Audio Technica AT-4060... Which PreAmp ?

[Zacchino]

Yo, I'm planning on spending big buck on this one, and I need some serious help.

I've never use a preamp before, so don't consider me as a newbe, but as a hairhead.

I know this mic is a bit too "precise". Too realistic. I was thinking about a DBX preamp, but who knows if you guys have ideas.

I' chose the AT4060 because it's imo the best deal for what I need (accoustic guitar recording, rap and lead female vocals).

The sound I'm looking for would be a good infra bass range management (infrabass that you can't hear, but that make the sound dynamic), a lot of thickness in the midlow, and a not too harsh hi frequencies management.

To sum up, A warm sound, but with dynamic attitude, and precise but not harsh hi frequencies...

My budget is between $600 to $800. I hate expensive gear, especially when it doesn't make any difference, or when it doesn't add any "character", any "soul" the the sound.

Any suggestions ?
Alternative mic+preamp couple ideas welcomed !

[gsharp]

I love my 4060. The only pres I've used it with are the Chandler TG2 and Tubetech MP-1A, but they're both out of your price range if you're talking $600-800 total. That being said, I would go for the best clean pre you can afford. IME the TG2 was hit and miss depending on the source while the MP-1a has never sucked. If you need something for all around use I'd err on the side of clean vs. colored.

The RNP from FMR Audio is well within your budget and is known for its serious bang for the buck (2 channels for $450-ish). Definitely in the clean/accurate arena, but that's probably more what you want anyway.

Also, just perusing the classifieds here on GS there's a 1 channel Speck for $550 which probably won't ever suck either.

Hope that helps .

G

[Zacchino]

Thank you Gsharp, and yes I really appreciated your help.

Look, while you were replying to my post I've done some homework and found out something... That is not indeed in my price budget, but I realized I couldn't just buy an AT4060 without giving it some good preamp action.

Tell me what you thing about this one :
SPL GoldMike MK2 (1000 euros, which means a little more $, and second hand a little less).

Sounds sweet, looks sweet, coast sweet for all that sweetness. I just hope it does a sweet job.

[Black Seal]

Choices,
I personally have an AT 4033,3525 only(my only AT mics). My first first pre was a drawmer mx-60. It was OK. It still left me wanting for some meat and distortion. I have an a-designs mp-2. I primarily do r&b/hip-hop. The pre has a thick but clear sound I think you'll find useful. adesignsaudio.com
Perry

[gsharp]

Originally Posted by Zacchino

Thank you Gsharp, and yes I really appreciated your help.

Look, while you were replying to my post I've done some homework and found out something... That is not indeed in my price budget, but I realized I couldn't just buy an AT4060 without giving it some good preamp action.

Tell me what you thing about this one :
SPL GoldMike MK2 (1000 euros, which means a little more $, and second hand a little less).

Sounds sweet, looks sweet, coast sweet for all that sweetness. I just hope it does a sweet job.

I don't have any experience with that pre, but SPL makes good stuff in general.

For $1000 Euro I'd look hard in the used market. I picked up my Tubetech for $1100 in a local newspaper.

[Zacchino]

Gsharp, Tubetech seems to agree everyone on their sound quality. I'll check their preamp gear then. The Adesign Audios seems to be good for the money as far as google knows. I'll have to take the plunge and try 'em all out I guess.

About the AT40 Series, what pop filter do you guy use ? Sometime I see people using 2 popfilters in a row for this mike, is this your case ?

[gsharp]

I just use a clip on Guitar Center special. Haven't noticed the 4060 being any more sensetive to plosives than my other vocal mics (TLM103, Blue Kiwi).

[jazzy655]

Originally Posted by Zacchino

Gsharp, Tubetech seems to agree everyone on their sound quality. I'll check their preamp gear then. The Adesign Audios seems to be good for the money as far as google knows. I'll have to take the plunge and try 'em all out I guess.

About the AT40 Series, what pop filter do you guy use ? Sometime I see people using 2 popfilters in a row for this mike, is this your case ?

I own a 4060. It does tend to have a lot of lowend, so if you're too close to the mic, you will get those big bassy plosives. try backing up a couple more inches.

As far as pres for this mic, i'm using an ISA 428 with good results. honestly that mic sounds good on everything i've put in front of it, especially since I learned to have them back off of it a little bit.

My suggestion, check out a used ISA or maybe try to put together a Seventh Circle Audio channel. you should be able to get one channel of their n72 pres fully assembled for around your budget i believe. plus that leaves you with the option to get more channels for a minimal price later on.

but i'm an idiot...;)

[djui5]

I've ran a 4060 through Neve's, Telefunken's and Peavey VMP-2's.

It sounds f'n great through a Peavey VMP-2, and they're not that expensive.

It didn't sound good through a V78 though :) and it sounded amazing through a 1095, but that's a bit out of your price range.

Also sounds good through the Jade board pre's and they sound "cheap".


Wouldn't hurt to run it through an ISA series either. I'd be willing to bet that would be a good combo.

[homershines]

My friend has used the AT 4060 and the Avalon Channel Strip (The name escapes me) for a few years now. He did quite a bit of the last Zap Mama album, "Ancestry in Progess" with that combo. To my ears it sounds more than smooth. It always seems to sound warm and creamy too. I couldn't believe that he would even bother to get a Digidesign Liquid Channel too. But, he did. Still seems to like his AT4060 ad Avalon set up.

Peace.

homershines

[Blues]

I love Zap Mama.........high caliber music right there....

[Zacchino]

Alright now I see what's the game about.

My new price range is < 1200$ (which means <1000€)
Can't offer any Avalon preamps. And I need a preamp that will also make an good Instrument preamp, that's why the SPL sounded so great to me.

Some people say that a mic has to be handled by a pre that has the same caracteristics. For example, a mic that has attitude on dynamics has to be coupled with a mic that is indeed dynamic.

I guess this is all false and true at the same time but I like the idea. Sound logical to me.

Yet, people say that the SPL Gold Mike MK2 hasn't a lot of coloration (that seems to be true to my ears). Does the AT4060 need any ?

[jazzy655]

Originally Posted by Zacchino

Alright now I see what's the game about.

My new price range is < 1200$ (which means <1000€)
Can't offer any Avalon preamps. And I need a preamp that will also make an good Instrument preamp, that's why the SPL sounded so great to me.

Some people say that a mic has to be handled by a pre that has the same caracteristics. For example, a mic that has attitude on dynamics has to be coupled with a mic that is indeed dynamic.

I guess this is all false and true at the same time but I like the idea. Sound logical to me.

Yet, people say that the SPL Gold Mike MK2 hasn't a lot of coloration (that seems to be true to my ears). Does the AT4060 need any ?

I don't think that you HAVE to have a pre with the same vibe as your mic. Of course you can go that route, but basically you just need to find the micpre that fits the sound you want, whether that be a $99 art pre or a big bucks high end pre.

That theory is almost like the theory that some guys have about having a tube mic like the 4060 going through a tube pre, which some guys will tell you it's a no no.
All that matter is the sound YOU want. The more recording I do, the more I realize that the only rule is "there are no rules". If i gotta run the lead vox through the effects processor on one of my synths to get the sound in my head, that to me is what's "right".

Regarding the sound of the 4060, i'd say if you didn't know it had a tube in there, the thought wouldn't even cross your mind. It sounds like a really smooove fet mic to me.

[Zacchino]

Well, that's what I understood the last 2 years. The good sound is the sound I need. Not the sound everybody has.

Maybe that you can help me find the sound I want. I aimed for the 4060 for 2 reasons : Lead voice, Rap, and Accoustic Guitare and Piano takes.

I just need this mike because it seems to fit all these worlds. Now I'm looking for a Preamp, something I've never used before, but that I know is important.

I'm more like a post-processing guy. Which means I like having a good clarity, and realism in my recordings, so I can warm it up after with some plugins or other softwares. So I'm not aiming at any sound, as I really don't know what to buy. I just wanna be sure that what I buy won't frustrate me because it just has ONE particular sound that I can hardly play with.

Warm sound is what I need, but sometime I won't need it. So I guess I'll go with this couple because alot of people say it's a very transparent sound.

But maybe you can help me here : I want a transparent sound, but I also want something that will prevent the takes from peaking, without having to manually turn down the GAIN knob. Do you think the SPL Gold Mike will do that ?

Thanx in advance.

[blayz2002]

Originally Posted by Zacchino

Warm sound is what I need, but sometime I won't need it. So I guess I'll go with this couple because alot of people say it's a very transparent sound.

But maybe you can help me here : I want a transparent sound, but I also want something that will prevent the takes from peaking, without having to manually turn down the GAIN knob. Do you think the SPL Gold Mike will do that ?

Thanx in advance.

Warm and Transparent are usually seen as 2 different sounds or feels. So which one is it?

Warm ..i.e. coloration from tubes/valves or some other tube simulation. Usually has a more rounded high frequency.

Transparent....i.e. no coloration and more pronounced top end than a tube sound.

Another thing is with tube/valve pre's you can usually control the amount of color (distortion) imparted on your audio..by adjusting the input level...for more color you drive the input.

[Zacchino]

Okay let's try again, but this time with less words and descriptions (as this always ends to be subjective).

The setup I'm going to buy will be :

AT4060 thru SPL Gold Mike MK2 thru M-Audio ProjectMix I/O

Then, I'll firewire M-Audio ProjectMix to my PC (Shuttle XPC SB81P Barebone), which will be equiped with the UAD-1 Ultra Pak, so I guess I'll mainly be colouring my Record Takes with these plugins, to catch up some dynamic, or warm up nasty hi frequencies.

I'm not asking if this sound correct, but if I'll be missing something in this audio chain. Do you guys think I'll need a hardware limiter before pluging the mike and the pre in the mixtable ? If so, then maybe I'm doing a mistake with SPL GoldMike, cuz that's what I guess this unit will also do (stop or attenuate the peakings).

[trident fan]

the 4060 is an excellent choice. how about a toft mic pre ?

[TonyBelmont]

For $1200, I really think your best option is an API 6 space lunchbox and 1 x API 512 pre..

[softwareguy]

DAV BG1. Clean but not sterile for around $600 stereo.

[nosebleedaudio]

For exactly what you described, the JM 130 Pre will sound great, high headroom, very low noise, wide dynamic range and a very nice warm sound. And it in that price range...
WWW.jmkaudio.com

[Zacchino]

Well well,

to TonyBelmont,
The API 512 pre combo-ed with a Space Lunch, seems to be just the right sound I need but unfortunatly, I might go for a second mike in a near future, thus I'd prefer to go toward a dual pre configuration... And I need a box that does limiting too... What is your experience with these boxes Tony ? Thanx in advance.

to Nosebleedaudio,
The issue with this brand (JMK) is.. err that I don't think they're able to ship it to France... With the proper adapter for it :'( too bad. I'm always angry when I know how many great audio brands are not shipped to Europ.

I'm still looking forward to your suggestions..

[nosebleedaudio]

[

to Nosebleedaudio,
The issue with this brand (JMK) is.. err that I don't think they're able to ship it to France... With the proper adapter for it :'( too bad. I'm always angry when I know how many great audio brands are not shipped to Europ.

I'm still looking forward to your suggestions..[/quote]
I will ship to Europe, but the supply is designed for 120V.
Or get the Mic Pre only and find a +-24 volt supply w/48V in your area, that should not be hard at all.