what mic pre to buy?

bluesfordan

Member
not asking for specific brand recommendation but thinking about two different pres.

One pre has two channels, and about 60 db of gain, for 299

the other pre has one channel, with 80 db of gain, for 50 dollars more, 349

on one hand, a two channel pre would allow me to utilize stereo (m/s or blumlein, etc). On the other, a really good quality pre with sufficient gain for ribbon mics.

any recommendations?
 
Me, I'm curious about possibly tone advantages in the AEA pre. But frankly haven't run into an issue with lack of gain on standard pres on ribbon mics.
That plus you have gain with little downside once in the DAW.
What are you recording where you believe you'd need 80dB? I'd rather have two channels by a long way. Either way for stand-alones, that's lowish end.
How about an FMR RNP?
 
Do you already have an audio interface with dedicated line-in jacks?

Recording electric guitar - DI Joe - Audiofanzine

"But my interface already has an instrument input and a mic preamp," you are probably thinking. Sure, but for this type of sound it's crucial to be able to control the input and output gain of the mic preamp, before the digital conversion. On your audio interface you can control the input gain of the mic preamps, but not the output gain before it goes into the converter. If you push one of these preamps to the point of distortion, as light as it may be, you risk distorting the converter, too, and that's something you don't really want to hear. Hence, the solution entails using a DI box to plug the guitar into an external preamp, which is in turn connected to a line input of the audio interface. With this setup you can regulate the input gain at will, while controlling the excess level produced with the output gain in order not to overload the converter of your soundcard.
 
Yeah, but do you already have an audio interface with dedicated line-in inputs?
There you go, and they're unsatisfactory.

Opie of course I'm messing with you here. But consider;
New pre..
Pay (additional) for; Complete new stand alone kit, box, paint, power supply, all the fixin's etc etc etc ..and you get the '$20 bucks(?) for the audio amp part of it.
 
There you go, and they're unsatisfactory.

Opie of course I'm messing with you here. But consider;
New pre..
Pay (additional) for; Complete new stand alone kit, box, paint, power supply, all the fixin's etc etc etc ..and you get the '$20 bucks(?) for the audio amp part of it.


heh heh, no problem. would you say to get a better interface and skip putting a mic pre in front of the one I'm not quite thrilled with? Truth be had I know which one I'd like to get but I'd have to upgrade my computer to a mac book or iMac. I'd need an interface that can work with my late 2012 mac mini.
 
Could be. I bow out here -old school in comparison and went with RME ADI-8's.. and added a bunch of pre amps as I went along.
 
Could be. I bow out here -old school in comparison and went with RME ADI-8's.. and added a bunch of pre amps as I went along.

good lord, I looked those up. Even for old stuff, that is light years ahead of my level. I see you seem to have more than one of them?

heh, I'm going to look for something a little more prosumer but hopefully better than the Behringer I currently have.
 
Oh, well... Behringer ... there you go. No sense in getting a good preamp, then plugging into the Behr's inputs which probably don't bypass the mic preamps, just put a pad on them, and the not-so-great A-D converters, right? (What Behr is it?)
What's the maximum number of mic preamps you need (how many simultaneous tracks)? What's your budget?
 
Yeah, the Behringer UMC404HD got my feet wet and I've actually put in quite a bit of time on it. Enough to know that I want a higher level of control and sound quality. For now I'll keep using GarageBand as my DAW and I'll upgrade to either Logic Pro or Reaper.

I'd like 4 mic pres and I figure on a budget of 5-7 hundred. What would the limiting factor be in trying to fit that budget? Two mic pres and quality converters be easier to stay in that price range?
 
Yeah, the Behringer UMC404HD got my feet wet and I've actually put in quite a bit of time on it. Enough to know that I want a higher level of control and sound quality. For now I'll keep using GarageBand as my DAW and I'll upgrade to either Logic Pro or Reaper.

I'd like 4 mic pres and I figure on a budget of 5-7 hundred. What would the limiting factor be in trying to fit that budget? Two mic pres and quality converters be easier to stay in that price range?

Now I have NO love for Behringer (they have ripped "our" amps) but, that Uphoria series of interfaces continues to garner good reports. Unfortunately I have yet to read a review from a source I trust but, of the 3 forums I regularly infest, no one has said they are a crock of it. The mic pres especially are supposed to be a Midas derivative? I have had a couple of Berry devices, the X802 mixer* and a BCA2000 interface. The latter had really crap drivers and was ultimately very unreliable, still resides in my loft. The mic pres on both, especially the BCA2K were really very good.

What all the above waffle is driving at is...You will need to improve the WHOLE package, pres, converters drivers before you can hope to hear a difference and yes, you have probably got to go to RME or at least the top of the Focusrite/MOTU range to get in that "club" .

Boring ***t repeated I know but look to your ROOM your MONITORS and your skill/experience before pre amps.

*Has been running 24/7 for at least 5 years amping a pair of mics in my garden. Noise levels are low, will try to post a section of Tweety Bird later.

Dave.
 
Good words from Dave above. Monitors, room (treatment) and DAW (specially as you say 'control') are equally important as your interface. In that price range, the Moto 4Pre is below your budget, and ther are many choices (with more than 4 mic pres, too).
 
The Behringer UMC404HD has four TRS insert jacks. These effectively bypass the mic preamps and could be used for line ins for external preamps.
 
Regarding Mr Mixit's missive that probably less than 10% of the retail price of a 'budget' pre amp go on the actual electronics?

It could be argued that "value for money" for preamps get even worse as you go up the price range? As an electronics bod, I find it hard to see where they could put even $100 worth of components in the main audio path?

Ok, if some really tasty transformers are used that will push up the cost but there are those (for I am one!) that think transformers are rather 'Old School' and well designed electronics is ultimately a cleaner path. Of course, some will claim a certain "warmf" from transformers or some other desirable effect but that is subjective and JUST having traffs does NOT guarantee a 'nice tone'. (in fact at least one top audio transformer mnfctr says THEY strive for the very lowest distortion).

Dave.
 
The Behringer UMC404HD has four TRS insert jacks. These effectively bypass the mic preamps and could be used for line ins for external preamps.

jeepers, what a maroon I am. I completely forgot there is a backside to my UMC. D'uh :facepalm:

I have a couple of devices (POD 2.0, SansAmp), I think I'll try them in there. Or is that likely to lead to mushroom cloud city?
 
jeepers, what a maroon I am. I completely forgot there is a backside to my UMC. D'uh :facepalm:

I have a couple of devices (POD 2.0, SansAmp), I think I'll try them in there. Or is that likely to lead to mushroom cloud city?

No, nothing will smoke but remember, "Inserts" are not line inputs. They will be TRS jacks and the usual protocol is that tip sends the source (pre amp) and the signal returns on the ring.
I doubt you will buy "TS to TRS only Ring connected" cables so you will either have to buy TRS to 2X TS cables and have a redundant plug or make some up.

That all assumes you WANT to disconnect the U4's internal pre amps and squirt in something else?

Dave.
 
As [MENTION=89697]ecc83[/MENTION] points out, those INSERTS on the back are not the same as LINE inputs, which is what should be going into the front combo jacks, 1/4" TRS balanced plugs with the switch properly set for LINE level. Hard to imagine Behringer mucked that up a lot, really. What isn't working with that for you, [MENTION=193247]bluesfordan[/MENTION]?
 
I get a lot of clipping crap going on. I'm not a violent strummer by any stretch of the imagination but I do like to play with dynamics, by the time I get a satisfactory signal/wave form on the DAW, the mic pre is up so high that anything greater than a gentle nudge causes the dreaded 'red light' to come on.

I think I may have figured something out. With a TRS to 2xTS (usually one red=ring and black=tip), run a compressor through the insert. This may be painfully obvious but I have never done that before. If I surmise correctly, the insert is likely between the pre amp and the converter. Off to google the UMC manual ... ah hah, appears to be the case.

I think I know what I'll be doing tonight. Thank you all very much for the input, y'all probably saved me some money ... at least for a little while :D
 
Back
Top