preamp hierarchy....(please only intelligent answers)

[Elmo89m]

I have am building my setup piece by piece and as of now i have p.o.s. pre's (sm pro audio pr8) any ways i would just like a list from least to best of preamps between 200 hundred and 1,000 dollars....obviously i know there are a ton so i dont expect them all but any help at all would be great...and please only post if you are experienced and really know you stuff on this subject. thanks a lot

[Kevin Deschwazi]

It's a bit more subjective than that. It depends what you'll be using the pres for- types of music, sources etc.

(I'm not a pro so sorry for dirtying your thread )

[chessrock]

This is really general, but I suppose you do like $100 Audio Buddy $200 dmp3 / Rane MS-1B ... $500 RNP / Brick / Grace Design, $800 Sytek $1000 Great River.

That's obviously a pretty shitty list, as it doesn't account for cost per channel, nor does it account for channel strips or other units with nice features (ala Safesound P1 or similar). There's obviously so many different ways to break this all down, depending on what features, if any, are important to you, how many channels you need, etc. Even what kind of mics you'll be using, to a certain extent.

[SonicAlbert]

You need to let us know how many channels you need. It's difficult to make comparisons without that info.

[Elmo89m]

ok i need enough channels to mic drums (i have a four mic shure set) and double mic my guitar cab (with 57's) live. so 7 roundedup to eight...i need eight...but could i maybe get away with having only two channels (for the guitar and everything done non-simultaneously and then use my pr-8 for drums

[Elmo89m]

Originally Posted by chessrock

This is really general, but I suppose you do like $100 Audio Buddy $200 dmp3 / Rane MS-1B ... $500 RNP / Brick / Grace Design, $800 Sytek $1000 Great River.

thank you but it doesnt necessarily have to be based on price otherwise i wouldnt have to ask this question i could just go to zzounds and look at pre's from the lowest to highest price....but still thanks because i have been looking at most of those (dmp3 and sytek) and they seemed decent

[chessrock]

Originally Posted by Elmo89m

ok i need enough channels to mic drums (i have a four mic shure set) and double mic my guitar cab (with 57's) live. so 7 roundedup to eight...i need eight...but could i maybe get away with having only two channels (for the guitar and everything done non-simultaneously)

You can always get away with anything. Question is does it really even make sense to invest in nicer mic pres if you're going to be wasting it anyway on poor or compromised tracking conditions? Might defeat the purpose.

I'd say a good list / hierarchy for you might go something like: Yamaha 8-channel mixer $200 or so. Soundcraft E-8 $350. 2 X Sytek $1,600

Or you could just go with one Sytek for $800 and a 4-channel Yamaha mixer for an additional $100 until you can afford something better.

[SonicAlbert]

Originally Posted by chessrock

Or you could just go with one Sytek for $800 and a 4-channel Yamaha mixer for an additional $100 until you can afford something better.

Right, I was going to suggest getting the four channel Sytek and making up the difference with the preamps he already has. Record the primary tracks with the better preamps, and use the other preamps on parts that will be less noticable in the arrangements.

[mikey@thecave]

well if your considering the sytex iwould take a look at the sebatron 4000 in stead more colors

[SonicAlbert]

That Sebatron lists for $1,899 and probably streets around $1,600, which is far above the $1,000 budget. If we are going up to that price range there are a lot more options to consider.

[Milkfaj]

i have an allen & heath mix wizard (16 channels, $1000) and it has great preamps. Theres not a lot of variety or unique color there (i dont have any outboard pre's) but if you want lots of channels, great EQ, and lots of quiet gain, a good A&H mixer or soundcraft mixer might be the way to go.

[Supercreep]

Originally Posted by Milkfaj

i have an allen & heath mix wizard (16 channels, $1000) and it has great preamps. Theres not a lot of variety or unique color there (i dont have any outboard pre's) but if you want lots of channels, great EQ, and lots of quiet gain, a good A&H mixer or soundcraft mixer might be the way to go.

It's got 16 $62 preamps.

[Elmo89m]

what about mackie onyx,i was thinking about that with eigth channels and all...how do those rate with the syteks, rane, RNP, etc

[SonicAlbert]

If you mean the Onyx 800r, the rack unit, that's a real possibility. I've not heard one myself, but I've read some very positive reports from people that have.

There is a thread on the Onyx 800r over at gearslutz.com. If you do a search I'm sure you'll come up with some helpful information.

[Elmo89m]

also if i decide to go cheapo (i dont thing so but i dont know yet) should i get vtb-1 or DMP3?...maybe ill get a sytek and then two of one of those

[apl]

I was gonna leave a stupid answer but since your so snooty....

[SonicAlbert]

Originally Posted by Elmo89m

also if i decide to go cheapo (i dont thing so but i dont know yet) should i get vtb-1 or DMP3?...maybe ill get a sytek and then two of one of those

That really wouldn't cost any less than the Onyx 800r. The Sytek is around $800, and the other two are something like $129 each (?). The Mackie streets for around $1,000. If you are going to do that, you might as well just go with the Sytek and then use your current preamps for the rest of it.

[Elmo89m]

yeah but then i would have 4 syteks and then have to use sm pro audio pr-8's which really suck (it was 90 dollars for eight channels)...even dmp3's or vtb1's would be better than those by a lot

[Elmo89m]

which is better though vtb1 or the DMP3?

[rweiss]

Does anyone know how good the preamps are on the Behringer MX9000 32-channel mixer?

[Kevin Deschwazi]

Originally Posted by Elmo89m

which is better though vtb1 or the DMP3?

I own both. They're pretty different but the VTB-1 is more versatile because of the toob blend thing (which for a budget pre is pretty useable). Then of course the DMP-3 has two channels. I wouldn't say one of the two is 'better' soundwise, just different.

[c7sus]

A thread about "preamp hierarchy" becomes just another thread about DMP3s.

<shakes head>

[Kevin Deschwazi]

Originally Posted by c7sus

A thread about "preamp hierarchy" becomes just another thread about DMP3s.

<shakes head>

Sorry, he asked.

[chessrock]

Originally Posted by c7sus

A thread about "preamp hierarchy" becomes just another thread about DMP3s.

And Syteks ... and Mackies ... and Sebatron, A&H ... when will it end ??

[SonicAlbert]

Originally Posted by chessrock

And Syteks ... and Mackies ... and Sebatron, A&H ... when will it end ??

I know. But when you get into that price range and still want some quality, there really aren't a whole lot of choices for dedicated outboard preamps. That is, when you are talking about buying new.

You could get into DIY preamps, or modding/upgrading cheap preamps, or buying vintage mixing boards for their preamps. If you get into that, then there are *tons* of possibilities.

Okay, so let's throw in a few other names for new preamps: Rane MS-1b, Grace 101, Aphex 207. If it were up to me, I'd take any of those over the VTB-1 or DMP3.