| User Review | | Sound Quality | | 5 | | Ease of use | | 5 | | Features | | 4 | | Bang for buck | | 4 |
Overall:  4.5 |  Daking Mic Pre IV | | Daking Mic Pre IV
This Daking unit came up used in the GS classifieds at a really good price, so I decided to jump on it. It's turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made in my recording career and has been instrumental in getting my sound quality up to a pro level. Previously I had been using an RNP and a DBX 576 channel strip.
First I'll mention that this unit is very well-designed. It's pretty light and only takes up 1U in my rack. The four line/mic inputs and XLR outs on the back are evenly spaced, and there is a 1/4" input on the front of each channel for running DI. On the front side, everything is well-built and solid. Each channel features a metal gain knob and five buttons for 1/4" input, line input, pad, phase and phantom power. I find myself using the pad quite a bit on loud sources such as guitar cabs - these pres run a little hot compared to units I've used previously such as the RNP, but the extra gain is helpful for other situations I find myself in, such as recording old analog synths or quiet vocals at home.
I'm not very good at commenting on how "fast" or "colored" preamps are, but I will say that the Dakings combine the clarity and smoothness of my old RNPs with the warmth and character of the tube preamp, without the design flaws of the former or the mushiness of the latter. These pres are so clear that it's actually helping me in other areas of my signal chain, like choosing mics and compressors. If I have the wrong mic on the source, or have phase issues, I can really tell in a way that I couldn't with my previous setup. At $2,200 new they are a bit on the pricey side, but if you're in a position to buy a good used set I would definitely recommend it.
One caveat: I mostly record my own stuff, I don't do commercial work and I mostly stick to loud guitars, synths, vox and occasionally garage drums and acoustic guitar. But these pres are so transparent and clear, I don't see how they couldn't be useful in any recording situation. | | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 4 | | Features | | 4 | | Bang for buck | | 4 |
Overall:  4 | | Daking Mic Pre IV
I've used the Daking Mic Pre IV in a variety of recording situations for the past year and have been pleased with its overall performance. I have found that it does best on acoustic guitars, hats, rides, and overheads. The Daking really pronounces the higher frequencies, so choose your applications carefully. If you need to record a sombre piano part, go straight to your UA 610 and save yourself the time of trying to tame those highs later. But for you acoustic guitar players out there, this one just might be the answer to your prayers.
What I love best about the Mic Pre IV are its DI's, LED indicators, and inserts on all 4 channels. It provides reliable visual info and allows easy linking to outboard EQs, etc. In this context, the Daking is nicely loaded with features and is a tremendous overall value. Thanks Daking!
The Mic Pre IV does leave some things to be desired. First, the build quality is somewhat light duty compared to the 3124. With a flimsy metal housing and sketchy gain knobs, the Mic Pre IV fails to inspire that sense of confidence we all look for in our gear. Second, gain is stepped in 5dB increments. I personally prefer the ability to really dial in each pre, and 5 dB has proven to be too much of a gap in several situations. My third peeve with the Daking Mic Pre IV is an apparent lack of consistency in output between the 4 channels themselves. On mine, channel 3 runs considerably hotter than the other 3 channels, most often having to be stepped back two full notches (10dB) to match the other levels. For the past 6 months, the Daking has been used exclusively on drums, and I have been able to work around this issue without it being too much of an inconvenience. Nonetheless, the sense of confidence wanes.
The Daking was my first step into the high quality preamp world and it has served me well. I personally would like to see a Version 2 of the Mic Pre IV that includes infinitely variable gain adjustments and an increase in its overall build quality. While I personally prefer the punch and definition of the API 3124 on drums compared to the Daking Mic Pre IV, the API is quite a bit more money, and offers fewer features than the Daking. | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 4 | | Features | | 4 | | Bang for buck | | 4 | |
Overall: 4 | | Compact & colorful!
I never had any interest in Daking gear. I dunno why, just never did. One day they just turned up at the studio; it wasn't there the day before, but lo' and behold--here's a pair of Daking IV's in a garage made little 2U rack. Hrm, those weren't there yesterday.... So I gave it a spin. Mic'd up the house drum kit to see what they could do. WOW! These things were really made to track drums, weren't they? Almost the same sonic quality as the Chandler LTD-1's with a slightly different timbre (although very early 70's in a Neve 80 meets Helios kinda way). I think I could dig these!
And dig 'em I did. In fact, I'd say they are easily one of the best choices in the "lil' over 500 bucks a channel" preamp category. These things *are* made to rawk, however. Drums, electric guitars and bass are its strongest suits, although it's going to sound pretty spiff no matter what you put it in front of. If I had to throw a few adjectives about the Daking IV out there I'd say: solid, athletic, and mid-riffy. This is a very Tridenty preamp, as you'd expect, which is kinda-sorta-almost as if a Hardy M1 raised the freakishly strong runt of a Neve 1073 litter. All in all, this is a pretty colorful preamp that interacts extremely well with dynamic microphones.
There's a strong compliment of devices to help you out: mic/line/DI, phase reverse, and a built in pad--all the right ingredients. Major minus, especially from the perspective of getting an "optimal" level, are the 5db stepped controls. The lack of fine tuning is a big minus for the IV and could result in amateurs capturing a less than optimal (i.e. too friggin' loud) level to the record (-1 point for ease of use). However, in the grand scheme of things this is a minor gripe.
To finish off my story, after test-driving the Dakings I ended up using them on a session a few days later in lieu of the API's, who were curiously missing. Honestly I can say I prefer the Daking preamps over the API; not because they are "better" but, and this is personal preference, I tend to prefer more mid-speed slew devices like these over the clean, tight and fast API's tracking. That bit of distortion and "fattening" resulting from gentler sloped transients always screams "RAWK" at me and I'm a bit of a sucker for that.
Bottom line: awesome preamp in any studio, but especially attractive for smaller professional setups or home studios--a very strong competitor for your hard-earned dollars. Rock and metal styles are its forte, although--like its conceptual basis the Trident range--it can pretty much do anything you need a solid state preamp to do. Quality construction, made in the USA. Attractive, ergonomic unit. It totally blew me away when I was pre-disposed to ignore it. Lack of fine tuning on the gain is annoying, but having stepped dials makes recall a snap. While not in the "holy grail" preamp leagues it's certainly first rate. | | | |
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