Another Preamp Question

[steve350]

I am looking for a good clean mic/guitar preamp. I don't need a compressor or any other bells and whistles in it.

I need to have Stereo outputs, digital AES output,48v power, 1/4 input for electric or acoustic guitar.

I am willing to spend up to $1k. What do you recommend?

On another note I received my Kurzweil KSP8 multi-bus signal processor today. I have to tell you, it is sweet. Some of the best sounds I ever heard.

[steve350]

Since there were no responses, does that mean there are no units at that price available?

[Blue Bear Sound]

I don't know of a "good" pre with on-board digital converters (which it would have to have if you want AES/EBU digital output on it) for under $1K..........

A Great River ME-1NV paired with a Lucid AD2496 would run you about $1700 or so.......

[steve350]

Thanks Blue Bear. I checked the specs of the Great River ME-1NV and it only has one unbalanced output.
I am looking for a stereo output. Do they not make a preamp with that?

[steve350]

What about one of these:

http://www.americanmusical.com/image...H427--t-h.html

[steve350]

The Penta won't work. I just read that you need two input signals to give you a stereo output.

[chessrock]

Originally Posted by steve350

The Penta won't work. I just read that you need two input signals to give you a stereo output.

That's kinda' how it works, my friend.

You want two signals going out, it's pretty important to have two signals going in, wouldn't you think?

[steve350]

Not necessarily. My TC Helicon Vocal Prism has one XLR Mic input and 2 1/4" Left and Right outputs. My Digitech GNX3 and Vox ToneLab both have one input and 2 Left and Right Outputs.

[chessrock]

That's because they're doing all these funky stereo effects (verbs, flanges, etc.)

A mic pre doesn't do any of that crap. All it does is take a mono microphone input, raise it to line level, and then output that mono signal. One for each channel of input.

Some single channel mic pres might have more than one output . . . but they're all going to be the exact same signal. A mic pre isn't going to do or add anything to a mono input to suddenly make it a stero signal, or to necessitate a stereo output. Unless it's got some sort of built-in effects, and off the top of my head I can't think of any that have that; but if for some strange reason it did, then you can rest assured it would have a stereo output.

[steve350]

O.K. I'll buy that. What about a two channel preamp with a mic splitter like this:
http://www.life-effects.citymax.com/...4679/63174.htm

Then I could have one mic, split the signal into the 2 channels and have 2 outputs. It would not be true stereo, just two mono signals.

Maybe a small mixer with real good preamps might work.

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by steve350

I am looking for a good clean mic/guitar preamp. I don't need a compressor or any other bells and whistles in it.

I need to have Stereo outputs, digital AES output,48v power, 1/4 input for electric or acoustic guitar.

I am willing to spend up to $1k. What do you recommend?

On another note I received my Kurzweil KSP8 multi-bus signal processor today. I have to tell you, it is sweet. Some of the best sounds I ever heard.

Sounds like you want a two channel mic pre, phantom power, with DI capabilities, with a stereo summing bus and with AESBU digital conversion out (presumably after the stereo summing bus.

Tough nut to crack in a single unit. Can't think of one off the top of my head, but there's probably something out there. You don't really need the digital conversion as part of the unit, a standalone will do just fine. Probably hard to do all this for $1k or under.

Wish I could help more.

[track one]

The dbx 386 has AES/EBU out's on the back, and it is a two ch pre?

[Blue Bear Sound]

Originally Posted by track one

The dbx 386 has AES/EBU out's on the back, and it is a two ch pre?

Sorry -- I thought he said "good" preamp!

[darrin_h2000]

Roland MMP2

[steve350]

Thanks guys. The Roland looks interesting:

http://www.rolandus.com/specs_brochures/MMP-2_US.pdf

I can't tell if it will sum the outputs to L&R. Can anyone else?

[steve350]

I am thinking that perhaps the solution to all this might be to go with a Mackie Onyx Mixer. I know it's not digital but I could use the Aux send and returns for my Kurzweil KSP8 effects.

I could run the analog outs of the Mackie into my Roland M-1000 Digital Mixer and digital out from the Roland into the digital in of my multi track recorder.