Your Germanium pre. How do YOU use it?

[thedommer]

The Germanium pre is a fairly unique device. I was just wondering what peoples thoughts are on it now that its been out for a long time and any "hype" factor should be gone. I've had mine for almost 2 years now and still love it. I don't have a lot to compare it to though. Im curious what you use it on and how you set it? What mics are your favourite to use with it? What do you love or hate about it? What caused you to sell it? or What caused you to buy it? What quirks do you find it has?

[lematrix]

Originally Posted by thedommer

What you love or hate about it? ?

I always use it when i need to smothen something or i need a very warm sound. Also it is my first to go pre to play bass with the DI input.
Sometimes i like it on Backround Vocals too.

[mu6gr8]

Typically used on bass and electric guitars, but I recently cut an acoustic guitar with a Germ Pre and loved what it did to the mids with a KM184 off-axis about 18" from the neck joint, thick & pad engaged, gain at 8 and feedback set to 9. YMMV.

[lildrummerboy70]

Anybody like the germs on drums?

[barryjohns]

You know, when I first started posting on this board, maybe a 1 1/2 year ago, not sure, every other post was about the Germanium, I hardly ever see post about it anymore. I'm sure it is a fine pre, I've not used one, but its funny how things come, get tons of hype, and then seem to go away from discussion, other pre's, like the Pacifica stays on subject a lot. Seems like the 550 series pre's have taken over a lot of discussion.

[petterericsson]

I love it on snare with pad and thick button. And on certain vocals...

[Empty Planet]

I bought the thing years ago and I still think it's fantastic. How do I use it? I use it like a mic pre. Guitars to vox. Drive usually up somewhere past halfway most of the time, thick button every now and then. It's a thing of beauty.

There was a guy here a while back who recorded every track of his album through it, with the drive all the way up. You'd think by listening to some of the people on this board that the sky would fall if you used the Germanium everywhere in a mix -- but hey, it sounded great.


Cheers.

[Jim vanBergen]

It's a great "go to" pre for acoustic & electric guitars, bass, and sometimes kick drum. I have used it on a jazz session to thicken up the a drum sound or get a different tone when the mic placement is good but the tone isn't quite what you want.

It's a great paintbrush, and one of three or four pre's I audition for vox. Sometimes it's perfect, sometimes not the right choice. But it's a killer tool.

[thedommer]

Originally Posted by barryjohns

You know, when I first started posting on this board, maybe a 1 1/2 year ago, not sure, every other post was about the Germanium, I hardly ever see post about it anymore. I'm sure it is a fine pre, I've not used one, but its funny how things come, get tons of hype, and then seem to go away from discussion, other pre's, like the Pacifica stays on subject a lot. Seems like the 550 series pre's have taken over a lot of discussion.

thats exactly why I started this thread! I'm curious to see if it is still loved or if the hype was to much for it to handle. Can it really hold its ground or is it just another pre for most people?

So this is a discussion everything germanium.

[thedommer]

Originally Posted by Jim vanBergen

It's a great "go to" pre for acoustic & electric guitars, bass, and sometimes kick drum. I have used it on a jazz session to thicken up the a drum sound or get a different tone when the mic placement is good but the tone isn't quite what you want.

It's a great paintbrush, and one of three or four pre's I audition for vox. Sometimes it's perfect, sometimes not the right choice. But it's a killer tool.

I used it with my 4050 on an acoustic and was really impressed with the results. it tamed that high end bite that can be a bit annoying with some condensers. then i pulled in some of the high end again using abbey road brilliance and it was much smoother. had a very warm 70s feel.

[andychamp]

Like probably most Germ owners, I originally got mine for the "phhhattt" factor: thick in, feedback cranked, pad in, gain wide open.

But recently I've started to appreciate its gentler, "cleaner" side.
On some sources (guitars, really) and with the right mic (varies) it can achieve a sort of "round clarity". At least that's how I'd describe it.
Like it's opening up the lower hi-mids, like an API, but tuned an octave or two lower.
Let's say I start with a MD 421 through and API or GR. The beef and punch are there, but there's some aggression to get rid of.
Switching to a ribbon mic will tame it too much, but switching to the germ will get me there.

[thedommer]

Originally Posted by andychamp

Like probably most Germ owners, I originally got mine for the "phhhattt" factor: thick in, feedback cranked, pad in, gain wide open.

But recently I've started to appreciate its gentler, "cleaner" side.
On some sources (guitars, really) and with the right mic (varies) it can achieve a sort of "round clarity". At least that's how I'd describe it.
Like it's opening up the lower hi-mids, like an API, but tuned an octave or two lower.
Let's say I start with a MD 421 through and API or GR. The beef and punch are there, but there's some aggression to get rid of.
Switching to a ribbon mic will tame it too much, but switching to the germ will get me there.

I agree! I find the germ to be almost an alternative to a ribbon at times. does a similar taming of the high end. together I find they dont work to well though, unless you really dont care much for high end.

[Watersound]

It's the best bass DI I've tried. I love running mono synths and direct guitars through the DI- it fattens the heck out of everything. I've had it for about 2 yrs now and it still does it for me just as much as it ever did!

[Brontosauce]

Yes, I still like the Germanium very much, I'm using it mainly to 'soften' up an aggressive sound so it depends on the source, could be harsch vocals, could be overheads too.

First pre-amp I go to for close miked guitar.

It's indeed a bit vintage sounding but still clear enough not to go lo-fi, as a Joe Meek for instance. Very smooth and warm but not dull.

Don't regret buying it about 2 years ago one bit, would buy it again.

And a TG.

And a 1176.

And a...(etc)

[lakeshorephatty]

Originally Posted by Empty Planet

I bought the thing years ago and I still think it's fantastic. How do I use it? I use it like a mic pre. Guitars to vox. Drive usually up somewhere past halfway most of the time, thick button every now and then. It's a thing of beauty.

There was a guy here a while back who recorded every track of his album through it, with the drive all the way up. You'd think by listening to some of the people on this board that the sky would fall if you used the Germanium everywhere in a mix -- but hey, it sounded great.


Cheers.

Nice post. Agreed. Use it like a mic pre, or use it like a line amp through the DI. Appart from finding it useful on well... everything, i also tend to use it during mixing. On the particular project i'm working on, i'm finding that sending the 2bus through it is really helping the sound on the approprate feedback and in this case, with THICK engaged! : )

My favorite use has got to be acoustic instruments, like drums, guitars and the human voice. The reason it seems to excel a lot on voice for me is, its able to be adjusted in low to high content so easily with the feedback. Sometimes you just need a subtle change in freq response to get the vocal perfect so if i've got the time, i'll make the adjustment on the pre (of course this is after making sure i have the best suited mic to the voice, its further fine tuning).

[nonamesleft]

before i sold it, i used it for kick and electric guitar along with an api. D112 into germ for kick. sm57 into api mixed with 421 into germ for electric.

i also used an sm7 into the germ maxed out for a couple of punk band screams...was pretty fun and nice

[Jim vanBergen]

Originally Posted by lakeshorephatty

The reason it seems to excel a lot on voice for me is, its able to be adjusted in low to high content so easily with the feedback. Sometimes you just need a subtle change in freq response to get the vocal perfect so if i've got the time, i'll make the adjustment on the pre (of course this is after making sure i have the best suited mic to the voice, its further fine tuning).

Well said, accurate, and to the point.

Part of what makes this such a great paintbrush is the flexibility. Which again, is why it's a great choice.

[thedommer]

Originally Posted by nonamesleft

before i sold it, i used it for kick and electric guitar along with an api. D112 into germ for kick. sm57 into api mixed with 421 into germ for electric.

i also used an sm7 into the germ maxed out for a couple of punk band screams...was pretty fun and nice

why did you sell it?

[nonamesleft]

i sold the germanium because i could replace it with 3 sca neve clones...and i like the sound of the sca pres better than the germanium to be honest, though i did like the germanium a lot.

[Stitch333]

RCA BA-71 anyone?

[bleak orange]

Germanium(s) are great !

awesome DI for a bass guitar, great on drums (especially snare and toms ! ), acc guitar, strings ( not in a classical kind of recording, but in a folk \ rock kind of vibe ) etc etc...plenty of mojo

don't like them that much on vocals though, as I like my vocals clean going to tape.

I have bought all my Germaniums used.....it seems there is a lot of folks that didn't know what they were getting...I wouldn't record RnB with a Germanium...but then again, I would never record RnB

[Tone Weaver]

I use it for resonator slide guitar & banjo-Takes a sound that can be otherwise kinda brash with any other pre, & turns it to pure magic!