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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a happy story

I bought a Jensen Twin Servo mic pre around 1989.

It broke around 1998, and I didn't get around to looking into fixing it for several years... I bought a Presonus Blue Tube to get me through a pinch.
The Presonus was noisy. One day I plugged it's ac adapter into something else and it blew the adapter (one thing was ac the other was dc).

So I phoned Presonus and told them what I did... it was out of warranty. At first they were going to sell me a new ac adapter but when I told them that it was always noisy they checked the serial number and said it was an early, defective unit.

And if I sent it back to them they'd put in a new pc card, GIVE me a new ac adapter, and send it back... all for free.

Now that's service!

I sent it back and it's worked really well since.

About the Jensen: I'd bought it from a place in L.A., but ended up phoning it's inventor, John Hardy about repairing it. What a great guy.

It was at least 15 years since I'd bought it, and not even from him.

John recognized the faulty components, and said if I'd ship it to him he would do all the repairs and send it back - all free. I did and I now have my baby back - it truly is a special piece of gear, it's a gem.

You don't hear stories like this very often.
 
If there's any that I didn't mention that deserve a place in the list, please say so. Once again... I'm just concerned aboat the quality of the pre... so don't worry aboot features or number of channels... They all have the necessary features (i.e. phantom power), and everything after that is incidental. I just want the best sound possible for the buck... I will take features into consideration after I have determined who has the best pre.

so have at it... :p

WATYF


HERE IS THE ANSWER!

The Mackie 402-VLZ3

You can get them brand new for about $80 off ebay and the mic pres on this are award winning. It's a mixer but it has the best pre's around and can boost your sound.


THE END!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.mackie.com/products/402vlz3/index.html
 
HERE IS THE ANSWER!

The Mackie 402-VLZ3

You can get them brand new for about $80 off ebay and the mic pres on this are award winning.

http://www.mackie.com/products/402vlz3/index.html

The local diner on every corner of my town has some framed certificate saying they have award winning Biscuits and Gravy...compared to mine most of them suck ass...point is there are countless awards out there and most of the time they are handed out by magazines that give them to the companies that buy the most ad space.

You can do alot worse than Mackie mixer pres...way worse...but some cheesy award doesnt make them the best either.
 
Awww... Happy Birthday, little thread. Six years old, now.

......they grow up so fast. *sniff*

The ultimate shame of this obscenely long-running thread is that I got the right answer a mere day after the first post, and all subsequent discussion was a waste of time. :p




WATYF

Ya but now you can use this information for when you go yard sale shopping!
 
I had the DMP3 for a while. It was a nice little box for the price. If you want a cheap pre that sounds good, I'd consider an FMR RNP too. A little more, but worth it. I use a DAV BG1 which is much more expensive, but I think it is AMAZING.
 
You can get a mod for the DMP3 now which is said to make a noticeable improvement! You can pick up a DMP3 and get it modded for under $300!!

Also, the Golden Age Projects PRE73 is an awesome preamp under $300!!
 
Ok, after 8 years it's finally time for me to reply. I don't think the DMP3 is much of an upgrade over most interface preamps. I used to have an Maudio firewire solo, and the DMP3 was an upgrade. Now I have a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40, and the Saffire's pres are as good or better on most sources. So unless you have the bottom of the barrel interface, I'd skip the cheapest preamps and save up at least $500 for an RNP etc. Maybe when this thread was started the DMP3 was a significant upgrade, but I don't think so anymore. My vote (after 8 years of contemplating) is stick with the stock pres (unless you have the bottom of the barrel interface, in which case, save up for one of the many $500-$600 8 channel interfaces).
 
Ok, after 8 years it's finally time for me to reply. I don't think the DMP3 is much of an upgrade over most interface preamps. I used to have an Maudio firewire solo, and the DMP3 was an upgrade. Now I have a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40, and the Saffire's pres are as good or better on most sources. So unless you have the bottom of the barrel interface, I'd skip the cheapest preamps and save up at least $500 for an RNP etc. Maybe when this thread was started the DMP3 was a significant upgrade, but I don't think so anymore. My vote (after 8 years of contemplating) is stick with the stock pres (unless you have the bottom of the barrel interface, in which case, save up for one of the many $500-$600 8 channel interfaces).

+1 yes I agree
 
This thread popped up to the top again due to someone voting :rolleyes:

Seeing this poll started in 2002, 16 years ago, there are a heap better entry level compressors around now. Maybe time for locking this thread and starting a new poll?

Alan.
 
This thread popped up to the top again due to someone voting :rolleyes:

Seeing this poll started in 2002, 16 years ago, there are a heap better entry level compressors around now. Maybe time for locking this thread and starting a new poll?

Alan.

Yeah, this is an old one. There are actually a lot of better preamps in this day and age. The Daking Micpre One smokes this whole list and you can pick them up used for around $300.
 
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