I've heard great things about both. My uses will be mainly vocals, acoutic and electric guitars and keyboards. With the lunchbox, the price is a little less for the API's, but would the lunchbox be an issue if I am tight on desk top space. (I don't know it the lunchbox is rack moutable. If it is, the space is less of an issue.)

Their sound is the most important thing I want to know about though.

Any thoughts from someone who has heard both would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

For your intended uses, I'd be inclined to go with the MP2NV...and did

I don't think that you could go wrong either way...both great pre's. If it comes down to real estate on your desktop, I suppose the MP2NV would take up less room.

you can rack the api lunceh box. you have to to get the optional rackmount kit though.

The API sound is not usually my first pick for vocals but a Neveish sound is. That is not to say that the API would not work just fine because it would but if I were you I would get the MP-2NV.

Also if you are looking at API I would STRONGLY consider checking out the Seventh Circle Audio stuff, fabulous!! Gearslutz's own Michael Wager (who has forgotten more about audio and recording than most of us have ever learned) speaks very highly of them. I have a rack of A12's myself and damn if they don't have that sound.

They make Neve clones as well, worth the time checking into IMHO.

I have both, and love them both. There is nothing like the APIs on drums imho...they are just *sick* on kick and snare!!! I do like the GR better on vocals and bass, but they both sound good on electric guitars to me.

Maybe just get one channel of the GR, and then 2 of the APi to start with???

Thanks for the info. I am new to this forum but it looks like a great resource.

Do you just buy rack ears and drill holes to mount them to the lunch box or can you actually buy a rack mount kit?

API makes a two channel rack that only takes up one rack space. Problem solved!

or you could pick up an API 3124Plus, and get 4 preamps for the same price as the Great River.

How does the API 3124plus compare to the great river and the 512c?

Where could I buy it for the same price as the Great River?

Vintage king has the 3124+ for $2,350 and the MP-2nv for $2,700.

How does the API 3124+ compare to the 512c and the Great River?

The 3124+ sounds pretty much identical to the 512c's...same opamp and circuitry.

Or you can get 7 Seventh Circle Audio A12's for $2600.....

thumbsup

Sorry for the spam. I just hate it when people low on cash *like most of us* can get a better bang for the buck. If I don't speak up I feel like I am not performing my civic Greaslutz duty... Carry on.....

The one thing with 7thCircle is you might be waiting a few months. Is this still true or what's the turn around now Michael?

Their 2 channel horizontal rack is more $$$$ than a 6 space lunchbox. Still, as Tony mentioned, it is problem solved.

It was 6 weeks on the nose.... kind of long but on the other hand it was well worth the wait and I got 7 pres for the price of two API's and a lunchbox.

*shrug*

I do know that other people have gotten them faster than that, it just happened that I called on the day that they ran out of a part and it was on back order.

Either way like I said the price is great, the service is great and the sound is outstanding, like any API that I have ever used. (in fairness I have not used that much API stuff but I have used enough to know the sound).

YMMV but I would really be surprised if the SCA A12's did not put a smile on your face if you are looking for that sound.

$2,600 for seven pre's fully assembled or did you build them yourself? What op amp did you use for the A12's? I saw on the web site that you can choose several. They are the SCA version of the API 512's right? I'm very interested now but I'm still getting a lunchbox in a month. In the future it would be a very good idea if I picked up some A12's for drums etc!

Built them myself but trust me I am no technical wizard (but the education building them was worth the cost alone.. really a great learning experience). I used the directions on the site, took me about 2 days to build all 7 and they worked perfect the first time I fired them up.

This was my first DIY project and I really enjoyed it, so much so that I think I am hooked.

I used the SCA opamp, sounds pretty good to me... Not that it means much but there is a freq plot on the SCA site someplace I believe and the SCA opamp and the 2520 were really close.

Did you get a chance to check out Michael Wageners comments??

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/38073-just-great-gear.html

Worth a read if you get around to it.

that is an extremely bloated price for the great river. tutt shop around. or do have have the prices reversed? i think you do.

i believe that brent averill has what you're looking for.

www.brentaverill.com

Which costs almost 3 times the lunchbox.

The biggest ripoff that API makes.

The list price on the Great River is $2795.00. It usually streets for around $2150.00, which is what both Mercenary and VK are selling them for. You might have been looking at the list price.

No their biggest ripoff is charging over 20.00 a piece for blank panels for the lunchbox


For the record, I had the GR, sold it, and am much happier all around with the 512c.

TH

i'm happy with the great river. very flexible & sound great. i think they are a more versatile than the api stuff whenn it comes to getting dofferent sounds. the api is pretty much a one trick pony but what doesn't sound good through an api? not much. i plan to pick up 3124+ in the near future. gotta have 'em! thumbsup

Is this true?

You bet ....which is why my lunchbox looks very open right now

TH

I've got 4 out of the 6 slots filled on my lunchbox...now the question?

"Is it almost FULL or is it still part-way empty?"

Hehe...Damn! I gotta get 2 more modules to fill that sucker! Every time I look at it, I see those 2 stinking empty holes rather than the beautiful array of 4 512c's!!!

GEAR SLUT!

I've got a GR 2NV and an API 3124mb+. You can't go wrong with either. They are both excellent.

cb

Brent Averill does them for a whole lot less.

Anyway, the API panels are £25 +VAT over here, which is around $50 for a single 4" panel!!