Do 'Good' mic pre's make a difference, to you?

[miroslav]

It's like the plugs you see...the Non Linear Summer from Waves...and others.
They acknowledge the fact that there are minor differences/inconsistencies even between the channels on a high-end console...and it is the "stacking" of those differences/inconsistencies that will give a console its "magic"...its overall sound.

One channel taken on its own will probably not sound all that special.

 

[RFR]

About this 'stacking'; Well, the audio outcome, or the final product, is ALWAYS a sum of it's parts. That's just a fact.
In the case of preamps a better one will sound better provided the operator has a good enough ear to hear it. But, a better preamp can also bring out the flaws of a shitty mic, shitty technique, shitty performance, etc.
Again, it's all a sum of the parts.

 

[Bobbsy]

Wouldn't something like that be relatively easy to test? True or false, somebody has probably tested it. I am not finding results in a quick internet search though.

Well, not an official test but I had a play today...

I'm working on a project that has 31 tracks on the go. All were recorded via my DM1000 mixer/Profire Lightbridge system into Audition. However, there were about 8 different types of mic used...SDCs, LDCs and some dynamic.

With the various channel gains set to what is now a "rough mix" sort of level, I measured the noise on the short "silent" bit at the beginning. It shows an average RMS amplitude of -72.3dB. Individual tracks are at around -85dB give or take. Note that these number include both system noise and room noise--my home studio is only roughly treated.

Since -72dB isn't audible to me unless I crank the monitoring up to levels that are physically painful when there's music going on, I'm not worried about stacking.

 

[citizen77]

Even using a "bad" mic with a great pre sounds better than a bad mic with a mediocre pre.

I always use Millennia's even when using "bad" mics. My main mics are Schoeps, but since they capture everything (including extraneous squeaks, unwanted breath or valves noises), I use Oktavas on less refined/precise musicians. Oktavas are more noisy, but they cover up the extra junk, so I don't have to RX them later.

I've used Schoeps with my MOTU Traveller to record too and it sounds terrible - lifeless and sterile. Even though I agree that you have to have a great starting point with good mics, the pre really does matter. It's not something you can put off buying if you already have great mics.

 

[blund69]

Investing in high quality Mic Pres makes a difference in your music

Does anyone else who does not know which pre is which notice the difference and can you quantify it? Lower noise? Less distortion? Wider bandwidth?

Five or so years ago I still would not have agreed that "boutique" pres made a "night and day" difference but I had no data to back that up. All that changed a couple of years ago with the now infamous Sound on Sound tests using a MIDI controlled grand piano.
The clips that were posted could not reliably be found to be from a pre amp costing 10 times another.

This is NOT to say people should not buy quality gear and pre amps are often chosen not for their "cleanliness" but for their attitude. The test was just for basic, non-od operation.

I think the received wisdom today is...Get the RIGHT microphone and learn to use it properly and pay attention to room effects. Preamps figure a long way down in the sound stakes.

Dave.

I kind of agree and disagree Dave. If you buy say an U87 and put it through a poor quality preamp - well you've just wasted $4000! but you will still get a somewhat improved sound. I think this really is a parallel process i.e. improve both mics and pres simultaneously. Remember, the preamp is the "first" point where the mic gets it's color or not (in the case of TRUE Audio P8).

Early on in my recording life I used stock pres from my Soundcraft Sprit Studio - while they were OK I always felt the music lacked punch and clarity; truly. Thus I found myself trying to make up using lots of EQ and compression; Not good. Later on I decided to try some stand alone pres': Behringer (Before the acquisition of Midas), Aphex 202 tubes and a host of others. I was getting a little closer to "the sound" but still not there. Note: The Behringers were the worst, really noisey, smeared the midrange sound, were thin, etc. I had 4 which equaled 8 channels - I gave those away.

Then I said "I am going for it " and invested in (2) TRUE Audio Precision 8's for 16 channels of the most pristine uncolored, clean, punchy audio I ever heard - mixes opened up, top end sits well not at all brittle, midrange clear - not smeared. I learned then that your choice of frontend pres make a difference; I later started investing in top microphones and bought an Apogee Symphony 32 I/O and a pair of Focal Twin Be's, which only further improved the sonic spectrum. Most recently I decided to add some high end 500 series pre's to add character. If someone says that your preamp choice doesn't matter - they truly have not spent enough time working with real quality gear.