Best multi-purpose preamp

[matchless123]

I apologize for yet another "best preamp" thread, but after searching the previous posting history, I have additional questions and concerns....and I beleive I am starting to overthink this decision...

I would like to buy a two channel preamp and AD converters (not necessarly as a single unit). This would be used for all recording except drums (Acoustic guitars, Vocals, Electric Guitars, Bass) (I will be recording drums at a studio that uses primarly API.

My music style is between Pink Floyd and Tonic or Goo Goo Dolls.

I have narrowed my search to one of the following:
1. Chandler TG2 with Mytek 96AD
2. API A2D
3. Neve 1073 DPD
4. ???

However, I have concerns:
1. I am thinking it would be better to buy the preamp as a separate unit from the AD converter so that it will have more longevity...converter will eventually be old technology...as well as reducing complexity of a single unit...less potential for breakage....also, I feel as though having the preamp separate from the converter, it is something I could pass along to my son eventually...like a nice guitar.

2. My best microphone is a Shure KSM44. I do not intend to make additional microphone purchases in the near future. So, am I overbuying on any of these preamps based on the fact that I am not using a mic like a U47?

3. I don't have a card for my computer, only a Focusrite Saffire Pro 10. I was planning on using the SPDIF input. By using this input, is there any signal degradation at all? And again, would I be overbuying since I will be interfacing with SPDIF on a Saffire. If it made a difference, and depending on cost, I may be willing to buy a dedicated card for my computer.

4. Would one of these be a better solution knowing that I want it to be a multi-purpose pre? I have read that the API sounds a little too cold and brittle on vocals. However, using the Chandler, would that be too much coloration when using on all my tracks (except for drums).

5. If anyone has another option, please let me know. Although my hair is ready to fall out because of the time I have spent on this, I would prefer to be in a little more agony upfront and be happy with my purchase.

Thank you very much for any feedback. I truely value the opionions of the members of this forum. Although this is my first post, I have used it extensively for research in the past.

Fred

[syntheticrhyme]

Hi Fred, if you'll be running everything trough it, you might want to consider the Avalon Design AD2022 (nice, upfront pre, clean and not too much colour, but great as a general pre for practically anything you throw at it) You could get a decent sound card (without having to opt for extra convertors, unless you have the budget) The mic in a recording path is as important as the pre, so you might want to upgrade that as well








Control Surfaces - Pro Audio Control Surface

[dhiltonlittle]

i think a neve or something similar is always a solid all around pre.

some of my favs are the neve of course, brent averill, avedis, and aurora audio gtq2. bang for buck i'd suggest the aurora audio. the chandler tg2 pre you mentioned is great but i think you'll find there will be a lot of sources you won't like it as much on. maybe that 's just me though. api pres are super. you could also go 500 and get an avedis and an api. lots of options!

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by dhiltonlittle

i think a neve or something similar is always a solid all around pre.

some of my favs are the neve of course, brent averill, avedis, and aurora audio gtq2. bang for buck i'd suggest the aurora audio. the chandler tg2 pre you mentioned is great but i think you'll find there will be a lot of sources you won't like it as much on. maybe that 's just me though. api pres are super. you could also go 500 and get an avedis and an api. lots of options!

[allencollins]

I have a DPA and some 500's and I love them both......
though id go with API all the way

BUT...

As good as the DPD and A2D are, at some point in the next couple years the converter portions of those units will be obsolete sorry to say.
the cool thing about api is they hold their value better than any other pre. The other cool thing about api is they seem to raise their prices alot
so you never lose. I'd buy some 500's series api's, a mytek AD and clock a cheaper D/A unitto the mytek if you need to save cash.

I'm not positive but I don't think the a2d does D/A

[kissingonstilts]

I would get a better mic and a lesser pre, albeit a clean one - Grace, etc.

[AB3]

If I was just getting ONE two channel pre - I would get the Forssell solid state pre. Then if I wanted color, I would get it from the mic, compressor, etc.

But at least I would have the ability to capture the source as much as is, without being sterile, when I need it.

[Igotsoul4u]

I think the great river is possibly the most versatile pre on the planet and if i ever come into money I would use them as the bulk of my front end setup. Tons of headroom for a nice big clean sound or drive the input and scrape the ceiling for some that intimate warmth. Loading switch is an added bonus and when drive with the load switch in I get a 1081 vibe which I love. Its just a little more compact. Impedance switch allows for any mic to feel at home. Can't say enough about it, but versatility is only one of its many features. Throw a lavry AD10 at the end and you are in business for that sound you are looking for.

[blim]

Originally Posted by matchless123

If anyone has another option, please let me know.

There have been a number of discussions on this forum over the years concerning which preamps are good "all-around" units, and I know that Pacificas are often mentioned. Also, if you type "Pacifica reviews" into the search field of Google, you'll get links to some magazine and on-line reviews of the unit, most of which mention at one point or another how useful the preamp is on a variety of sources.

[zakco]

Not sure why the Great River MP2NV didn't make your short list...very versatile pre.

I'd also suggest keeping your A/D in a separate unit...

-Z-

[Butcha]

Originally Posted by zakco

Not sure why the Great River MP2NV didn't make your short list...very versatile pre.

I'd also suggest keeping your A/D in a separate unit...

-Z-

Dunno, when the AD on the A2D and the DPD becomes obsolete, you will still have 2 rocking pres in each case. When the AD on your separately bought converter becomes obsolete you will have a nice paperweight. If the thought of using a unit that has an obsolete AD function but is perfectly relevant as a mic pre bothers you, then maybe something else might be a good idea. If not, the A2D and the DPD are good solutions.

[RTR]

I say up-grade you mic first..that is what picks up your sound..the pre just boost's it...

[warhead]

Acoustic guitars, Vocals, Electric Guitars, Bass recording?

Man, I'd take a Pacifica or Great River or Daking or Phoenix Audio DRS or Rupert Neve or TRUE Systems or....haha.

Man there is a lot of stuff out there, if you think you have the right mics then a preamp is definitely a good buy for you. All of these pres sound so different though, but each one would deliver a quality sound. Some are cleaner, some can be pushed hard, some have a few tonal possibilities not found on other units etc.

War

[Slikjmuzik]

Dude, I think your head is in the right place. Your KSM44 is not your problem that mic is fine. I would however recommend any of the following for it on vocals: (I don't know your budget,but...)

Manley Mono - for vocals & bass, this would be my first choice, the tube will help out the almost always interpreted crispiness of the KSM.

John Hardy - Killer top end for vocals

Millenia - similar to the John Hardy many say, but just a different vibe, I like the Hardy a lot better.

ISA110 - these are not made anymore and IMO the newer ISA stuff just doesn't sound the same. I've seen bloaks getting rid of these for aroun $1500 and these have a killer sound on just about anything.

Great River - Probably the best all around pre on the market that is still being made. Has sowter tannies in it that are design a la Neve. I don't own one because I have my own system comprised of other pres that I use on specific instruments and voices and they work for me, but nonetheless if you don't have the variety of pres I have, this is probably the best place to start for 1 or 2 channels of great all around preamplification.

Best wishes buddy...

[camerondye]

My choice would be Great River from the about 10 preamps I've heard...
cam

[Teddy Ray]

in my opinion, versatile means translating well on as many sources as possible. to me, that means open/cleaner.

I suggest something along the lines of Pendulum mdp1, DAV, or Presonus ADL6000. all 3 of those are clean, but not laboratory sterile(like the Millennia or Grace preamps imo). Just the right touch of "sweetness".

(All of them are covered heavily here) I personally own MDP-1 and DAV, but have used the ADL6000 a lot.

i know those arent the generic "neve or one of its thousand copies" suggestions, but I do a lot of acoustic-centric music and get great, great results with the above.

[zakco]

Originally Posted by Butcha

Dunno, when the AD on the A2D and the DPD becomes obsolete, you will still have 2 rocking pres in each case. When the AD on your separately bought converter becomes obsolete you will have a nice paperweight. If the thought of using a unit that has an obsolete AD function but is perfectly relevant as a mic pre bothers you, then maybe something else might be a good idea. If not, the A2D and the DPD are good solutions.

My comments were not based on the obsolescence angle. Down the road when you decide that you really do need more channels of decent A/D, you can sell the 2 channel unit and replace it with something bigger/better and keep your pres. I also am not a fan of stringing together multiple converter boxes, a couple sp/dif channels here, a couple AES channels there, toss in a lightpipe or two......the patching and clocking becomes a headache, not to mention dealing with varying latencies from unit to unit....I'll take one good box with umpteen inputs anyday and i'll keep my A/D separate thank you...

[NathanEldred]

I think for sheer versatility the Juggernaut is towards the very top because of all it's tone shaping features, but there are a ton of incredible sounding preamps around including the Great River, Chandler TG-2, etc.

[Rotaholic]

I would recommend Groove Tubes the brick and with the extra cash you save upgrade your vocal mic.

[ChaosCreation]

FOR THE MONEY THE NEW SONTRONICS SNORA looks great
has all the conversion down
plus two channels!

Sontronics Sonora Preamplifier & Direct Input » Music gadgets

[Thumper]

Another vote for John Hardy M1s... Right On SlikJ...

My other choice would be the Vintech 2 channel job. Everything just glues together when these get used. The DI inputs are really useful for keyboards and bass as well.

As far as converters go, I'm going to get reamed for saying this, but I'm not a big fan of the Apogee stuff. It sounds a bit hyped compared to a lot of other converters. (however, the softlimit on the Apogee stuff is brilliant!!!)

Keep that Sapphire thing or whatever it is for right now... ***Just make sure that you can bypass any built-in preamps or eq or anything else that the box has***

I'd suggest to get things rolling, and see how many channels of conversion you might want. (Maybe stereo mics for acoustic, and a room mic??? Maybe 4 mics for a B3 with Leslie speaker???)

[2Loud]

Great River..versatile, incredible, creamy hero.
Phoenix DRS 1 sweet magician..

[baikonour]

I nearly bought a AD2 but changed my mind after considering the obsolesence of the converters in a few years. So I'm sticking with my fireface for now but got a Chandler TG2 which I plan to keep and use for many years to come.

[mltamisin]

For the applications you mentioned I'd go with the Neve. If you don't feel justified in spending that kind of cash then don't. You can get good results with any Neve-alike...or just get a new Neve Portico. It's 2 channel and has a variable hi pass filter. I've tracked every overdub in my rock band with one of those and feel it's very well equipped for what you need. Didn't even think twice about it.

[Butcha]

Originally Posted by zakco

My comments were not based on the obsolescence angle. Down the road when you decide that you really do need more channels of decent A/D, you can sell the 2 channel unit and replace it with something bigger/better and keep your pres. I also am not a fan of stringing together multiple converter boxes, a couple sp/dif channels here, a couple AES channels there, toss in a lightpipe or two......the patching and clocking becomes a headache, not to mention dealing with varying latencies from unit to unit....I'll take one good box with umpteen inputs anyday and i'll keep my A/D separate thank you...

I know what you mean, but if you mostly only ever record one or two channels at a time (like a lot of home recordists do) they are a very good solution. They are also very portable; you can connect them easily to a variety of other interfaces and get good results i.e. you can go to somewhere with only a very basic set up, an M Box or similar, and have a pro level mic pre and conversion in one rack unit. Should you then later decide to go for a bigger conversion set up you can just hook the pres up as you would any other pre.