I have spent hours, days, weeks, trying to figure out which voicestrip to get for use on voiceovers with a tlm103. I have finally narrowed it down to two.
Which would you choose and why? Please don't tell me they are both crap, well, unless they are...
TL Audio 5051 -- or -- SPL Channel One
One thousands thanks to anyone who can help me solve this dilemma.
I ´ve been using the TLA in combination with a TLM103 for quite a while now and gotta say that they make a good pair. Not high end, but somehow they fit together, as the aggressive freq curve gets tamed a bit by the mid presence of the TLA.
The SPL is a bit more open sounding and I´d say the preamp itself is one step above the TLA in terms of quality.
About the 5051 I like to use it as DI. The compressor and EQ are good for usage with Bass and Guitar.
A big vote for the Channel ONE. I used to work with both, but the channel one is way more flexible and better sounding, just make sure you get the transformer option.
The TLA sounds very strange although the eq is sometimes nice. The TLA PRe is an FX device and no pre (very strange colour).
I wouldn't go near a TLA Ivory for a voice-over pre-amp, the 5001 I tried was thin and coloured in an unpleasant way. Even a little Mackie 1202VLZ has much better pre's. Not tried the SPL stuff but read good things.
Actually I´ve done some pleasing vocal recordings a few years ago with an Ivory 5051 (example attached). You can get good results, but you´ll get better results with a SPL. Or a Great River heh