Tube Pre-Amp with Tube Mic

benjikan · 4th September 2006

I have a solid state & tube pre-amp where I can dial in the amount of tube effect in to the chain. When using a tube microphone, is it recommended that I do not use the tube stage in the pre-amp while using a tube microphone?

Thanks...

Ibvee · 4th September 2006

I would say: use what sounds best to you.
Depends on the sound you want to have on the specific source in the song.

Blenn · 4th September 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by benjikan

I have a solid state & tube pre-amp where I can dial in the amount of tube effect in to the chain. When using a tube microphone, is it recommended that I do not use the tube stage in the pre-amp while using a tube microphone?

Thanks...

It's perfectly ok to use a valve preamp with a valve mic. It's how it was done in the 50's and 60's and those recordings sound incedible even today.

As the second poster mentioned- use whatever sounds right. If it sounds sounds right then it is right!

Paul Blenn

Thumper · 4th September 2006

My suggestion, would be to get a different pre. Usually boxes that give you the OPTION to blend of one or the other, is a piece of shite. Sorry, but they are. They're selling gimmicks, instead of a good piece of metal with wire inside.

If anyone knows of a pre with tube and solidstate 'blending' that actually sounds good, let me know... I'm all ears.

Otherwise, as Ibvee said, turn the knob till it sounds good, and then stop turning it. Don't look at that knob again, it sounds GOOD, remember? Knobs are the downfall of audio engineers.

As my hero Ron Popeil says, "Set it, and forget it!!!"

Track 7 · 14th March 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thumper

My suggestion, would be to get a different pre. Usually boxes that give you the OPTION to blend of one or the other, is a piece of shite. Sorry, but they are. They're selling gimmicks, instead of a good piece of metal with wire inside.

If anyone knows of a pre with tube and solidstate 'blending' that actually sounds good, let me know... I'm all ears.

Otherwise, as Ibvee said, turn the knob till it sounds good, and then stop turning it. Don't look at that knob again, it sounds GOOD, remember? Knobs are the downfall of audio engineers.

As my hero Ron Popeil says, "Set it, and forget it!!!"

I'm letting you know.... Universal Audio | 710 Twin-Finity Mic Pre & D.I.

thumbsup

Waltz Mastering · 14th March 2009

In addition to the tube mic and the tube pre you can add a tube compressor.

Eva say's it best... "Tubes Rule".

TW

betamatt · 14th March 2009

It's easy to get the idea that tubes = distortion, saturation, dirtier sound, etc. The truth is there are a lot of tube mics, preamps, compressors, eqs, etc, that sound very clean and, for lack of a better word, "high fidelity" in the original sense of the term - a high degree of fidelity to the input sound. Conversely, there's a lot of solid state gear that can have a dirty, saturated, and distorted sound, sometimes in a great sounding way. So to echo what everyone has already said, use what sounds good on the source disregarding the technology behind the gear.

4th September 2006	#1
benjikan Gear interested Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 25 Thread Starter	Tube Pre-Amp with Tube Mic I have a solid state & tube pre-amp where I can dial in the amount of tube effect in to the chain. When using a tube microphone, is it recommended that I do not use the tube stage in the pre-amp while using a tube microphone? Thanks...

4th September 2006	#2
Ibvee Gear addict Joined: Jul 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 474	use what sounds best I would say: use what sounds best to you. Depends on the sound you want to have on the specific source in the song.

14th March 2009	#6
Waltz Mastering Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2008 Location: 3rd Stone From The Sun Posts: 2,934	In addition to the tube mic and the tube pre you can add a tube compressor. Eva say's it best... "Tubes Rule". TW __________________ Tom Waltz www.waltzmastering.com

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4th September 2006	#4
Thumper Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 990	My suggestion, would be to get a different pre. Usually boxes that give you the OPTION to blend of one or the other, is a piece of shite. Sorry, but they are. They're selling gimmicks, instead of a good piece of metal with wire inside. If anyone knows of a pre with tube and solidstate 'blending' that actually sounds good, let me know... I'm all ears. Otherwise, as Ibvee said, turn the knob till it sounds good, and then stop turning it. Don't look at that knob again, it sounds GOOD, remember? Knobs are the downfall of audio engineers. As my hero Ron Popeil says, "Set it, and forget it!!!"

14th March 2009	#7
betamatt Gear nut Joined: Mar 2008 Location: Sonoma County Posts: 122	It's easy to get the idea that tubes = distortion, saturation, dirtier sound, etc. The truth is there are a lot of tube mics, preamps, compressors, eqs, etc, that sound very clean and, for lack of a better word, "high fidelity" in the original sense of the term - a high degree of fidelity to the input sound. Conversely, there's a lot of solid state gear that can have a dirty, saturated, and distorted sound, sometimes in a great sounding way. So to echo what everyone has already said, use what sounds good on the source disregarding the technology behind the gear.