Preamp shootout!!!

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yetipur

New member
So, I've run into a bit of money and am thinking of buying a "higher end piece of preamp".........if it were up to you what would it be?

Avalon vt 737sp
Rupert Neve Desigins Portico 5032
Greeat River Meq-1nv
API 512c
Neve 1081
Chandler/emi tg-2

Just curious on your thoughts! :cool:
 
Good choice, a friend of mine has the Pacifica, and gets great results with it!!

Of the preamps I listed, which did you find to be the most overall worth the $$??

Thnx
 
I'm not in the group of people here who can really answer the question, but I notice that a few of the pres you mentioned are in the 500 lunchbox format. Do you have a lunchbox?

I just bought an API 3124+, but I don't have it yet. But even after I get it, I won't be able to opine on how it compares to the others you listed :)
 
Hi,

No I don't have the lunchbox. As I was researching, I was wondering though if a preamp like the API 512c could be used without the lunchbox setup? Or does it have to fit into the lunchbox in order to use it?
 
yetipur said:
Hi,

No I don't have the lunchbox. As I was researching, I was wondering though if a preamp like the API 512c could be used without the lunchbox setup? Or does it have to fit into the lunchbox in order to use it?
Click to expand...
You will want a lunchbox... sure you could find or build a power supply for the unit, and solder the I/O connectors onto the board edge... but you really don't want to
 
I've had a Jensen Twin Servo 990 mic pre, which is a John Hardy invention, since the early 90's and can't speak more highly of it.

When it broke over a decade out of warranty John fixed it for free and provided the parts for free plus sent it back to me (to Hawaii) for free.

You don't get much better than that. He's a great guy and answers his own phone.

It's a very special box, and it has the right sound, I bought it because of how highly Phil Ramone spoke of it.

There's also some cool all-in-one stuff that Summit makes (pre with a compressor and maybe eq) that I haven't heard but based on their reputation would like to check put.
 
What are you thinking of using the pre on? What kind of music, what instruments/voice? What kind of mics will you use with it? While all of those are very good pres, some lend themselves to certain applications a bit better than others.
 
John Hardy rocks!
so does Five Fish Studios
and of Course API

i've been really loving the api lunch box concept.

mix and match pre-s eq and compressors.
 
I checked out the JMK and the Jensen. Both seem like very good pre's..
I plan to use the pre I get on everything I record... Electric Guitar, Synths, Drum machine, Vox, bass. I am a one man operation, doing post-punk style music, recording to a 1/2" Fostex 16 track reel-to-reel. My mic is a Lawson
L47 tube condenser. (copy of a U47) Currently I am using a Presonus Eureka as my pre. Great mic......not so great pre.

I was really looking at the Avalon vt-737sp. I really want a HIGH end pre, and the only thing that doesn't sit well with me is that you can easily buy the Avalon at any commercial music retailer like Guitar Center, Musicians Friend Etc.,
All of these other brands like JMk, Jensen, API, Neve, A-designs, Chandler, Great River seem to be more high end than that, because they can't be purchased that way. Although they seem to also be cheaper in price.

Does this make them less of a preamp than the Avalon? I've read some great things about some of these pres that I named off.........but also the Avalon as well. Please give me some tips!!! :confused:
 
well the 737 is a super clean and smoother pre

the john hardy, api, neveish, five fish studio sound are a little more colored in the the mids.

the john hard pre amps have always sounded really tight to me in the low end
the api pre amps are killer on rock drums

also with the 737 i believe you are getting some eq, and compression as well.
plus hi-z input, DI, 2 rack spaces, really smooth knobs

all these will raise the cost.

also cost is set on other factor. a studio may have 1 or 2 avalons "the hip hop" guys always seems to request them. but might have a full 80 channels of neve

or if they are lucky have an mci console that can take api, neve, john hardy, and five fish!
 
:D Thanks for responding! Considering the Post-Punk style I do (Siouxse, The Cure, Peter Murphy etc) What pre would you pick up?

Thnx
 
depending how much you want to spend...

id look at an api lunch box with 2 512cs and 2 five fish studios


that would give you 4 channel

hell you could probobally put in a really cool used compressor as well and be in the price range of a 737

look at a distressor, or a dbx 160
 
Oh yeah, I'm looking to spend up to 3k. but I also need an EQ and Compressor as well. What do you think of the Great river MEQ-1NV and a DBX 160a?
 
i thnk it's great stuff!

or check out these dudes

Universal Audio 6176
Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5015
Empirical Labs Mike-E EL-9
Manely VOXBOX
neve 1073
 
Oh Yeah, one last opinion....would you go with the Great River and DBX 160a combo, or the Avalon? I'll check out all the ones you listed too! :D
 
the Avalon's price includes a lot of "RACK BLING" factor... It's good, maybe even great... but not a good value. There's better for significantly less...

Would I like one in my rack... absolutely, would I pay list... NFW
 
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