Stepping up from the ART Tube MP

Fab4ever

Fab4ever

Getting better
I am just beginning to notice, and be bothered by, the color my ART Tube MP Studio adds to some of my vocal tracks - my only decent mic is the Marshall V-67. On some tunes, the "tube" coloration is cool. But elsewhere, I want a cleaner sound. But (as you can see by my gear choices) I'm a bottom-feeder. So....

What would you recommend as a cheap "cleaner" preamp, something that I could use instead of the ART when I wanted a purer sound?

Ideally, I'd love to have two channels. But I'll take a single channel if it can be had for not too many bucks (less than $300 or even cheaper if possible).

I am considering anything from the unfortunately named M-Audio Audio Buddy to a used Mackie 1202.

What do you think?
 
Dont know the Audio Buddy..Mackie might be cool for you..Also there is a very nice pre for cheap ..Event EMP1..this pre is more of a straight wire type of pre...I got one for about $150 used and the difference between the Art MP is like night and day!Very quiet very clean for the cash!Matter of fact Im gonna order one myself soon so I have a pair..My guess is that it probobly costs about $250.00 new


Don
 
Thanks for the replies. Yes, I've looked at Joe Meek - even bid on a couple of their low-end preamps on EBay. Do you have a specific suggestion in their line, Grip?

And Don, I'll check out the Event.

Any other recommendations?
 
Too bad you missed it when Guitar Center was blowing out the JoeMeek stuff, I heard the VC3 was going for 99$. I can't think of anything out there that can really match that. There's some nice dbx stuff, but it's not very cheap. If you can afford a used 1202 VLZ Pro, that would be my recommendation at the low end for more than one pre.
 
I use an Audio Buddy and I find it to be very clean,quiet and transparent.I think at $79 for two channels its one of the great deals out there.I also have a Art "Tube"MP and I really dont like it,the more I listened to it the more the sound bothers me.Since I got the Audio Buddy the Art just sits unused.I prefer to record as clean as possible and add effects after(the Art is more of an effect than a preamp IMO).
 
Wow! I was just getting ready to ask around to see if anyone else was dissapointed with their Tube MP. I use an Audio-Technica 4033. My Tube MP sounds distorted, especially on vocals. Even though the LED stays green, it just sounds like it's distorting.

To get the best sound, I have to use the -20 db switch. I turn the "input" pod to about 2:00, and the output all the way up. I just figured this out, and haven't recorded on these particular settings yet. I'll be doing some acoustic guitar and vocals this weekend. We'll see how it sounds.

Peace,
titan
 
Well, it certainly isn't the cleanest sounding pre in the world, but I wouldn't suppose one would buy a budget tube pre expecting it to sound clean. I like if for some things, and not so much for others. I love running my bass straight into it. Its the best bass sound I can get with the equiptment that I have.

It can be a noisey sucker, though. Especially if you use both channels (I have a dual MP) to record a guitar in stereo and run it through a compressor on its way to tape. Yehaw! When the volume redux eases up on the quiet parts up comes two channels of that wonderful buzz. I have to tweak with it a bit to get it to not do that.

On most other stuff, though, I tend to go through the pres on my Alesis Studio 24. They aren't hot stuff, either, I suppose- but it sure is nice to have a couple options so I don't end up laying down 20 tracks of the same preamp color.
 
no the Audio Buddy shouldnt disappoint you...it is the design that led to the DMP2 that led tothe DMP3.........
 
Titanship said:


To get the best sound, I have to use the -20 db switch. I turn the "input" pod to about 2:00, and the output all the way up. I just figured this out, and haven't recorded on these particular settings yet. I'll be doing some acoustic guitar and vocals this weekend. We'll see how it sounds.

Peace,
titan
Click to expand...



....would this be hard on the circuity in a digital recorder (the output all the way up), like a tascam 788 for ex?
 
I laid down acoustic guitar and vocals with the settings I mentioned. I'm real pleased with the sound.

I'm technically challenged, so I don't know about what "harm" it might be doing. I'm using a Fostex FD-8. (that's a dinosaur)

PEACE,
ken
 
Titan,I'm not saying that the Tube MP cant produce usable sounds but that clean and transparent isnt among the sounds it produces.I think of things that color the sound as more of an effect.One thing I havent tried with the Art is to run my J-Station or my Digi RP200 through it and directly into the preamp.It might do well recording bass direct.But for a main preamp I like clean and transparent as I can always add effects after on the dry track but you cant remove effects if you tape with them.For $80 for two channels(it also has 1/4 in inputs for use as a direct box) you really cant go wrong.Although the DMP3 that Gidge mentioned looks awfully cool for $200!!Those meters look awesome(and I'm sure they're a lot more accurate than cliplights).But for $80 bucks I think the AB is a steal.
 
You know, the heck of it all is that the salesman should have been smart enough to tell me that the TubeMP really isn't what I needed. He knew my setup is small, and that I just needed a decent pre-amp for my mic.

Oh well, live and learn.

Peace
titan
 
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