Looking for high gain pre for ribbons??

[mcguin]

Hi all
I am looking for a 2 channel pre with high gain low noise for ribbons. The TRP looks interesting, but I don't know that I can wait til they are available. Looking at $2k max.

Any ideas??

Thanks

Dan
www.iswstudios.com

[newnes]

Hey. I'm shopping for the same thing. So far I'm thinking of:

A Designs Pacifica - $1795, 72db gain, -128 EIN, 600 Ohms

Groove Tubes Supre - $1799, 72 db gain, switchable Impedance (300, 600, 1200 Ohms), Can't find noise specs

Grace Design M201 - $1865, 60db gain +10db trim, -130 EIN, 1800 Ohms

Earthworks 1022 - $1600, 60 db gain, -143 EIN, 100 kOhms with phantom off

Vintech 273 - $1995, 70 db gain, switchable impedance (300, 1200), Can't find noise specs

Chandler TG2 - $1980, 75db gain, switchable impedance (300, 1200), Can't find noise specs

Mercury Grand Pre - $1695, 60 db gain + 8db trim, Can't find impedance or noise specs

Millennia HV-3C - $1795, 60 db gain (can be ordered with 78 db), -133 EIN, 6700 Ohms

John Hardy M1 2-channel - $1715, 60 db gain, Can't find impedance or noise specs


Unfortunately I haven't heard any of these yet so right now they're just numbers to me. Take it for what it's worth.

Craig.

[John Hardy]

The M-1, M-2 and Jensen Twin Servo mic preamps that I manufacture are as quiet as it gets. All of them can be modified for a maximum gain of greater than 60 dB at no cost. In theory, the Jensen Twin Servo would be better at extremely high gain settings because there are two 990C discrete op-amps in series for each channel, each one providing half the gain compared to the single-stage design of the M-1 and M-2 preamps. But the M-1 and M-2 do extremely well at 60 dB of gain and beyond.

John Hardy
The John Hardy Co.
www.johnhardyco.com

[mixerguy]

i'd say get the Millennia HV-3D if you want neutral and uncolored, the Pacifica if you want a bit of excitement.

[neve1073]

i'm usually using the chandlers with my ribbons. sometimes a v76. always good results. i like the hardy m1 too.

[reid]

if +59dB willl get you there, consider the DAV BG1 - it punches way above its weight in terms of quality vs. price. Low noise floor, clean, uncoloured sound and has a lot of serious fans out there.

Save your money - buy a DAV!

[midnightsun]

Neve 1084 is my favorite ribbon mic. Plenty of gain.

[retarded]

Has anyone compared the other mentioned models with True Systems P-Solo? It seems quite good, but other opinions are always welcome...

AEA have a ribbon preamp in the pipeline. 83dB of gain seems to cover it all - if it comes out as good as they claim...

[T.RayBullard]

the DAV BG-2, without a doubt...66db of gain by request, and is dead quiet even at high gain....I own the Millennia HV-3, but hardly ever use it since being turned on to the DAV stuff.

Clean, but with a nice "sheen" that just sounds phenomenal, like a finished record.

do a search on DAV here...website is www.davelectronics.com/bg2.htm

[klaukholm]

I would take a serious look at the Lavry Pre.
It will still leave room for 4 ch af AD in the chassis.

[toolskid]

If you are after something very fast, musical, and muscular, I can thoroughly recommend the BUZZ audio MA2.2. I've used these extensively with ribbons on many sources. GREAT GREAT GREAT!!!!

[SLy_drums]

Purple Audio Biz is amazing :p

[Ribbonmicguy]

Nothing beats Ribbon Mic Preamp by AEA for high gain application. 84dB is plentiful and no noise even at the highest setting.

Kudos to Fred Forssell and Wes Dooley for the design!

[warhead]

I'm assuming the AEA mic pre will be very quiet at high gain settings so there is interest there. Haven't heard it though!

War

[retarded]

Originally Posted by Ribbonmicguy

Nothing beats Ribbon Mic Preamp by AEA for high gain application. 84dB is plentiful and no noise even at the highest setting.

Kudos to Fred Forssell and Wes Dooley for the design!

...but it isn't released yet, is it...? Not according to their website anyway...
If it isn't released, it's a little hard to say that nothing beats it, since you can only rely on the data they claim that it will have...

[jeff4h]

I have a focusrite 428 Im using with some modifired chinesse ribbon,took out all of the inner mesh and screen and it is great, you can change the impedence and it has a hi pass filter which is great for ribbon, I got mine for 1200 not bac for four channels

[JonCraig]

another vote for the 2-ch millenia. the hv3 preamp (in all its forms) is absolutely one of the best pre's ever. and wide open, there's no noise... so ribbons, rock on.

--jon

[eligit]

i am REALLY curious how good this aea pre amp will be.

it all depends on the sound. obviously it is affordable, has two channels, TONS of gain....so we are waiting to see what the sound is like.

hmmm.

[henryrobinett]

I have three ribbons and never had a hitch with my Millennia HV-3D.

[C/G]

I use my ribbons with a Chandler TG-2, Germanium, Tab V-78 and UA 2108 all the time. There is a lot of gain on tap with those four pres. As long as you have at least 60 db of gain any pre should work fine without any noise issues.

[eligit]

Originally Posted by Colin Gaucher

I use my ribbons with a Chandler TG-2, Germanium, Tab V-78 and UA 2108 all the time. There is a lot of gain on tap with those four pres. As long as you have at least 60 db of gain any pre should work fine without any noise issues.

maybe for distance micing on quiet sources like finger picked acoustic guitar a little more gain couldn't hurt.

i got my ribbon for electric guitar....but now i love it on acoustic as well.

[newnes]

Hey Colin. What ribbons are you using with your Germ and on what sources? I'm using an R92 and the Germ is ridiculously noisy on anything but guitar amps which obviously don't need as much gain. Thanks!

Craig.

Originally Posted by John Hardy

The M-1, M-2 and Jensen Twin Servo mic preamps that I manufacture are as quiet as it gets. All of them can be modified for a maximum gain of greater than 60 dB at no cost. In theory, the Jensen Twin Servo would be better at extremely high gain settings because there are two 990C discrete op-amps in series for each channel, each one providing half the gain compared to the single-stage design of the M-1 and M-2 preamps. But the M-1 and M-2 do extremely well at 60 dB of gain and beyond.

John Hardy
The John Hardy Co.
www.johnhardyco.com

Thanks for the info John! thumbsup

[C/G]

I use the grerm pretty much only on electric guitars so far, and I have not noticed a noise problem in that application. I'll have to try it on acoustic guitar or something quiet like a shaker track, then I'll probably know what you are talking about.

Ribbon mic I usually stick on guitar amps is Fostex M88-RP. I had a Beyer M160 which was awesome, but it went missing . Other ribbon mic I use is an old Oktava ML-16 for ambient room mic, but it has been acting up lately and needs to be sent to Enak for a repair. I had an R84 for a while and it was fine with the TG-2, but I have traded it since then.

[Pohaku]

Originally Posted by ********

...but it isn't released yet, is it...? Not according to their website anyway...
If it isn't released, it's a little hard to say that nothing beats it, since you can only rely on the data they claim that it will have...

Yeah, it isn't released yet, but if memory serves me right, I think Ribbonmicguy got a Beta version to test drive -- so he has in fact used it and can opine on it.

[newnes]

Originally Posted by Colin Gaucher

I use the grerm pretty much only on electric guitars so far, and I have not noticed a noise problem in that application. I'll have to try it on acoustic guitar or something quiet like a shaker track, then I'll probably know what you are talking about.

The R92 / Germ combo is killer on elec gtr and since amps are loud and noisy as shit anyway there's no problem there. I did use it on some shakers and tambourines in a pretty busy song which was noisy but worked fine 'cause the noise was buried in the track. Even fairly loud strumming on acoustic gtr and fairly intense singing though the noise was overbearing. It's party the fault of the R92 which I think has the lowest output of any ribbon mic out there. (Hence the search for a quieter preamp). I also have a Langevin DVC which sounds good and is fairly quiet but has a meager 45db of gain.

Originally Posted by eligit

i am REALLY curious how good this aea pre amp will be.

it all depends on the sound. obviously it is affordable, has two channels, TONS of gain....so we are waiting to see what the sound is like.

Definitely. If it can compete at all sound-wise with the list I posted before it'll be a steal at that price.