Question for M-audio tampa users?

[tclardy]

I am considering buying one of these, get some good reveiws for the money. I am using a roland vs-2000 to record with. The preamps in it are okay, but are very weak on gain. I have to turn them up between 3 and 5 oclock most of the time to get acceptable gain.

I have seens posts talking about lack of a button called makeup gain after compressor. What does this do and does the lack of it make this unit unacceptable. Will I still get better gain out of it going into the roland via digital inputs?

[noncon]

From Sweetwater:
"Makeup Gain
Makeup gain is really nothing more than a gain stage in a device where you can amplify the level. What makes it makeup gain is the context, as it is usually employed in devices where some other process occurs that reduces the level. The most obvious and common example is compressors. After your signal undergoes the gain reduction process of compression you need some way to bring the average overall level back up so that the signal sits in the mix appropriately. This can be done many different ways, however, it's very easy and straight forward when the compressor has a final gain stage with a level control so the signal can be adjusted before it leaves the unit. This gain stage and its associated control are usually referred to as makeup gain."

I don't have a Tampa, but on my compressor the meter can be toggled between input and output level so I can match the volume of the signals by boosting the output gain. In reviews I read that the lack of makeup gain was somewhat inconveinent, but this only applies to the compressor in the Tampa. The preamp has its own gain controls. Reviews highly praise this preamp, hopefully someone with one can give some specifics.

[deepwater]

I own two Tampas and love them. I never had a problem with it not having make-up gain. You can do the samething by using the gain on your mixer. The 20db bust and cut makes this work just fine. Its a wonderful pre and the compressor os first class.

[steelpetals]

I owned a tampa for about 6 mos last year. I ending up selling it because I just was not impressed with the preamps. i also had some technical problems with it as well. the preamps are avg in quality in my opinion, and as stated previously, weak on gain. i own a RNP/RNC combo and a joe Meek VC1. I have found both of these to be superior by far (from the preamp point of view). the compressor however i did like. it's an optical compressor, fairly transparent and a nice touch. the a/d convertor I thought was avg at best and at $400 I wouldn't expect a whole lot if your'e going to use the digital output. also on the tampa unit is a function that overdrives one of the gain stages apparantly as a way to emulate a tube effect. I found this to be utterly useless, though perhaps others have had better luck than myself. i also have a DMP3 and I gotta say that I found myself consistently going back to this unit when I owned the tampa simpky because I liked it better.
Hope this helps,
Blake

[deepwater]

You can pick up a new Tampa for $329.00. Just do a froogle search

[Dot]

Originally Posted by steelpetals

I owned a tampa for about 6 mos last year. I ending up selling it because I just was not impressed with the preamps. i also had some technical problems with it as well. the preamps are avg in quality in my opinion, and as stated previously, weak on gain. i own a RNP/RNC combo and a joe Meek VC1. I have found both of these to be superior by far (from the preamp point of view). the compressor however i did like. it's an optical compressor, fairly transparent and a nice touch. the a/d convertor I thought was avg at best and at $400 I wouldn't expect a whole lot if your'e going to use the digital output. also on the tampa unit is a function that overdrives one of the gain stages apparantly as a way to emulate a tube effect. I found this to be utterly useless, though perhaps others have had better luck than myself. i also have a DMP3 and I gotta say that I found myself consistently going back to this unit when I owned the tampa simpky because I liked it better.
Hope this helps,
Blake

I don't know which Tampa you tried, steelpetals, but it doesn't sound like a properly working unit. The pre on the Tampa we've used is exceptional - even when the unit was originally selling for closer to $700.

[Fab4ever]

Please keep these reviews coming, guys. After having to sell my RNP/RNC, I'm looking for a single channel strip or pre to go with the pres in my Omni (DMP-2 pres in there I believe). So I'm interested in the Tampa plus of course the Safe Sound and perhaps the Groove Tubes Brick.

[steelpetals]

dan,
I bought the TAMPA after reading your review as a matter of fact. The TAMPA I had eventually worked well from a mechanical standpoint. It functioned just as it was supposed to. However, the pres just didn't grab me like the Meek VC1 or the RNP. They were not bad, just did not suit my taste. Despite the unit being $700 at one time, I believe it was deserving in it's price reduction to $400. Besides the digital out was not what I had anticipated.

[deepwater]

Originally Posted by steelpetals

dan,
I bought the TAMPA after reading your review as a matter of fact. The TAMPA I had eventually worked well from a mechanical standpoint. It functioned just as it was supposed to. However, the pres just didn't grab me like the Meek VC1 or the RNP. They were not bad, just did not suit my taste. Despite the unit being $700 at one time, I believe it was deserving in it's price reduction to $400. Besides the digital out was not what I had anticipated.

Could have just been a bad mic-pre combo, style, etc.. Sometimes different gear with different equipment works and on someone else’s stuff it doesn’t

I’ve always got great results with my Tampa’s. I’ve even used one on the lead vocal mic at my church, which is just awesome.

[Scooter B]

Deepwater,

What mic's and applications have you found the Tampa to excell at?

I have one but have not put it to great use yet. I did not detect much difference with selectable impedance switch on dynamic mics but I have not tried any condensors with it yet.

The compressor sounds very transparant to me ....it did not add any color like my JM VC6Q does so it is nice to have both.

I have read that the Studio Proejcts B-1 really sounded good in combination with it but I don't have any SP mics yet.

[deepwater]

I get great results with my CAD VSM and Audix OM3. The compressor is the best part. You can do some heavy compression not get that compressed sound.

I do think you might have some problems with the Tampa with a brighter mic like the cheap MXL 990 stuff. The Tampas not a thick sound just pure.

[Scooter B]

Thanks Deepwater.

So far I only have 1 MXL V67M, 2 Octavia MC-012's, 1 SM-57 and 1 609 silver.

Right now I am just doing instrumental guitar, bass and drum machine.

Eventualy I want to do some live drums and vocals.

I expereimented with reamping my new Roland Cube 30 and so for I preferred the V67 through the Tampa for that...the 609 was not very good for reampig so far on this amp. I have not tried the MC-012 or the SM-57 yet...ran out of time.