Please please please help choose first *good* mic pre-amp!

[joshley]

Hello all!

I have been researching for a year now, and am finding it near impossible to decide upon a pre. My main uses are vocals, male specifically. I am using an Audio Technica 3060 tube microphone, but going into an M-Audio Audio-Buddy!

To hear the results I am currently getting (and to gauge an idea of the vocal it is to be used on), either of the two below should give a clear idea:

http://www.joshley.co.uk/It%20Wouldn...0A%20Thing.mp3
http://www.joshley.co.uk/Thoughts.mp3

I am willing to spend about £700 MAX, and have come up with two options:

SPL GainStation 1
Phoenix Audio DRS-1

I am really hoping that for £700 I can get something quite impressive....! I know the microphone is limiting, but IMO it is a pretty fantastic mic, and I can't upgrade everything at once! There is no point in getting a fantastic £700 mic if it hasn't got a decent pre to carry the signal, that's like listening to a high end recording down a mobile phone! But even a C1000S shines some more on a better pre!

I would really appreciate your recommendations here (any others for the same price as opposed to the above?), I have been reading through the forum and searching for similar posts and find this forum is a very knowledgable bunch of people!

Also, if someone could tell me if I'm really going to notice my £700 based on the examples above.

Thanks for your time, people!
joshley

[joshley]

.....anyone??

[manning1]

i'll respond. but dont buy one of these till you try them first.
i would also rent some pre;s and see what floats your boat.
a lot of pro's like the rane ms1b mic preamp. its reasonably priced.
but the wider public dont know about it as its not widely advertised.
down at the dirt cheap level you could try the behringer mic 100.
now i know some folks diss behringer. but ive seen some favorable reviews on this. and its only 50 dollars. 25 pounds ?
i would at least try it.
or you could look at an affordable yamaha mg mixer. you never know - it might satisfy you. a lot of folks seem happy with it.
what ive found over many yrs buying gear is sometimes a cheap price does mean a poor piece , but occassionally ive come across a cheap piece that turns out great. so - the only way is to keep an open mind.
now - back to the high end you have pre's like the excellent
great river or hardy mic pre's .
ive just mentioned a few.
another couple i would check out are studio projects vtb1 and fmr audio really nice mic pre.
me personally i make my own mic pre's diy for 20 bucks each - 10 pounds ? i do it for fun, and because i like buiolding electronic stuff.
if you want to compare the difference between a top studio console and a diy mic pre approach .....
listen to the song "take my love" soundclick.com/bmanning
done using a very high end studio console.
now listen to songs done with my diy mic pre's....
limeyrap. i'm too old to rock and roll , and hi tech man as examples.
i posted schematic links in the geekslutz section of this
board. but take an electronics course before building anything.
to ensure you do diy SAFELY if diy interests you.
good luck !

[max cooper]

I'm always a fan of the "modules in a lunchbox" thang.

There's API, Brent Averill, Old School Audio...

Cool thing is that once you buy the box they go in, adding another (or five more) pres isn't as expensive as it would otherwise be.

But, yes, you simply HAVE to get your hands on a few before you buy. If that's simply not possible, you can do what I did to get my first home rig going when I wan't near any pro gear at all. I'd do as much research as I could, including resale value, then get what seemed to the best all-rounder on all points. I figured if I really hated something, I'd sell it right away and lose just a little. In all that time, the only thing I sold right away was a D-112. (yeah, I didn't research that one enough.)

[Dot]

joshley, I listened to your tracks. Nice stuff! Have you heard of Tears In X-Ray Eyes? http://www.tearsinxrayeyes.com/ Go to the "Audio" section and listen to a clip of "Who's Gonna Hurt You Now?"

I think you're already getting a good sound. I think the DRS-1 would be a good move. It's got a big, airy sound. And as much of what I've heard in your music sound "intimate" I think the DRS would do a great job. I reviewed the DRS-2 http://www.digitalprosound.com/2003/...rs2_review.htm

I might recommend the John Hardy M-1, but you're obviously needing to use the DI and the M-1 doesn't have a DI. The DRS will give a more airy sound than the M-1.

The Sebatron vmp-1000e US $849 would be another option. Tube pre. Nice and airy. Will sound a bit softer than the DRS. http://www.sebatron.com/

The FMR RNP £399 has some nice air on the top and could work well at a nice price. Has a somewhat colored slightly vintage sound to it. http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/d2/pag...roduct_id/3041

Another less expensive but excellent option is the M-Audio Tampa. Nice, natural pre, opto compressor and dig out as standard. But the Tampa is only $399 in the US, and I see it's much more in the UK. If you can find it for that it's a good deal, but not at £599 - which is what I just saw it going for on a UK site.

And, yes, I think you'd definitely here a difference using a DRS-1 over and Audio Buddy - and you'll especially notice it as you start to upgrade other components of your system.

You might want to consider a compressor as well when you get a chance. The FMR RNC does a great job at only £199 http://www.nusystems.co.uk/buy.asp?p=1877

[zimv20]

i love my drs-1. i recommend it w/o hesitation.

[primomusic]

hey josh whats up... Nice track I loved it.. very unique. Did you use a real grand in your recording or is it a virtual instrument. It sounded amazing. As for a mic pre , u cant go wrong with and rnp. There are bad azzzzzzz and great for the price.

[RoundBadge]

One of these will do nicely for probably less than 800.00 http://www.brentaverill.com/312a/

[Sammas]

Wow!! thats really great stuff you have there. It's a well recorded Piano it is a real grand. I can never seem to get the operation sounds out of it (pedals, dampeners, etc) but then again everything i've recorded with a grand has been just a solo piano so it might be hidden within the mix somewhere.


For the amount you are willing to spent i personly would be more inclined to think ahead. How many preamps do you think you'll need? I personly have decided on 8 or 10 for my little studio.

I'd get a 6 space module rack from Brent Averill then at a module at a time as funds become avaliable. This is what i am planning on doing. I already have 2 Neve clones that i built from scratch as well as an SSL bus comp and 1176 comp clones that are nearing completetion (with some minor mods to better suit my needs). The next step is a Averill 312 rack and modules. OSA make 3 different sounding modules so you have 5 different ones to choose from including the Averill 312 and the API 512 modules. Not to mention the compressors and eq's too.

For the 6 preamps in the rack you are looking at a cost of about $600 each once you split the price of the rack. Not bad for top notch prefessional gear that will out last anything remotely digital.

[Jason Poulin]

spend the extra coin

Get the Great River MP2-NV

2 amazing channels... this is my favourite pre-amp in our rack.

pair it with a distressor and your tracks will be blessed.

I promise.

with this combo, the signal path is so sweet for everything, especially vocals.


Good Luck!

Jason