities of the Aurora, but for around 1500 hots.

Thanks in advance.

[mistaD]

Originally Posted by ginsuthaironchef

I recently had my first experience with a Neve type pre (Thanks Dan Alexander)!

It blew me away how much nicer it is than any thing I've heard from Avalon.

I don't have that kinda dough.

Can some one suggest "the next best thing"?

I'm looking for similar qualities of the Aurora, but for around 1500 hots.

Thanks in advance.

Avedis MA5 and a lunch box!!

[WideawakE]

Originally Posted by mistaD

Avedis MA5 and a lunch box!!

Avedis MA5 and a lunch box! I just sold my Aurora and got this setup

[dhiltonlittle]

listen to these guys.

another vote for the ma5

[computa]

or great river

[ginsuthaironchef]

Very interesting. Can yall post some audio recorded with the MA5?

What will I be sacrificing going with the MA5 over the GTQ2?

What about something like the API A2D?

[ginsuthaironchef]

Dang, for only a couple hundred bucks more than my RNP, I can achieve a neve-ish sound?

[mistaD]

Originally Posted by ginsuthaironchef

Very interesting. Can yall post some audio recorded with the MA5?

What will I be sacrificing going with the MA5 over the GTQ2?

What about something like the API A2D?

The aurora is neve influenced so its like a neve but modern.... its suppose to have a more open sound.... But the ma5 is suppose to be more like a neve clone!!! The GTQ2 also has eq! Talk to Tony Belmont man he sells both and is real good people! Api a2d is a whole different animal... its midrange forward and more aggressive vs the neve which is round and full!

[dhiltonlittle]

Originally Posted by ginsuthaironchef

Very interesting. Can yall post some audio recorded with the MA5?

What will I be sacrificing going with the MA5 over the GTQ2?

What about something like the API A2D?

really depends on what you need/want. they are all great. the aurora gives you two pre's and a very nice tracking eq on each channel. the api is a different sound all together but and adds some great converters. the ma5/lunchbox is great in a 500 setup and allows for future expansion with different pres/eqs/comps.

[WideawakE]

yeah, the aurora was great for tracking my MPC and awesome on vocals as well, I just wanted something more portable, I haven't been recording myself lately and this way I can bring the lunchbox to my peoples place to record easier than setting my aurora on their recliner (not that I've done that before ;) )

[tonymission]

i like these threads... definitely not my expertise...

so for BEATS (omg BEATS!) it would benefit me largely to track my shit through one of these and then into my DUET? money's not a huge object, just wanna know if this is worthwhile and how much of a difference it would make ... not interested in a mic pre.. just instrument trackin really

[dhiltonlittle]

Originally Posted by tonymission

i like these threads... definitely not my expertise...

so for BEATS (omg BEATS!) it would benefit me largely to track my shit through one of these and then into my DUET? money's not a huge object, just wanna know if this is worthwhile and how much of a difference it would make ... not interested in a mic pre.. just instrument trackin really

tony,

you should definitely look into it. i find it add's alot of personality/flavor to drum and synth tracks. i usually use either two bae 1073's or the aurora. sometimes i'll go into an api 2500 using no compression but adding some make up gain to get some of that api goodness!

[tonymission]

Originally Posted by dhiltonlittle

tony,

you should definitely look into it. i find it add's alot of personality/flavor to drum and synth tracks. i usually use either two bae 1073's or the aurora. sometimes i'll go into an api 2500 using no compression but adding some make up gain to get some of that api goodness!

interesting -- ill definitely look into it. never really thought of it being a viable option for this but why not ... especially on drums and synths... we're pretty much all MPC + Fantom G into Logic/Arrange/Chop/Etc ... im kinda running out of toys to blow money on. this is the next logical one

[nukmusic]

I mix and match the inst inputs(DI's) on the GTQ2 and the 3124+ the GTQ adds a bit of lowend and image clarity to the signal. So what I use depends on what sound I'm recording and what I'm looking for in the final mix.

Kicks, bass, acoustic GTR, Piano, U87ai...GTQ2 most of the time.
SN, EL GTR, HATs, U99.. API


ginsuthaironchef..

i dont know. once you hear something you like its hard to "half-ass" it. Dont know of anything in that price range.

[carlheinz]

Originally Posted by ginsuthaironchef

I recently had my first experience with a Neve type pre (Thanks Dan Alexander)!

It blew me away how much nicer it is than any thing I've heard from Avalon.

I don't have that kinda dough.

Can some one suggest "the next best thing"?

I'm looking for similar qualities of the Aurora, but for around 1500 hots.

Thanks in advance.

I'm not sure I understand.You would want 1 channel of nevish pre and no eq for $1500.00 or under when it seems to me the better deal is the GTQ2...With the GTQ2,You get 2 channels of nevish pre with EQ on each channel for around@$2300.00.Am I understanding this correctly.I would think the GTQ2 would be worth saving up the $ for.That's $1150.00 per channel of pre/eq.NO?

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by computa

or great river

Absolutely.

The Great River ME-1NV is the dog's bollocks.

Mercenary Audio - Great River ME-1NV Single Channel Mic Pre/DI
At $1150 it's a bargain. Just remember to get the rack mounts.

I liked it so much I got the stereo version which is excellent for tracking keyboards and even sub groups of drums to get more width and slam.

I like the way you can increase the fatness or saturation (though this still being a solid state unit, not tubes) by slowly cranking the gain and keeping the output low. OR still get a fairly neutral sound by keeping the gain low and outputting more.

In some cases it's nice to experiment a bit with the impedance and loading buttons to get a bit of hype in the top.

[DivineMusic]

yea dont forget the Great River nor the Potico 5032

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by DivineMusic

yea dont forget the Great River nor the Potico 5032

Yeah, the 5032 would be my second choice after the Great River ME-1NV.

[PettyCash]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

Yeah, the 5032 would be my second choice after the Great River ME-1NV.

Great River kicks butt for tracking drums out of the MPC. Next thing I have to try out is their EQ.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

Absolutely.

The Great River ME-1NV is the dog's bollocks.

I liked it so much I got the stereo version which is excellent for tracking keyboards and even sub groups of drums to get more width and slam.

Hmmmm.... Generally speaking, preamps cannot make things sound wider or narrower. Unless there is some kind of phase shifting occurring, which generally is a bad thing (and would be highly unusual if that is the case with your unit).

Maybe the perceived width was actually from Logic's pan law settings?

[mistaD]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

Hmmmm.... Generally speaking, preamps cannot make things sound wider or narrower. Unless there is some kind of phase shifting occurring, which generally is a bad thing (and would be highly unusual if that is the case with your unit).

Maybe the perceived width was actually from Logic's pan law settings?

whats panning lol :P

[Docmattic]

whats panning lol :P

Say you are recording vocals. YOu open up your daw and record a 30 second verse. When you play it back it comes out evenly on both speakers. If you were to pan to the left the sound would come more out of the left speaker, and if you panned right it would come more out of the right speaker. The further it is panned to the left or right = the more the selected side the track will sit. an example where panning is used a lot is Backup vocals (if you have a 1 track beat), the main vocal will sit center and you backups can be panned either side to give your mix space.

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

Hmmmm.... Generally speaking, preamps cannot make things sound wider or narrower. Unless there is some kind of phase shifting occurring, which generally is a bad thing (and would be highly unusual if that is the case with your unit).

Maybe the perceived width was actually from Logic's pan law settings?

Nothing do to with pan laws. Or Logic Pro ;-)

A stereo preamp can easily make things appear wider. This is due to the inherent distortion in analog gear, which is not linear or the same in the left and right channels. Especially if you start cranking the input you can get interesting results, and this is not phase related either. So the non-linear difference in the two channels make the signal appear wider.

This is one of the main reasons why analog stereo treatment sounds wider. Furthermore the distortion is not necessarily a bad thing as it can enhance details and add some needed grit to an otherwise linear or lifeless signal. One final benefit is the slew rate which helps shape the transients and may contribute to a slightly higher RMS value too.

So using an analog summing unit or going back & forth to a stereo preamp can indeed make a stereo image appear even wider without necessarily having anything to do with phase or the actual summing process.

I hope that explained my earlier comment.

[ginsuthaironchef]

Actually,

I really only NEED 1 channel.

Basically, I need the best quality I can posibly buy in 1 channel. I figure 2 channels would be nice someday, but for now I really only need 1.

I think I've settled on the GTQC. It's a single channel but comes with EQ AND!! Compression. I'm not going to settle. I would rather save up and write some more heat than settle.

Bass trap and moving blanket treated room-Shure SM7b (U87 when I can afford it)-GTQC-Mbox2-PC.

BTW: I have an AKG C414 b xls for sale if interested get at me:

ginsuthaironchef@hotmail.com

i.m or email. Thanks for all the advice.



Peace

[mistaD]

Originally Posted by Docmattic

Say you are recording vocals. YOu open up your daw and record a 30 second verse. When you play it back it comes out evenly on both speakers. If you were to pan to the left the sound would come more out of the left speaker, and if you panned right it would come more out of the right speaker. The further it is panned to the left or right = the more the selected side the track will sit. an example where panning is used a lot is Backup vocals (if you have a 1 track beat), the main vocal will sit center and you backups can be panned either side to give your mix space.

sorry it was an inside joke for Tony B!

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Lagerfeldt

So using an analog summing unit or going back & forth to a stereo preamp can indeed make a stereo image appear even wider without necessarily having anything to do with phase or the actual summing process.

There is no doubt that distortion will contribute to a change in sound. But, I am not convinced that this would be a cause for a perceived wider soundstage. Now, I do believe that the stereo image of a track will change when using external summing, etc. But, this can also have the opposite effect of a narrower more focused center. I have done a lot of tests and have determined that in many cases you will get less width from external summing. I haven't determined what is the cause of this, but I believe it may have something to do with crosstalk. Of course there are many other things to consider, pan laws is a major one.... noise another.... distortion and phase shift are all factors when running through an analog piece of gear.

Originally Posted by mistaD

sorry it was an inside joke for Tony B!

[Lagerfeldt]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

There is no doubt that distortion will contribute to a change in sound. But, I am not convinced that this would be a cause for a perceived wider soundstage.

It can and often will do exactly that.

Now, I do believe that the stereo image of a track will change when using external summing, etc. But, this can also have the opposite effect of a narrower more focused center. I have done a lot of tests and have determined that in many cases you will get less width from external summing. I haven't determined what is the cause of this, but I believe it may have something to do with crosstalk.

I agree, this is very obvious with some (in my opinion badly designed) units like the Neve 8816. But take an excellent summing mixer like the Tube Tech SSA2B and it's the opposite: more perceived depth and width. L/R distortion is just one factor though.