Tube or Valve preamplifier for classical recording?

[Ronnie Dixon]

Hi there.I am looking for a suitable tube microphone preamplifier primarily to record classical and acoustic performances.
I already have enough channels of clean so I am searching for a warm and textured flavour that I could apply to some aspects of the orchestra for added depth and imageing.
Any suggestions?

[Jim vanBergen]

Valvotronics.

Seriously. Rob Derby's preamps are frigging amazing. If you are in NYC, the best place to hear them is John Kilgore's.

http://www.johnkilgore.com/stinfo.html

Valvotronics web site totally sucks, but their gear is amazing. Hope this helps.

[MichaelPatrick]

I use LaChapell for classical. It's a balanced design with top-line Jensen output transformer. Quiet, and I can dial-in just the right amount of warmth.

[Ronnie Dixon]

The LaChapell looks great but it just might blow our budget out.Thankyou
Any other suggestion?? Two or four channels.

[loranoyd]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dixon

Hi there.I am looking for a suitable tube microphone preamplifier primarily to record classical and acoustic performances.
I already have enough channels of clean so I am searching for a warm and textured flavour that I could apply to some aspects of the orchestra for added depth and imageing.
Any suggestions?

Hi, Ronnie.

What's the rest of your set-up? I ask because you say you are looking to change aspects of the depth and imaging. I would think about the mics you are using, their placement, and the recording technique first, before I'd be looking to mess with the preamps. I record classical ensembles exclusively, and I've not yet encountered a situation in which clean preamps were the issue! While we're at it, why not let us know your entire recording chain(s). That would give us a more complete picture. Better still, how about posting a brief excerpt of something you recorded, which you think could benefit from better depth and imaging. I'm real curious...

Regards,

Lloyd

[Plush]

We use the EAR tube mic amp in our work. I bought it used some years ago. Now the price on EAR is crazy and not worth it. However, that is not the only tube mic amp that I recommend.

Recently I was amazed at the sound of the Presonus ADL 600. It was fat, ballsy and accurate with a thickening quality and huge headroom. I recorded choir and organ, choral music and string quartet with the unit. Excellent and made in America.

Don't listen to the doubters--this mic amp is very very good.

[Ronnie Dixon]

Recently I was amazed at the sound of the Presonus ADL 600. It was fat, ballsy and accurate with a thickening quality and huge headroom. I recorded choir and organ, choral music and string quartet with the unit. Excellent and made in America.

I have heard of the ADL 600.
Could you post up an excerpt or sample of any recordings using the ADL 600?
Thankyou

[Roland]

Originally Posted by Plush

We use the EAR tube mic amp in our work. I bought it used some years ago. Now the price on EAR is crazy and not worth it. However, that is not the only tube mic amp that I recommend.

Recently I was amazed at the sound of the Presonus ADL 600. It was fat, ballsy and accurate with a thickening quality and huge headroom. I recorded choir and organ, choral music and string quartet with the unit. Excellent and made in America.

Don't listen to the doubters--this mic amp is very very good.

I can't understand your advice here Plush. According to you the DAV mic amp sounds the same as the EAR so this must be the obvious choice? Or have I missed somthing?

Roland

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by Plush

We use the EAR tube mic amp in our work. I bought it used some years ago. Now the price on EAR is crazy and not worth it. However, that is not the only tube mic amp that I recommend.

Recently I was amazed at the sound of the Presonus ADL 600. It was fat, ballsy and accurate with a thickening quality and huge headroom. I recorded choir and organ, choral music and string quartet with the unit. Excellent and made in America.

Don't listen to the doubters--this mic amp is very very good.

I too dig the Presonus ADL600 -- I wish I had 8 channels of them. Maybe someday soon.

[Plush]

Originally Posted by Roland

I can't understand your advice here Plush. According to you the DAV mic amp sounds the same as the EAR so this must be the obvious choice? Or have I missed somthing?

Roland

Hiya Roland,

Please do keep on doing the great job you're doing. I'm sure you are recording some mindblowing sound!! Concentrating on doing the recording will get your mind off of attempting to bait me here in these forums.

The original poster was asking for info on a tube mic amp. Even though I DO feel that the DAV BG No. 1 is very close in sound to the EAR, the poster asked for info on a tube valve, glowing, bottle mic amp. Hence my broken record refrain on DAV would have not been on point.

As specified, as delivered.

[RUSCO]

You should check out the vmp series of valve preamps by Sebatron.

They are available in two channel and four channel versions.
There is a little bit of EQ on each channel if you need to do any sweetening.

This sample was recorded with NT5 for the choir mics and MK012 for the orchestra.
Room mics are ECM-8000.
Not my recording but you can hear how the Sebatron pre has a tasteful color to it.

[ISedlacek]

Originally Posted by RUSCO

This sample was recorded with NT5 for the choir mics and MK012 for the orchestra.
Room mics are ECM-8000.
Not my recording but you can hear how the Sebatron pre has a tasteful color to it.

Oh my ... what´s this piece ? I performed it so many times before and cannot remember now

[fifthcircle]

Ivo-

Vivaldi Gloria.

And to stay on topic... IMO, nothing beats the Vac Rac preamp when it comes to tube pres to use on Acoustic music. They are fast in transient response, but yet warm and pleasing to listen to. I've done some of my best recordings using these. Definitely a tube pre that I wouldn't think twice about using 16 channels on for an acoustic recording. It doesn't get "mid-rangy" and bloated sounding when using multiple channels in a recording.

--Ben

[Plush]

Right you are, Ben.

Alas, I sold my VAC RAC tube pre-amp rack.
It is now owned by a studio near me in case it is needed.

It was good then and it's still good now.

[ISedlacek]

Originally Posted by fifthcircle

nothing beats the Vac Rac preamp

Any link to it ?

[fifthcircle]

Unfortunately, the Vac Rac preamp as it existed before is no longer being made. However, I've head some rumblings that it may re-surface now that Vintage King is selling Inward Connections gear. They've been redoing many of the pieces in stand-alone 2 channel versions rather than the modular system that existed before.

Unknown to many, there was also a 10 channel version (in 4 or 5 rack spaces plus another 3 or 4 for the power supply). Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of the modular system, but I do have a picture of the 10 channel version from a gig that I took them out on... I'll try to post it when I get a moment to resize the stupid thing.

--Ben

[mrsteaks]

I've posted some samples on a thread I started entitled "Two Venues, Three Recordings" (or something like that). The mic pre was an ADL 600 with a Royer SF12. They're dry samples, and they should give you an idea of how the ADL sounds. Personally, I really like the thing, especially with choral and classical.

~~~~Mark S.
PGR Media/Pretty Good Recordings

[Ronnie Dixon]

After checking out all the samples and various reviews I have decided on the Sebatron 4000e which sounds like what I am looking for.
The extra channels I can use on room and ambient microphones and any close micing if required.
The new preamps should compliment my Millenia preamp very well.Thankyou for all the suggestions.

[ISedlacek]

Today DW Fearn arrived here for trying (although only mono)..Quite interesting it sounds ... A bit more "thick" and warm than Pendulum (which sounds a bit cleaner)

[massimo]

Ciao Ivo
I am very curious about a Pendulum vs Fearn comparison on stringed instruments, and am tempted by the one-channel model (VT1) as an addition to my current options.
Please keep us posted
grazie

best regards
Massimo

[mr.gefell]

Originally Posted by ISedlacek

Any link to it ?

here you go

http://www.referencetube.com/

( same designer)

[fifthcircle]

Originally Posted by mr.gefell

here you go

http://www.referencetube.com/

( same designer)

The guy that designed the Vac Rac line is a friend of mine... I'll have to ask him how close this stuff is to the original Vac Rac stuff.

Steve Firlotte (the guy that built the Vac Rac line) has his hands in a number of ventures from custom design work to Inward Connections to the Nautilus mastering gear (http://www.nautilusproaudio.com/). The interesting thing about that Messenger stuff is that it looks quite similar in many respects to the Vac Rac line. Similar modular design.

--Ben

[CZECH Music]

Originally Posted by Jim vanBergen

Valvotronics.

Seriously. Rob Derby's preamps are frigging amazing. If you are in NYC, the best place to hear them is John Kilgore's.

http://www.johnkilgore.com/stinfo.html

Valvotronics web site totally sucks, but their gear is amazing. Hope this helps.

Check out the new website, hope it is better now?
www.valvotronics.com

There is some info on the new D-19, Same great Tube DI and we added a great Mic preamp as well.
Here is a cool video and audio as well:

Video Description:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRjBqaqYX4Y

Audio file examples:
http://www.basstasters.com/preamps/V...onics_D19.html

[ISedlacek]

Originally Posted by CZECH Music

Check out the new website

OT: how comes CZECH music in New York ?

[tenor39]

I'd look at anything by Fred Forssell before I bought a pre. He's got JFET and tube based pres that are outstanding for classical!

[Jim vanBergen]

Originally Posted by CZECH Music

Check out the new website, hope it is better now?

Hey Rob! Site looks very nice. Hows the new digs?

Jim vB

[T.RayBullard]

too bad you ruin yours with all those DPAs

Originally Posted by tenor39

I'd look at anything by Fred Forssell before I bought a pre. He's got JFET and tube based pres that are outstanding for classical!

[tenor39]

Originally Posted by T.RayBullard

too bad you ruin yours with all those DPAs

As does Fred!

[bluegrasser]

Originally Posted by ISedlacek

Today DW Fearn arrived here for trying (although only mono)..Quite interesting it sounds ... A bit more "thick" and warm than Pendulum (which sounds a bit cleaner)

Anything to add about the Fearn, Ivo?

[ISedlacek]

Originally Posted by bluegrasser

Anything to add about the Fearn, Ivo?

Ok, you made me to post it

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/showt...13#post1227413