Channel Strip or just Pre-Amp?!

G

guismarques

New member
I have a serious question about this... because i`m not sure about the MOTU 8PRE mic pre-amps to record drum overheads and vocals... so i`m thinking about getting 2x Grace 101 or a JoeMeek TwinQ, and i know the first would force me to use only digital effects and the second option would give me an "analog" touch...

i don`t know if the Grace`s pre-amp`s are that much better than the joemeek ones to compensate that "analog" sound that joemeeks would give me by using the native eq and compression...

and i also thought about getting a not too much expensive dual-channel mic-pre only and a GOOD channel-strip only for the vocals... or it`d be better getting the opposite?!

i`ll probably use a pair of KM184 and a AT4050...

help! lol

ty

Gui

edit:

Maybe a JoeMeek OneQ and a ART MP Gold (2-channel tube pre-amp)???
 
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If you want some flavor the meek is a good choice, if you want very clean the Grace is right for you. I used to have a 3Q and I loved the thing and will probably buy another one.
 
jonnyc said:
If you want some flavor the meek is a good choice, if you want very clean the Grace is right for you. I used to have a 3Q and I loved the thing and will probably buy another one.
Click to expand...

hummm...

so what would be better for O\H`s?! two clean mic-pres or two "colored" joemeek channels?! i want 3 channels... thats one of the points... but it would be good to have a two channel that sounds exactly the same to use with mic pairs, isn`t it?

now i thought about getting a twinQ and a grace 101... would be a good deal?

ty
 
Assuming you don't have thousands of dollars to spend, if I were you, I'd go the route of the $$$ strip for vox and lesser pre for overheads. Just because the vocal is the centerpiece of most recordings and the character of the OH's will get lost in the mix.
 
I would go with the two clean mic pres first. You can always vary the microphone to change the flavor. It is easier to add color to a clean mic pre than it is to clean a colored mic pre.

I found that it is best to record the drums using the cleanest (non-colored) signal, and then let your instruments and vocals add the whatever coloring the song needs.

Having a variety of mic pres is a good thing, so if you like the sound of the Meek, it would make for a good third mic pre.
 
guismarques said:
hummm...

so what would be better for O\H`s?! two clean mic-pres or two "colored" joemeek channels?! i want 3 channels... thats one of the points... but it would be good to have a two channel that sounds exactly the same to use with mic pairs, isn`t it?

now i thought about getting a twinQ and a grace 101... would be a good deal?

ty
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You are talking $1,200 $1,500. If I was going to spend that kind of money I would get neither the Twin Q nor the Grace 101. Whatever you do, don't rush into this. You have many options. If it were me I'd look real hard at the Old School Audio stuff or the Seventh Circle stuff. With these you can mix and match API, Hardy, and Neve style preamps at a fraction of the cost. They have been widely accepted and praised by the pro recording community, and the kits can come either assembled or unassembled (to save you even more money).

If I was starting out and had your seed money, that's what I'd do. Also, the lunch boxes for the OSA stuff will also hold modules (preamps, EQ, etc.) for other manufacturers' products, I think. So you could add Speck, A- Designs, etc. and make your own channel strip.
 
tdukex said:
You are talking $1,200 $1,500. If I was going to spend that kind of money I would get neither the Twin Q nor the Grace 101. Whatever you do, don't rush into this. You have many options. If it were me I'd look real hard at the Old School Audio stuff or the Seventh Circle stuff. With these you can mix and match API, Hardy, and Neve style preamps at a fraction of the cost. They have been widely accepted and praised by the pro recording community, and the kits can come either assembled or unassembled (to save you even more money).

If I was starting out and had your seed money, that's what I'd do. Also, the lunch boxes for the OSA stuff will also hold modules (preamps, EQ, etc.) for other manufacturers' products, I think. So you could add Speck, A- Designs, etc. and make your own channel strip.
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Oh god... i`m talking about 1200, 1500... and that way, to do a 2-channel module, i`d spend about 2000... each OSA channel costs aprox U$700,00... and the rack more U$500,00... but i saw thats a really good way... and i noticed how hard is to find the OSA products on online stores (nor samash, mf, zz and other have...)

thanks
 
guismarques said:
Oh god... i`m talking about 1200, 1500... and that way, to do a 2-channel module, i`d spend about 2000... each OSA channel costs aprox U$700,00... and the rack more U$500,00... but i saw thats a really good way... and i noticed how hard is to find the OSA products on online stores (nor samash, mf, zz and other have...)

thanks
Click to expand...
Here are some links to help you with your shopping:
Primal Gear
Mercenary Audio
Blevins Audio
DaviSound
Seventh Circle Audio
JMK Audio

Mike at JMK Audio builds his own mic pres. It is not listed but he builds a dual mic pre in a single rack. The fisrt rack would cost you $1650, but when you bought a second one it would be $1350 because the external power supply from the fisrt one will power two units. I am planning to buy my nex mic pre from him. He is also an API dealer.
 
guismarques said:
Oh god... i`m talking about 1200, 1500... and that way, to do a 2-channel module, i`d spend about 2000... each OSA channel costs aprox U$700,00... and the rack more U$500,00... but i saw thats a really good way... and i noticed how hard is to find the OSA products on online stores (nor samash, mf, zz and other have...)

thanks
Click to expand...

Well, at Atlas you can get the MP1-A and MP1-C preamp modules for $500 each, the rack cost $500 ($600 less $100 for buying a bundle), so you are only talking $1,500 to start for two channels.

And then you can add up to six more modules in the future for $500 -$650 each, depending what you want.

http://www.atlasproaudio.com/osa2.html
 
the either/ or question? clean or colored, seperate pcs. or channel strip...

with clean i guess your putting the spotlight on the microphone more, as in pre-amps+ mics, as the pre-amp is invisible.

seems clean and seperate give you future up grades easier, as you can upgrade the pre or the Eq or the compressor alone. (and probably get 2 channels versus one)

but Channel strips are just cool, everythings there, easy...no patch cords and buzzes and mismatched rack pieces and sizes and wal warts...all designed in.

and like the Joe Meek you can push a button and get IRON Xformer (colored) or Digi= clean.....thats what I'm talkin bout... :p
 
tdukex said:
Well, at Atlas you can get the MP1-A and MP1-C preamp modules for $500 each, the rack cost $500 ($600 less $100 for buying a bundle), so you are only talking $1,500 to start for two channels.

And then you can add up to six more modules in the future for $500 -$650 each, depending what you want.

http://www.atlasproaudio.com/osa2.html
Click to expand...

i liked the idea... but still not 100% sure about this... first because i would like to have 2 equal channels to stereo use...

maybe it`d be great to buy a pair of MP1-A or MP1-C, but i really don`t know if it wouldnt be better to buy a stereo pre-amp like the S20, or the ATC-2 or even another good one...

but the main point is to have a VERY GOOD expandable module system... i confess i`m inclined to OSA... and i have one more question...

does the A-Design module pre-amps fits in the OSA rack?!

ty
 
guismarques said:
i liked the idea... but still not 100% sure about this... first because i would like to have 2 equal channels to stereo use...

maybe it`d be great to buy a pair of MP1-A or MP1-C, but i really don`t know if it wouldnt be better to buy a stereo pre-amp like the S20, or the ATC-2 or even another good one...

but the main point is to have a VERY GOOD expandable module system... i confess i`m inclined to OSA... and i have one more question...

does the A-Design module pre-amps fits in the OSA rack?!

ty
Click to expand...

Atlas Pro's FAQ page says:

Q: Are Brent Averill, Purple Audio, and API preamps, eqs, and compressors compatible with OSA Racks?
A: Yes. All 500 series modules will work in the OSA Racks, even vintage 500 series preamps should work properly.
Click to expand...

A-Design modules are API 500 series complient.
 
if i use eq`s, compressors and pre-amps on the lunchbox, i will have to make up the connections from the pre`s to the eqs and comps?! or it`ll link automatically?! i found that the a-design one`s have that feature, to link auto... but i couldn`t find that info about the OSAs and APIs box...

ty
 
guismarques said:
i liked the idea... but still not 100% sure about this... first because i would like to have 2 equal channels to stereo use...

maybe it`d be great to buy a pair of MP1-A or MP1-C, but i really don`t know if it wouldnt be better to buy a stereo pre-amp like the S20, or the ATC-2 or even another good one...

but the main point is to have a VERY GOOD expandable module system... i confess i`m inclined to OSA... and i have one more question...

does the A-Design module pre-amps fits in the OSA rack?!

ty
Click to expand...

Yes, you can start with two of the same preamp. And the OSA preamps are reportedly in a whole different league than the S20 or the ATC-2. You will find them talked about a lot over at Gearslutz.
 
guismarques said:
if i use eq`s, compressors and pre-amps on the lunchbox, i will have to make up the connections from the pre`s to the eqs and comps?! or it`ll link automatically?! i found that the a-design one`s have that feature, to link auto... but i couldn`t find that info about the OSAs and APIs box...

ty
Click to expand...
You will need to get a patchbay to route your signals.
 
Fishmed_Returns said:
You will need to get a patchbay to route your signals.
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Hummm... more money! lol! :cool: Damn... it`s infinite!

I have a "philosophical" question about the use of that gear... because i`m a begginer, and i feel like, for home-recording, but with a good HI-END level, that kind of gear is too much... isn`t it?! To start from the very begin, wouldn`t be better getting more gear, but not the BEST one`s ppl use at the most pro studios?! Like, to have more options of sound... I`m not talking about cheap stuff, but maybe a good dual mic-pre and 2 more good pre-amps instead of a very expensive one...

Thats just because i have more or less $4000 to get the recording system... (i already have an ibook g4 1.42ghz/1.5gb ddr/200gb ext.hd) and it includes the mics, the pre`s and a good interface... (i thought about a MOTU 8PRE) and probably use the Live or Logic...

oh god... im in trouble!
 
guismarques said:
Hummm... more money! lol! :cool: Damn... it`s infinite!

I have a "philosophical" question about the use of that gear... because i`m a begginer, and i feel like, for home-recording, but with a good HI-END level, that kind of gear is too much... isn`t it?! To start from the very begin, wouldn`t be better getting more gear, but not the BEST one`s ppl use at the most pro studios?! Like, to have more options of sound... I`m not talking about cheap stuff, but maybe a good dual mic-pre and 2 more good pre-amps instead of a very expensive one...

Thats just because i have more or less $4000 to get the recording system... (i already have an ibook g4 1.42ghz/1.5gb ddr/200gb ext.hd) and it includes the mics, the pre`s and a good interface... (i thought about a MOTU 8PRE) and probably use the Live or Logic...

oh god... im in trouble!
Click to expand...
You could bypass the Patchbay, that would have been the BEST solution, but it is not the only one.

The OSA rack has 11 Spaces, so you could actually wire the I/O on the back to create the signal path you want.

For example:
You start your rack with two Mic pres, so you put them in slots 1 & 2. Down the road you buy a compressor or EQ that you put in Slot 3. Currently you would have mic cables going into Slots 1 & 2 and line outs from slots 1, 2, & 3. Hook up a third mic cable to slot 4 and route the line out to go into the line in of Slot 3. Whenever you want to use a mic pre with the Compressor/EQ, you would just remove a mic pre card from Slot 1 or 2 and place it into Slot 4. If you run out of slots on the rack to continue usining this method, you obviously have enough money to buy a patch bay at that point.

Good Luck!
 
Good sound + reasonable price = Preamps. No channel strips.

Think about it - A $500 preamp might have a preamp worth $500.

A $500 channel strip is a going to have a cheap preamp, a cheap EQ circuit, a cheap compressor, etc. "all in one." It's not a bargain if you're compromising the most important part.

That said - There *ARE* some budget-friendly channel strip units out there at around $500/channel... Someone mentioned the Toft ATC2. Great unit. Fantastic EQ. "Nice" compressor, "good" preamps.

THAT said, if I wanted a powerhouse front end, I'd go with your original thought of a pair of Grace 101's or (even better, IMO/E) a pair of True P-Solos. I'd rather capture an amazing sound and EQ it in the DAW than capture a mediocre sound and EQ it with a mediocre EQ circuit on the way in (only having to EQ it again later anyway to fit it in the mix).

The pair of great preamps takes away your excuses.
 
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