Bit of a newbie question, but how important are preamps in getting a pro sound? I mean could you only tell the difference between say Mbox preamps and some more expensive ones if you had excellent monitors, pc, cables, mics etc. But what about with decent enough mics/monitors? Is it something to really fuss over? or these days are most at a decent enough quality?
Preamps - How important
- Thread starter Chrisdb
- Start date
Well I just mean in general, what do you guys think? In your own experiences.
I'm using an Mbox 2, through a fairly alright computer, Edirol monitors, an AKG Perception 220, Shure 57, and an AKG C1000S which is awful. I plan to upgrade my mics to an SM7b and a better Large condencsor but I'm not sure what to get yet.
darrin_h2000
Banned
Well the Preamp is second in importance to the mic itself...for that nicer LDC you should consider Shure KSM or AT40 series since they are top of the line and priced reasonably used.
iownrocknroll
New member
very
as important as microphones
as important as microphones
DrewPeterson7
Sage of the Order
It also really depends on what you mean by "pro sound."
The gear you're running is certainly good enough to make good sounding recordings, if you know your way around it. It's not like your guitars are going to sound thin and buzzy and your voice will have too many plosives and sit poorly in the mix simply because you're using a stock pre in a Mbox.
At the same time, we all know a really beautifully recorded voice or an incredible guitar tone when we hear one. Part of that is going to be the source sound (a great vocalist in a great room; a great player with a great guitar and a great amp) and part of it will be mic choice and micing technique, but part of it too will be a really sweet preamp.
So, you can definitely record great sounding music with your gear, but if you mean "$5,000 an hour studio" pro, then a preamp matters hugely.
The gear you're running is certainly good enough to make good sounding recordings, if you know your way around it. It's not like your guitars are going to sound thin and buzzy and your voice will have too many plosives and sit poorly in the mix simply because you're using a stock pre in a Mbox.
At the same time, we all know a really beautifully recorded voice or an incredible guitar tone when we hear one. Part of that is going to be the source sound (a great vocalist in a great room; a great player with a great guitar and a great amp) and part of it will be mic choice and micing technique, but part of it too will be a really sweet preamp.
So, you can definitely record great sounding music with your gear, but if you mean "$5,000 an hour studio" pro, then a preamp matters hugely.
iownrocknroll
New member
but where is this $5,000 an hour studio?
are their faders made of gold?
it's certainly not Abbey Road, any LA Studio, NYC, or Chicago joint?
Perhaps on the moon, zero gravity recording
total isolation.
sorry, i couldn't resist
are their faders made of gold?
it's certainly not Abbey Road, any LA Studio, NYC, or Chicago joint?
Perhaps on the moon, zero gravity recording
total isolation.
sorry, i couldn't resist
DrewPeterson7
Sage of the Order
No clue - it's a bit of simple hyperbole. 
Fishmed
Well-known member
+1 So true!!!!!
+1 So true!!!!!
The sad things is, you will not know how big a difference good quality pres are until you use them for awhile and then go back to the poorer quality ones.
The key to Ronan's statement is when you start stacking your tracks; a single track mic pre comparison can be misleading.
+1 So true!!!!!
The sad things is, you will not know how big a difference good quality pres are until you use them for awhile and then go back to the poorer quality ones.
The key to Ronan's statement is when you start stacking your tracks; a single track mic pre comparison can be misleading.
chrisharris
King of Bling
It's a volume knob, LOL!!!
Seriously, these discussions about the all importance of preamps just make me giggle most of the time...especially when I hear peoples' bad music.
Do preamps matter? Answer: They Might. If you have the joy of capturing a great singer through the right mic in a decent room (or isolated) with a killer sound bed and cheap presonus preamps, guess what? It'll still sound great.
Am I completely blowing off the importance of a nice pre front? No; gain staging absolutely matters...it's just that for the vast majority of folks hanging around these boards (self included), the other 98% of the recording process (songwriting, performance, gear, mixing) is where the focus should be. If you want to spend assloads of money getting that last 2%, then you are entitled to do that...but don't do it until you've mastered the other 98% first. I honestly think that boutique preamps are where a lot of home recordists start to look for the "magic pixie dust" that their recordings are missing.
It's a volume knob. Keep it in perspective.
Seriously, these discussions about the all importance of preamps just make me giggle most of the time...especially when I hear peoples' bad music.
Do preamps matter? Answer: They Might. If you have the joy of capturing a great singer through the right mic in a decent room (or isolated) with a killer sound bed and cheap presonus preamps, guess what? It'll still sound great.
Am I completely blowing off the importance of a nice pre front? No; gain staging absolutely matters...it's just that for the vast majority of folks hanging around these boards (self included), the other 98% of the recording process (songwriting, performance, gear, mixing) is where the focus should be. If you want to spend assloads of money getting that last 2%, then you are entitled to do that...but don't do it until you've mastered the other 98% first. I honestly think that boutique preamps are where a lot of home recordists start to look for the "magic pixie dust" that their recordings are missing.
It's a volume knob. Keep it in perspective.
Last edited:
Jim Lad
New member
That's a good example of a mic that shouldn't be in the studio (at least for vocals) but it is an excellent microphone.
I've been using it as a "Live", vocal mic for more than 10 years now and love it to death but it stays in my gig bag when I'm recording.
Since you posted this, I got myself a couple of inexpensive, 8 channel preamps and have to say that they have much to offer. They make my passive ribbons usable and offer new character to my active ribbons.
I haven't tried them on my condensers yet but may do so down the road.
So, to answer your question, How important? You can live without them but they really increase your options when you have them.
dgatwood
is out. Leave a message.
There's a wide range of preamp quality at every price point. It's important to have good preamps, good converters, etc. Mics make a much bigger difference in how things sound overall. Preamps and converters tend to make a difference in the clarity of high frequencies and in noise level.
If your pres aren't good enough, upgrading them will make a huge difference. If they are, no preamp change is going to make much difference at all unless you're trying to color the sound. By contrast, having an arsenal of mics with different characteristics is highly useful.
If your pres aren't good enough, upgrading them will make a huge difference. If they are, no preamp change is going to make much difference at all unless you're trying to color the sound. By contrast, having an arsenal of mics with different characteristics is highly useful.
Bristol Posse
Okey Dokey
It's a volume knob, LOL!!!
Seriously, these discussions about the all importance of preamps just make me giggle most of the time...especially when I hear peoples' bad music.
Do preamps matter? Answer: They Might. If you have the joy of capturing a great singer through the right mic in a decent room (or isolated) with a killer sound bed and cheap presonus preamps, guess what? It'll still sound great.
Am I completely blowing off the importance of a nice pre front? No; gain staging absolutely matters...it's just that for the vast majority of folks hanging around these boards (self included), the other 98% of the recording process (songwriting, performance, gear, mixing) is where the focus should be. If you want to spend assloads of money getting that last 2%, then you are entitled to do that...but don't do it until you've mastered the other 98% first. I honestly think that boutique preamps are where a lot of home recordists start to look for the "magic pixie dust" that their recordings are missing.
It's a volume knob. Keep it in perspective.
This is an excellent point.
Nice pres will make a difference with decent mics in a good room. But if the material is crap, the mics aren't positioned well, the room isn't treated (especially if you're using condensors which so many seem to feel are a necessity) and mixing isn't good it's all for nothing.
I use my gear as a motivator. I now have a couple of nice pres and a couple of nice mics (I'd call it the entry level of good gear) and have just finished treating my room. If the material is not good then it's down to lack of inspiration, adequate rehersal or good recording technique or mixing on my part, I can't blame it on the low end gear in an audio interface it's all on me. so now I'm starting to prepare a hell of a lot better before I try and record anything other than scratch ideas tracks
So be careful what you wish for
Chili
Site Moderator
It's a volume knob, LOL!!!
Seriously, these discussions about the all importance of preamps just make me giggle most of the time...especially when I hear peoples' bad music.
Do preamps matter? Answer: They Might. If you have the joy of capturing a great singer through the right mic in a decent room (or isolated) with a killer sound bed and cheap presonus preamps, guess what? It'll still sound great.
Am I completely blowing off the importance of a nice pre front? No; gain staging absolutely matters...it's just that for the vast majority of folks hanging around these boards (self included), the other 98% of the recording process (songwriting, performance, gear, mixing) is where the focus should be. If you want to spend assloads of money getting that last 2%, then you are entitled to do that...but don't do it until you've mastered the other 98% first. I honestly think that boutique preamps are where a lot of home recordists start to look for the "magic pixie dust" that their recordings are missing.
It's a volume knob. Keep it in perspective.
I wish I could sum it up that easily. Couldn't have said it better....
pohaku
New member
It's a volume knob, LOL!!!
Seriously, these discussions about the all importance of preamps just make me giggle most of the time...especially when I hear peoples' bad music.
Do preamps matter? Answer: They Might. If you have the joy of capturing a great singer through the right mic in a decent room (or isolated) with a killer sound bed and cheap presonus preamps, guess what? It'll still sound great.
Am I completely blowing off the importance of a nice pre front? No; gain staging absolutely matters...it's just that for the vast majority of folks hanging around these boards (self included), the other 98% of the recording process (songwriting, performance, gear, mixing) is where the focus should be. If you want to spend assloads of money getting that last 2%, then you are entitled to do that...but don't do it until you've mastered the other 98% first. I honestly think that boutique preamps are where a lot of home recordists start to look for the "magic pixie dust" that their recordings are missing.
It's a volume knob. Keep it in perspective.
Could we sticky this? While having nice and different preamps can be fun and useful, their relative importance in and contribution to the signal chain is often way overstated.