The ULTIMATE Entry-Level Mic Pre Poll... :op

What is the BEST Entry-Level Mic Pre????

  • Art Tube MP

    Votes: 82 15.3%
  • Art Tube PAC

    Votes: 13 2.4%
  • Presonus Blue Tube

    Votes: 52 9.7%
  • Bellari MP105

    Votes: 2 0.4%
  • Bellari MP110

    Votes: 3 0.6%
  • Bellari RP503

    Votes: 5 0.9%
  • dbx Mini-Pre Tube

    Votes: 12 2.2%
  • M-Audio AudioBuddy

    Votes: 56 10.4%
  • M-Audio DMP3

    Votes: 187 34.9%
  • Behringer VX2000

    Votes: 27 5.0%
  • Rolls CL151 Mic Pre/Comp.

    Votes: 5 0.9%
  • Joe Meek MQ3

    Votes: 92 17.2%

  • Total voters
    536
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WATYF said:
O.K... you know what I hate....?

Excessive use of acronyms...!!!

(says the man whose name is an acronym) :p

so what the h#ll is this RNC I'm constantly hearing aboot...???

and when does this RNMP come out?

WATYF

RNMP = Really Nice Mic Pre
Mercenary Audio

They're "saying" the end of August; under $400 (woo hoo!) ;)


Chad
 
i ran side by side comparisons of a shure sm57 through 3 preamps into my akai dps16 and recorded the results.

there are indeed differences.

the 3 i own myself and compared are:

art tube mp
presonus blue tube
mackie 1202 vlz pro

the mackies win easily for clarity.

i now use my tube mp for keyboard, my blue tube for bass and guitar cabs, and the mackies for vocals and drums.

the mackies are pure solid state for less than 100$ apiece and have a free mixer thrown in! the audiobuddy is less than that but ive heard the quality is about the same.

if you cant afford 2000$ or so for a good tube preamp then the m audiobuddy is a fine alternative (i think).

just MHO. :p

just my .02 :p
 
WATYF said:
So what you're sayin' is... after all the good things I've heard aboot the DMP3 and the MQ3 and what not, that neither of them are really any better than the cheap crap pre's that came with my 70 dollar 4-track Behringer mixer??? :eek:

I thought reason you wanted to upgrade was to improve your vocals ? Upgrading your pre to one of the $200 preamps will give you a slight improvement, but upgrading to a C-1 or V67 will give you a more significant improvement. Nevermind, it's your money not mine, buy one of these POS pre's and forever wonder why your vocals don't sound as good as others you've heard. I'm not dissing the Oktava, but I own the MK219 and I know what a huge improvement my Rode NT1000 and AT 4033 are to it. You're voice and your microphone are the more significant links in your vocal signal chain at the low-end price point, not the preamp. If I'm full of shit, then I'd love for Harvey, sonusman, or someone with lots of experience to set me straight and give their views.

www.studioprojectsusa.com
 
Yeah... I'd heard aboot Mackie's preamps.. I may just do that...

as for a "better" mic... I like the Oktava's.. I'm fine with the sound.. I'm not looking for a suggestion on what mic people think sounds better than the Oktavas... I'm just looking for a "better" preamp to compliment my "better" mic. (I upgraded from an SM58)

I find it amazing that no one around here can give anything even remotely close to a simple answer... There are a billion different ways I could improve my sound... I'm not asking for every possible angle on how I could get a better sound... I'm just asking which mic pre under 200 bucks will give me the best sound. I know I could save and get an MP20 or something... I know I could get a better mic... I know I could stand on my head when recording vocals to get that "vintage" warmth...

:confused:

;)









but I'm not asking aboot that...!!



for the love of pete... *sheesh* Getting a straightforward answer around here is like pulling teeth... :p


WATYF

(for an "Ultimate" poll, it sure hasn't gotten many votes... :p Maybe I'll have to rename it the "not really relevant cause there's too many other options" mic pre poll.) :cool:
 
Henri Devill said:
The Event EMP 1 ..About $150.00 used..Its far superior to the Art's{Lil Mp's}..Nice and clean, pretty transparent and quiet {60db's of gain}..


Don

This pre will make a difference..Its under 200.00..and you will prob. keep it when you get others
 
O.K. I'll throw my hat into the ring too!
Here are the following mic pre's I own so far discussed with my comments
in parenthesis;

1) Behringer 602 A mixer (thin sounding pre section-lo fat version of Mackie)
2) Joe Meek VCQ6 channel strip (sells for more than $200 budget set here)
3) Joe Meek VC3Q (little brother to above, pretty transparent mic pre section,
useful optical compressor, nice EQ section-much better than your mixer!)

In addition to the above also own/have owned;
1) Aphex 107 dual mic pre (discontinued model)-still own
2) Bellari MP105 (someone nicknamed it "Hum Injector"!-gave it away to friend)

In the $200 and under class IMO the Joe Meek is the best OVERALL value as the
quality of your compression/EQ is also important, not just the mic pre.
Otherwise based on end user/reviewer comments the DMP3 would win out.

Coincidently, before reading this thread, I was experimenting with my newly
acquired Oktava MK-012 cardiod microphone with the VC3Q and it sounded fine.

Chris

P.S. WATYF, my mint condition VC3Q is probably destined for ebay within two
weeks as I already have the big brother version VC6Q.
As a courtesy, if you have a level of interest, I'll post the price/shipping terms
in the FOR SALE section of this BBS, and give you first "dibs" on it for a period
of time, before allowing other members the opportunity of purchasing it.
 
Isnt' the VC3Q the same thing as the MQ3???

if so, I'd seriously consider it... (at the right price) ;)

let me know when it's available.

WATYF
 
It's available RIGHT NOW and operators are standing by!

Seriously I'll go post the appropriate information, including a summary
of the IMHO slight difference between the VC3Q and MQ3 at the
"For Sale" forum here at this BBS as previously stated.

Chris

P.S. I though the Oktava MK012 sounded "good" for vocals, although
proper discussion would be a separate thread for more comments.
 
WATYF, my VC3Q is in the "for sale" forum her at this bbs right now!
You have 48 hours from my posting there to have "first right" of
purchase-the clock is ticking...tick tock tick tock.
Whatever happens I wish you good luck on your next piece of gear.

Chris
 
WAYTF, I fear you may have missed my post this morning in which I stated:

Jeap and Chess have already given the straight answer-DMP3 or Audio Buddy, both made by MidiMan. I will spare you even that decision by telling you to get the DMP, since you're willing to go $200.

Do it now.
-kent
 
*psst* I heard ya the first time... :p

I was already leaning toward the DMP3 before I even made this thread.. but I wanted to get input from as many different sources as I could before actually making a purchase.

WATYF
 
I have the DMP3 and love it. I am going to have to spend a lot of $$ on better mics before this will be the weak link in my signal chain.

At the risk of launching an "I hate Guitar Center" flame war, I suggest you go to GC and pick up a DMP3. You get 30 days to take it back and try something else if you aren't completely sold on it by then.
 
WATYF is toying with us.

some of us have given you simple advice.

there are easy answers.

i dont care if you get a fisher price mic and preamp now cause you are just trolling for more posts in your thread!

:p :p :p
 
WATYF, please inform me if you intend to get the DMP3 so your
"first right" of purchase can be deleted from my "for sale" ad in that
forum, if you choose to go in that direction, so another member can benefit.

Thanks
Chris

P.S. Happy 4th of July everyone!
 
trolling for posts??

dude.. I'm trying to gather info... that is the entire point of this BBS, after all... I said I was "leaning" towards the DMP-3... not that I had "decided". I want to see what everyone here thinks before I buy anything... I was quite honest aboot that fact. And I wasn't talking aboot everyone here when I said that people can't give a straightforward answer... some people have been very straightforward and offered helpful advice... how many times to I have to say it... I wasn't talking aboot you when I made that comment.

so don't go gettin' yer panties in a wad... :p


and chess,.... I prolly won't go for the VC3Q. Not so much because I'm leaning towards the MDP3, but because the price isn't "right" ;) I will leave that oportunity for someone else... I very much appreciate the offer though.

WATYF
 
oh for gods sake just close your eyes and pick one!!!!!

theres something disgusting about grown people obsessing over cheap preamps!

better yet buy a bunch of them run a test and tell us the results!






























:p
 
jeap said:
oh for gods sake just close your eyes and pick one!!!!!

theres something disgusting about grown people obsessing over cheap preamps!
Are you new here or something? You might have missed the fact that this whole website is full of people asking "what's the best (item) for under (price)" type questions...

Try and keep the posts constructive.. you've said your peace... thanks... but the derogatory comments aren't really helpful.

WATYF
 
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