I Think I've overthought this one, preamp choice?

[herbalphunk]

I've been reading and searching for weeks now and I think I've thought it to death. I'm getting into location recording and have ditched the console. I'm not overly concerned with cost, but I am with versatility. My initial thought was to go with 16 to 24 channels of the same style of preamp, to keep some cohesiveness to recordings. I've always worked on projects in a studio and used board preamps (neve, trident, even ssl). Two questions keep coming up.

First, am I nuts in trying to keep everything "the same"? I'll be "filling in the blanks" with a couple of "clean pres" and a couple of tube channels.

If I'm not nuts, which do you folks think will be the most versatile? Right now I'm mainly working with acoustic music and rock but I'd like to be able to handle whatever comes my way. The contenders are API (3124s), Vintech X43/473 or a couple of loaded Seventh Circle pres (A12 or N73). True Systems and Audient pres also come to mind for a "clean" solution. I keep reading myself into circles so I had to ask.

[just.sounds]

Maybe the raindirk rm3 is right for you.

Otherwise maybe the DAV bg8

[Remoteness]

API (formally ATI) 8MX2 is an awesome one rack space eight channel mic pre with built in mixer section.

True Systems Precision8 is a big bang for buck 1U eight channel mic pre with MS and DI built in.

Furthermore, you cannot go wrong with the API 3124s 1U rack of four pres.

With that said, you should know what you want best.
In the end it's up to you and what your ear is telling you.

You also mentioned some good mic pre solutions.
...rent, borrow or demo a few of those flavors and do your own shoot out.

Let us know what you ended up with.

[Barnabas]

Originally Posted by Remoteness

API (formally ATI) 8MX2 is an awesome one rack space eight channel mic pre with built in mixer section.

True Systems Precision8 is a big bang for buck 1U eight channel mic pre with MS and DI built in.

Great suggestions!

What are you recording to?

I have a portable ProTools HD system and use 16 channels of their PRE preamps. They are very clean like the Grace preamps, which is also a good choice. I never know what I'll encounter on the road, so clean and similar preamps works for me.

When the vocals or lead instruments are overdubbed back in the studio, then you can bring out the fancy preamps.

[herbalphunk]

Thanks for the opinions. Most likely going with 12 to 16 channels of API. I've had great results in the past with API gear. Should be able to handle whatever I need. Now if I can only decide between the 3124s or a 12 space rack w/ 212s.

[edwinhurwitz]

I have a mixture of stuff, including an API 3124. While I like it a lot, it's definitely not a pre that sounds great on everything. I've been less than happy with it for acoustic guitar, various vocals, etc. I also have 8 7th circle pres: 6 C84s and 2 N72s. I find that these are a lot more versatile, especially the C84s. They may not have the character that the API has, but I know they will sound great on pretty much everything. That said, can't beat the 3124 for drums, bass, etc! I have thought about selling the 3124 and getting some more 7th Circles. Not only do they sound great, they are pretty fun to build.

YMMV, of course.
Edwin

[LX3]

These days, for the sake of practicality and speed, I'm coming down on the side of keeping all my pres the same. Not that I haven't considered getting some alternatives.

Advantages of keeping them all the same:

I don't have to spend time deciding where to patch what. There's less confusion because there's no cross-patching... channel 1 at FOH is channel 1 on my splitter and channel 1 on my recorder and monitor board, and so on. It avoids weird channel ordering when I'm monitoring (i.e. no vocals next to the bass just because I want to use Neves on them both). And if something gets repatched on stage it won't suddenly end up on the wrong kind of pre.

Also, if I do have to repatch on my rig, all the gain settings translate from one channel to the next.

I guess it depends what pres you use. I've never had any complaints about the Audients. As I see it, additional "character" can always be added at the mix if necessary.

Lastly, the Audients have the advantage that you can set the input impedance to 5k. When passive splitters are being used, it seems sensible to watch that the loading on the mics doesn't nosedive. Most boutique mic pres with an input z of 1200-ish ohms may be awesome on their own, but could conceivably cause problems strapped across a monitor and FOH board.

But everyone's mileage varies. I sure would like to try recording with a big bank of 1073 clones!

[talbe1019]

I wish I would have overthought making a preamp choice when I first bought my Soundcraft Ghost. I almsot bought a Mackie 32-8 because my budget was minimal, but I decided to go with the Ghost since it had better pres (even though it was out of my budget). I recently asked this same question here about choosing pre's and decided to go with ATI 8MX2's and upgrade the HD24 to an XR (and actually bought another XR). I will have to say this sounds noticeably better than my previous setup and love the the fact I do not have to drag out a 50 inch board any more.

[yesac81]

without a doubt, seventh circle all the way. 8 preamps in a 2ru rack, you can put all sorts of colours in there...

my rack at the moment is:

2 x a12 (api) -> beautiful... sparkly and fast. probably my favorite atm...
2 x n72 (neve) -> dark and very warm. good for anything with the low end, kick, elec gtr, vox, syth, etc...
3 x t15 -> this one is a surprise. clean as, but i tell you what it has a lovely shimmer to it on overheads and room mics...

[Al Rogers]

Here's another option. Check out the Demeter HXM-1 HX. I just bought one based on the recommendations here at Gearslutz. I learned that John Hiatt takes his on the road and uses it for his live shows as well as using it in the studio. Mine sounds great and it is built like the proverbial tank--hand-made with point to point wiring. It's a tube hybrid with Jensen transformers on the input, 12AX7 tubes in the gain stage, and solid state buffers on the output.

-Al

[mrsteaks]

Originally Posted by yesac81

without a doubt, seventh circle all the way. 8 preamps in a 2ru rack, you can put all sorts of colours in there...

my rack at the moment is:

2 x a12 (api) -> beautiful... sparkly and fast. probably my favorite atm...
2 x n72 (neve) -> dark and very warm. good for anything with the low end, kick, elec gtr, vox, syth, etc...
3 x t15 -> this one is a surprise. clean as, but i tell you what it has a lovely shimmer to it on overheads and room mics...

Four T15's (quiet, detailed, in a Grace like way)
Two C84's (huge gain, sort of a DAV/Millennia cross in sound, extremely clean)

Wonderful box!