Best Vocal Preamp under $1500 - - - POLL!!

[BulldogsMusic]

I'm buying my first professional preamp and I'd like your opinion. I use predominantly a blue baby bottle and a bluebird for vocals. I'm mainly recording acoustic music, so please pick the pre that will blend best with acoustic guitars. Thanks!!

 

[T800]

None of the above. Go with the Aphex 230 channel strip. Has one preamp tube, and a built in easy rider compressor (extremely amazing - no mater if the vocalist moves out of the best mic pick-up zone), de-esser, aural exciter, big bottom, limiter, and Para-EQ all in one - amazing analog to digital converter built in and amazing wordclock that tightens up my m-audio sound card significantly! Also controls popping!

Only $799. Sounds huger than preamps costing 2-3 times the price. If you have a massive sounding vocalist with big delivery then this thing tames him/her while keeping them hot sounding and fiery in a very rich modern way - and if you have a vocalist with low power delivery then this brings out the best possible tone out of them. I compared this side by side with an API A2D and the Aphex 230 came out hands down as the clear victor.

This goes to show one that its not always about the money - this is a key product for not only music recording but also proper for radio broadcasting!

I can also plug the out put of my Axe FX guitar modeler and go into the return jack of the effects loop so I can have amazing A/D conversion into my DAW.

Search for the demo on youtube because I am not allowed to post links yet until i made more posts.

 

[Massive Master]

Langevin Dual Mono.

Nothing against the A230, but I'd totally avoid something like the A230 (although I've used a rack of them for live use and was rather thrilled, it's not something I'd want for a recording rig).

Otherwise, you couldn't go wrong with the M5 -- Or you could get a RNP *and* a True P-Solo and probably still come in under budget.

 

[T800]

I'd totally avoid something like the A230 (although I've used a rack of them for live use and was rather thrilled, it's not something I'd want for a recording rig).

230s a great live pre too. But what it your reasoning behind wanting to avoid using it for a recording?

 

[Massive Master]

Way too much in line -- and if I'm not mistaken, bypassing doesn't actually take it out of the circuit on that unit. Mic -> Gain -> Interface whenever I can help it. Compression, de-essing, limiting, (God help the whole) Aural Exciter...? While tracking? I'll pass.

 

[BulldogsMusic]

I still find myself leaning towards the GR. I love it when acoustic tracks fill out sonically and the GR makes vocals and acoustic guitar sound HUGE! I find myself falling for that neve classic tone and I'm impressed with Tyler Ward's videos on youtube - he uses a GR ME-1NV for vocals with a blue kiwi, which i'd also love to buy, but for now i'm content with my baby bottle and bluebird.

I'm a college kid running a small project studio for students on campus. Originally I had plans of buying the UA 4-710d so I could record drums with it too, but I figure it's a small enough project right now that I should buy quality and hopefully buy only once.

So I guess my question is which preamp will give me that thick creamy classic tone? I've read raves on the RNP+RNC combo, but I'm really looking for that classic tone; after all, there's a reason why those signature tones have been around this long.

 

[aaronmcoleman]

RNC/RNP is a nice little channel strip. Don't mistake "transparent" with "boring". A good mic into an RNP will be really nice. I actually record most of my vocals with an NTK into an RNP and they sound very "warm" and have some of that vintage sound.

 

[MOFO Pro]

...after all, there's a reason why those signature tones have been around this long.

Yeah, because the analog technologies of the day had no head room and was noisy if you laid off, and distorted if you pushed it hard. And that's the sound we've been conditioned over the years into thinking sounds good...

but it does sound good, you know

 

[dickiefunk]

I own an ISA One and UA Solo 610. Am pretty tempted to pick up a Great River ME-1NV but am unsure if it would be a big step up from these?

 

[T800]

Way too much in line -- and if I'm not mistaken, bypassing doesn't actually take it out of the circuit on that unit. Mic -> Gain -> Interface whenever I can help it. Compression, de-essing, limiting, (God help the whole) Aural Exciter...? While tracking? I'll pass.

Bypassing what? The easyrider compressor, is only active if engaged. Its perfect for studio tracking on loud vocalists with too much dynamic range. Same with all the other elements, the EQ, Exciter, Big Bottom, etc is all engaged for live use, otherwise its bypassed.

 

[BulldogsMusic]

Bump!... need more advice please

 

[miroslav]

Are you talking about $1500 for a single channel... or dual...or $1500 for either?

Not on your list (and you have some nice preamps there)...but you might check out the Groove Tubes SuPre at Sweetwater.
Even though the SuPre is not in production since Fender bought Groove Tubes...Sweetwater apparently bought out a pile of leftover units, and is now selling them at a really nice price - $999...where they list up normally at $2K.

I bought one used not too long ago (before Sweetwater's close-out deal) for $950. It's a pretty nice tube preamp....not their monster ViPre that got a lot of good press, but also cost more than twice the price for a single channel...but the SuPre still is a damn good preamp. It isn't real "tube-y" like some expect...it doesn't get all woolly if you push it. It's actually pretty transparent, has LOTS of gain, and you have to watch that, as I noticed it's easy to go over the line and then the meters are spiking, which can get you a touch of grit in the signal, so I've learned that it doesn't need to be driven too hot...and then it sounds pretty darn good.

I'm staring at the Sweetwater price and almost tempted to get another one (just because of the price) but I want to get another solid state pre next, and I'm leaning toward a Vintech X73i...or I would LOVE to get a Langevin Dual Vocal Combo, but the prices on them just shot up a lot, so even in the used market they are fetching around $1500, where they could be had not too long ago for $1000-$1200. I could kick myself in the ass...last year I could have bought a used one for only $950!!! It was one of those rare eBay listing that just went by unnoticed.

Anyway...check out the SuPre...$999 for a brand new 2-channel tube preamp ain't too shabby. It's got great I/O options, including a buffered DI...and it also has a 3-position mic impedance selector.

 

[MOFO Pro]

Thanks for the heads up on the groove tube... I've drooled over that piece for a few years now... just couldn't pull the trigger for that price...

 

[dickiefunk]

Any ideas as to how the Supre compares to the UA Solo 610?

 

[miroslav]

I've not use it...but most people say that 610 pres can get real woolly if you want it...it's got a distinct color.
I almost went for a 2-610 a couple of times. The first time, I ended up getting a 4-channel Sebatron preamp instead, because I got a 4-channel for a 2-channel price. It's a real good preamp that I've used a lot the last 8 years. It's a 12AT7 tube front and SS back...has some color, but not as much as the 610. Has a 3-way lHF and LF EQ switches...basically Air/Flat/Bright and LFCut/Flat/LFBoost. Very handy and the frequencies they used are a pretty good selection...no muss, no fuss.
The second time I considered the 2-610, I ended up with the SuPre, the price was right.
I may eventually get a 2-610...but like I said in my last post...my next pre will be SS, and the Vintech is what I'm currently focused on, unless something else pops up...like a Langevin DVC for the right price.

 

[cavedog101]

These are all decent and all are a little different. Do you like raspberry or strawberry jam on your english muffin?

 

[miroslav]

Just butter.....

 

[cavedog101]

Thats my point.

 

[MichiFHK]

I like Vintech!

 

[MichiFHK]

Blue mic sucks!