Difference between Focusrite ISA 428 and API 3124+ on drums?

[Classic]

How would you describe the difference between a Focusrite ISA 428 and an API 3124+ on toms, snare and kick?

[BLueROom]

The API is way more in-your-face. I have APIs and the ISA428 and much prefer the APIs for drums. Not many people will disagree.

[macleod]

hi, i have both and i agree. i sometimes use the isa for under snare and cymbals etc. Its a great pre but the apis are a step up.

K

[BLUElightCory]

I use both units regularly on drums and I'll attempt to describe the tonal differences using as many recording-buzzwords as possible.

Having tried both units on each component of the kit, here's what I generally use them for:

API - Top/Bottom snare, kick, toms
ISA428 - OH/Cymbals, room mics

The API has a much punchier tone with more impact and attack, and a tight, focused low end. The 428 is a bit more plain-vanilla sounding; it's pretty clean and it seems to have a much softer overall tone with a bit more low end than the API. Also, the impedance selection and variable HPF on the ISA428 give you a bit more flexibility when dialing things in as well.

That said, at the end of the day I usually find myself preferring the API for most drum applications. Hope this helps,

Cory Spotts

[Confusionator]

Get the 3DB Preamps In Paradise DVD to hear the differences for yourself. I did, and it certainly paid for itself in the decisions I made subsequently.

[Gerax]

As said above, the API's is really more punchy, more in your face, it almost seems compressed when you drive it harder (I use it with a passive attenuator on the output, so that I can use it kinda like a master/volume guitar amp), very aggressive and rock sounding.
The ISA is more neutral, cleaner but still big enough and dynamic to be used on drums.
I usually use API on kick in (B52 or D112), Kick out (U87 or NS10) and OHs (usually KM184 where it really shines IMO) and the ISA for toms (421), HH (NT5 or AKG541) and snare bottom (LD condenser). I usually use another pre for snare top:I lately started to really like the UA LA610 which as strange as it may seem sounds really good on snare with a bit of its own compression and EQ.
In the end I think the two pres (3124+ and ISA) complement each other pretty well whan used on a drum kit (with a pair of additional extra channels of different flavoured pres).

hope this helps

L.G.