Mic Pre Purchase Narrowed Down

gcapel

gcapel

boom box recordings
Ok I'm looking at 4 channel units.

1) DAV Bg No.2
2) Focusrite ISA 428
3) DAKING Mic Pre IV

or save more money to get

4) API 3124+

I'm looking for something slightly colored or mojo colored in a solid state preamp.

I've heard good things about the DAV Bg's. Nothing about the Focusrite or Daking.

I have a feeling the API will have buttery mojo.
 
Got no advice but

just curious as to why you want 4 channels of color, especially 4 channels of the same color?

I'm not suggesting you shouldn't, I'm just curious why.
 
notCardio said:
just curious as to why you want 4 channels of color, especially 4 channels of the same color?

I'm not suggesting you shouldn't, I'm just curious why.
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Mainly, on the drum kit. I've heard good things about the api and focusrite 428 on a kit and acoustic instuments. I also want something good for a gutiar cab if possible in the same mic pre.

Second point, is the budget. I have no mid-hi range preamps. Buying four is cheaper than buying say a dual channel on a per channel basis. After this purchase yes I would probably not buy another 4 ch. unit. At first I was thinging of buying a 8 channel unit, but then I asked myself the same question you asked me.

I have no first hand experience with the above mention pre's. Any light shead would be great. Though I have read countless threads, not all the questions have been answered. I have no way of test driving this gear. There/s not a hi end audio store around the corner here in NC where i live. So I have to research and find out is it going to be worth it when I squeeze out 2 grand give or take.
 
well what sound are you trying to go for exactly?



Perhaps naming off some of your favorite works?


Point being, there are a million good preamps out there, but just like spices, not all fit the flavor of the cake you are trying to bake here. Same apply's to genres in music.
 
LeeRosario said:
well what sound are you trying to go for exactly?



Perhaps naming off some of your favorite works?


Point being, there are a million good preamps out there, but just like spices, not all fit the flavor of the cake you are trying to bake here. Same apply's to genres in music.
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I love the drum tracks on the helmet album betty. Hard hit'n drummer. Kick is bold and doesn't sound like a tennis ball bouncing. THe cult album love . Interpol album turn on the bright lights, the cymbols really come through.

I read some on the daking pre's that they have a chimmering high end without lacking in the mid and low dept. The only drawback was the lack of headroom.

In reality i would use the four pre's on the overheads and the snare and kick. I'm not really worried about close tom miking thus is not hard to get and good sound with the pre's I all ready own.
 
gcapel said:
I love the drum tracks on the helmet album betty. Hard hit'n drummer. Kick is bold and doesn't sound like a tennis ball bouncing. THe cult album love . Interpol album turn on the bright lights, the cymbols really come through.

I read some on the daking pre's that they have a chimmering high end without lacking in the mid and low dept. The only drawback was the lack of headroom.

In reality i would use the four pre's on the overheads and the snare and kick. I'm not really worried about close tom miking thus is not hard to get and good sound with the pre's I all ready own.
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Ahh ok, I think the Betty album had Butch Vig involved there at some point. I'm not exactly sure, but that might suggest a Neve influnce there as well. That usually tends to come up alot in rock and popular music in general.

The ISA actually has some Neve components there. I'm not a fan though. They make better dynamic processors in my opinion.

I haven't heard the album, but if that also had 2inch tape involved there, it makes a big difference as well. That would explain the shimmering and smooth high end, without it being harsh.

But always remember the room you plan on working with.

I've heard good sounds from API pres. Long story short, there's a studio here called Phat Planet that houses Tommy Dowds API board, and from the material I've heard, it sounds better on jazz and blues type genres.

I personally think you could benefit more from the API, but then again, I can't comment completely without having heard Daking. That's one thing about myself, I never purchase without hearing for myself.
 
Why solid state?

Have you considered the Sebatron VMP-4000e? It's a highly underrated unit, and in your price range, too.

4 channels of tube pre with DI on each channel. There's also EQ switches on each channel which add some nice coloring options.

Don't overlook the Sebatron!

Also, where in NC do you live? Near Boone/Asheville I presume from your cave statement. I'm in Charlotte.
 
Thanks Lee. The neve comment was very helpful. I think I'm going to start digging out side the forums as well on particular engineers. Thanks for sparking my intrest.
 
mrbowes said:
Why solid state?

Have you considered the Sebatron VMP-4000e? It's a highly underrated unit, and in your price range, too.

4 channels of tube pre with DI on each channel. There's also EQ switches on each channel which add some nice coloring options.

Don't overlook the Sebatron!

Also, where in NC do you live? Near Boone/Asheville I presume from your cave statement. I'm in Charlotte.[/QUOTE
Solid State: Hmm. I guess I've always thought valve amps are for vocal and bass guitar . Just my preception. It I'm sure is not the truth.

I have looked at Sebatron. I would love to hear some samples.

I live 30-40 min outside of Charlotte in a small town called New London.
I've noticed your location before.
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See, my thought would be that, what sounds good on cymbals doesn't necessarily sound good on snare or bass, what's good on snare maybe isn't on cymbals or bass, etc.

If you were using all four channels to mic toms, say, then it would make more sense to me.

But I'll admit I know absolutely nothing about micing drums except some of the usual suspect for mics, so I'll stop here.
 
Solid State IMHO will probably be the way to go for drums considering some of what most people consider the best drum preamps are in fact solid state. If drums really are your number 1 priority then save for the API's. Also take a look at Seventh Circle Audio's API knock off's, they're supposedly absolutely fantastic.


Just wanted to add that when we're talking about really good preamps it almost doesn't matter if it's tube or solid state, good pre's sound good and they all sound relatively different. I'm recommending solid state simply because when you talk about drum pre's you'll almost always hear API thrown in the mix.
 
jonnyc said:
Solid State IMHO will probably be the way to go for drums considering some of what most people consider the best drum preamps are in fact solid state. If drums really are your number 1 priority then save for the API's. Also take a look at Seventh Circle Audio's API knock off's, they're supposedly absolutely fantastic.


Just wanted to add that when we're talking about really good preamps it almost doesn't matter if it's tube or solid state, good pre's sound good and they all sound relatively different. I'm recommending solid state simply because when you talk about drum pre's you'll almost always hear API thrown in the mix.
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^word.
Get a couple SCA A12's and a couple N72's and have fun. N72's are usually my go-to kick and snare; A12's usually my go-to for overheads and general purpose. I would not cry if all I had were A12's.
4 channels of API is never a bad thing though, especially if you got more money than you do solder skillz...
 
Ok, I;ve made my choice. Which is the API. I have email the engineer who worked on Helmet album. They used the api lunch box 512 pre's. I don't think I can go wrong. I just have to wait another month or two for the extra cash. I have learned much. Thanks to you people.

On the DIY pre's. I have done stomp box pedal projects, and I know what it takes to do a great build. I'm going to leave it to the guys that do it to perfection.

Thanks again
 
gcapel said:
On the DIY pre's. I have done stomp box pedal projects, and I know what it takes to do a great build. I'm going to leave it to the guys that do it to perfection.
Thanks again
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It really isn't that hard. Designing the stuff is the hard part, but you certainly don't need to be a voodoo witch doctor to build a properly working preamp from a kit like SCA. Maybe you'll give it a shot someday; but the API is a great choice. Of course, won't do you a whole lot of good for your overall sound if you don't have the important things in place (mics, room sound, monitoring, proper acoustic treatment...), but it is fun to have toys. :D
 
Good choice. API is my favorite on drums, bar none. As for the Seventh circle stuff, it is pretty cool, but I have yet to meet anyone who has used them and the originals and that that they were really that close sounding. People I know have always preferred the original Neve's and API's to the seventh circle. A few of those people that I know have kept their seventh circle stuff for other things though:)
 
gcapel said:
Ok, I;ve made my choice. Which is the API. I have email the engineer who worked on Helmet album. They used the api lunch box 512 pre's. I don't think I can go wrong. I just have to wait another month or two for the extra cash. I have learned much. Thanks to you people.

On the DIY pre's. I have done stomp box pedal projects, and I know what it takes to do a great build. I'm going to leave it to the guys that do it to perfection.

Thanks again
Click to expand...


Just remember that Seventh Circle Audio will build the stuff for you if you don't want, and as I said before, many people will swear the SCA stuff is right on par with API.
 
wellllll.

i havent used any of the above, but i hear the ISA 428 is just a nice clean pre, not much coloration or anything. i would think i want transparency when it comes to drum tracks, but then again i dont know what i'm doing.
 
gcapel said:
On the DIY pre's. I have done stomp box pedal projects, and I know what it takes to do a great build. I'm going to leave it to the guys that do it to perfection.
Click to expand...

It's a wise man that understands his limits.
 
You should be happy with the APIs for drums. They are very commonly used for that application. Great preamps. I love mine.
 
I'm a little late to this party, but as many times as I've heard 'APIs for drums', I'd strongly recommend taking another look at the Daking. For the price, it's a good deal, and they supposedly sound very close to the Trident A Range, upon which they are based.

That's a name that'll come up on a lot of classic records, though you can't really get an actual A-range, as there were only a handful built. Google "Recorded on a trident a-range" and you'll see what I mean.

I've been doing the same research, and the Daking is currently at the top of my list (though just barely, an API lunchbox looks nice if I can get a bit more cash.)

I've recently been using a Mackie 800r, which works very well, though not colored. Punchy and tight, though. And I'm in the process of racking 4 Yamaha PM1000 strip, which I've read many good things about. That's a cheap option if you know how to wield a soldering iron! (The PM1000s are rumoured to be very strong contenders, all discrete, transformer inputs, inductive eq, etc.)

Have you gotten your APIs yet?
 
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