RNP, DMP3, Joe Meek, Safe sound pres

gitrokr

New member
im hoping to pick up 6 channels or preamps. im looking at the fmr really nice pre m audio dmp3 which both have 2 channels. i was thinking the RNP would be the most expensive pre i would buy right now, but i still need 2 more channels and i was thinking of the joe meek 3q and the safe sound P1. how does the safe sound compare to the RNP. its that same price more or less with only one channel. on vocals do you think the RNP or the safe sound would win? how about on guitars?

also, when thinking of micing a drum kit. which pres do you think would fit where? kick i want to be able to make it really big and fat ala tool, perfect circle. snare i want to get a wider array of sounds, from a nice snap or crack to a fat thick snare. overheads im hoping to get a nice sizzle that will bring out the cymbals. and then for toms im wanting to have pretty big sounding toms. maybe i shouldnt be approaching buying preamps like this, regarding sounds and such, or is this the way to go?

any comments or suggestions are welcome
thanks alot
 
Pre's are not gonna matter that much. Make sure the actual drums sound good and the room sounds good as well. Decent mikes and good mike placement technique will also prevail too. All the pre's you mentioned I'm sure would do fine.
 
I'd probably use the RNP for the overhead mics, Joemeek on the kick, and Safesound on the snare.

The EQ and opto-compressor on the Meek are really well suited for kick, in my humble opinion.

Like Krimson says, though, the mic pres aren't going to make a huge, huge difference or anything in the overall sound you get out of the drums. Worry about the kit, the mics, your room, etc.
 
chessrock-

compared to the other 3 do you think the DMP3 is the weakest link? or should i pick one of these up, maybe two? im thinking of these for toms, so do you think it would be better to get something with a built in compressor like the joe meek?


thanks so much
 
Richie said the other day that for him, if a preamp is worth buying, it's worth buying two of. So get a JoeMeek twinQ instead!
 
D&R makes a 2 channel pre for about $400. In my opinion it will smoke the other pre's listed. No other features on it though. Just good high gain transparetn clean preamps:)

(I need to exclude the safesound from my statement though since I have yet to use it)
 
gitrokr said:
compared to the other 3 do you think the DMP3 is the weakest link? or should i pick one of these up, maybe two? im thinking of these for toms, so do you think it would be better to get something with a built in compressor like the joe meek?

It just depends on what you need. If you need a built-in compressor, or you'd like one, then yea, I'd go with either the meek and/or the Safesound. If you just need something to amplify a mic signal to line level, then the dmp3 and/or RNP would give more channels of that, obviously, for similar money.

In terms of the quality of mic pre, the Joemeek and dmp3 are probably pretty close to one another I assume. Same goes for the RNP vs. Safesound, so your decision should be based on features; whether or not you want/need the extra goodies or if you just want/need the extra channels.
 
The 3Q's pre sounded somewhat superior to the DMP3 to me when trying out
the SP line of at a AES convention. Haven't tried the RNP or P1 out yet.

BTW also wanted to put in a non-solicited plug for Warren at www.frontendaudio.com

IIRC he's carrying most of the options being discussed on this thread,
and is a cool guy to deal with. Plus he tries to always give his honest opinion
IMHO.
 
chessparov said:
The 3Q's pre sounded somewhat superior to the DMP3 to me when trying out the SP line of at a AES convention.

That's interesting. I didn't realize they had a mic pre shootout at the convention that included a head-to-head between the Joemeek and the DMP-3. I'm sure the differences were astounding over there on that AES floor. :D :D
 
chessrock said:
That's interesting. I didn't realize they had a mic pre shootout at the convention that included a head-to-head between the Joemeek and the DMP-3. I'm sure the differences were astounding over there on that AES floor. :D :D


Chessrock,
Are you unleashing that rapier wit of yours again?
 
I seem to have a peculiar ability to remember "tones" for very extended periods of time. Therefore comparing the DMP3 at home with the B1 via headphones and using headphones at AES (w/B1) was easy.

Both headphones were of the closed variety and (yes) I can compensate for different makes BTW. Over half of my listening is via various types of headphones, instead of speakers.

Just like noticing how they removed the "cough" in the background of the Beach Boys' "Wendy"-when issued on CD, the first time listening to it. :)

Chris
 
chessparov said:
I seem to have a peculiar ability to remember "tones" for very extended periods of time. Therefore comparing the DMP3 at home with the B1 via headphones and using headphones at AES (w/B1) was easy.
Wow kool, I wish I could do that... unless it's a night and day difference, I think you're the only one I know who can do that... that's pretty kool.
 
Yea, that's nothin.' I listened to a guy's recording the other day, and could tell instantly that he must have used a Presonus Blue Tube on the tamborine part that came in for two beats on the third measure of the second and third verses.

It was unmistakable.
 
chessparov said:
Just like noticing how they removed the "cough" in the background of the Beach Boys' "Wendy"-when issued on CD, the first time listening to it. :)

Chris

They removed that? Sacrilege. (BTW, I have Endless Summer on CD and it's there)
 
ok, im set on getting an rnc/rnp combination and then 2 joe meek 3Q's. im most likely gonna be running a moutu 828, so i was wondering how do the pres on the motu compare with a dmp3??? i want cheap since all this is gonna be over $1000 already, but if the dmp3s are way crappier then the motu pres i dont just wanna waste money. any thoughts you have on the dmp3 compared to the motu shoot away. thanks alot.
 
You guys are sooooooo easy to bait!

Already had figured that by putting "AES" (etc.) in that post Chessrock would rise to the occasion.

But...

The part about Warren wasn't a put-on. :)

Next time a "Warning/Humorous Intent" caption will be included.

Kidding aside, IMHO the 3Q sounded quite good on its own merits-despite
not carrying a DMP3 to the convention.

Chris

P.S. Other than the "Endless Summer" LP, only got "Wendy" on cassette.
Thought it might sound less official than "CD". (the cough is gone there)
 
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