Art DPS II preamp

[lapieuvre]

I am interested in the Art DPS II preamp as its specs are just what I need. With its digital output and its good price (200$), it seems good for me.

Any comment on that preamp? If you guys like it or not just tell me

Thanks,

Thierry

[timboZ]

I think it is well worth the $260 that I spent on mine.

The main reason I got it was for the digital outs.
I use it a lot on vocals and bass DI.

[bilco]

I rented one once and really liked what it did for my Pbass as a DI. I didn't really use it on vocals or anything else that weekend though.

bilco

[EdWonbass]

I bought one to use the spdif outs so I could get two more channels into my Firebox. As far as sound goes it's nothing special but it also seems pretty clean and has phase reverse on it. I found that the voicings can be usefull. I use the bass setting on the limiter side for kick drum. Sounds nice. I probably would have bought something a little better if I was just trying to upgrade to a nicer pre but for me this allows me to get two more channels into my Firebox.

BTW I just upgraded to a Firepod so now I can get 10 channels in.

[RandyW]

I have one, it does a pretty good job especially with bass and KB's.
I use in on mics sometimes you can get a lot of color out of it if that is what your looking for. It works good with acoustic guitar and the right mic.

I'd have to say that the quality is not anything to brag about you get alot of noise and scary sounds if you use the front input jacks even after it's warmed up a considrable amount of time.

The SPDIF is probably worth the price of admission. As a quality preamp it is not going to happen. I've bought several sub $500 preamps, ART, Focusrite's,VTB1, etc and none of them sound as good as the preamps in my old but pristine Carvin MX1222 console.

[wbcsound]

Bought one to augment my Tascam 1082 via SPDIF and was pretty disappointed. I hoped it would match the quality of the built in pres in the Tascam but it was very thin by comparison. As a special effect, you can overdrive the it fairly easily but as a clean pre I found it lacking.

[lapieuvre]

Thanks,

That means I'll go for a rental before buying!

I heard good things about the Studio Projects VTB1 preamp, which is just one input and no SPDIF output, I might try that one too

Thierry

[SRR]

I liked my VTB-1s thru my M-audio 1010LT card analog ins a little better then using the DPSII thru the digital in on my M-audio 1010LT. Not a lot better, but a little bit, and sometimes have those "little bits" help when you add all those "bits" up.

[Micter]

I have had one for about a year. I use it specifically for distorted guitars and as a Keyboard DI. It's very colored but that is what I like about it. It's probably the worst Bass DI I've tried but I have way better pres for that. All in all, I'd say it is very much worth $200.

[giraffe]

used to have the TPS, and found the headroom to be lacking.
ok for the price.

[lapieuvre]

The gear I have:
Mackie CFX 16 mixer
Audio-Technica at4040 & at3035 microphone
AKG C2000B Microphone
Samson resolv 65a monitors
Sonar 4 producer edition

I recorded a female tenor singer with the at4040, She then went to a professionnal studio to record the same song (it was 35$/hour). She sang in a Neumann TLM103, in a console(the tech sait it had warm preamps) but no external preamp there. I then mixed the song at my place with the same effects (compressor and reverb).

Result? She better liked the one she sang at MY place.

So If I do a better job than the guy charging 35$/hour, My goal is to improve my home studio with a good preamp. Since I got a 450$ mike, a 1200$ console, 500$ studio monitors, I can't afford Avalon or Manley preamps. I do pop songs, voices, jazz songs. So for those needs, What preamps would you suggest me?

Thanks again,

Thierry

[giraffe]

fmr rnp (2 chan, 475)
groove tubes brick (1 chan 399)

[lapieuvre]

Thanks never heard of these before, but good reviews on the net

Thierry

[giraffe]

best reviewed budget pre's out there, peroid.
i own the rnp and it stomps the tps's ass.