HHB Radius 40? Place thoughts here!

[Flyguylol]

How's the HHB Radius 40 for the price ($629). I am ultimately looking for a good-quality tube-preamp that will have:

1) Good quality on general recordings

2) High resale value

Is this the best one that's out there for under $700?

Also, any good places to find this used besides ebay?

Thanks, guys!

[Gargamel]

High resale value?

Why don't you wait a little longer and save up for something you will have FOREVER?

[Flyguylol]

Why don't you wait a little longer and save up for something you will have FOREVER? (Gargamel)



Like what? I know the Avalon VT 737sp is pretty good...anything else? I'd like to have something that will last me awhile, but...

A friend of mine uses the Radius 40 widely for acoustics...you can hear what I'm talking about here:

http://www.devingreenwood.com/mp3.html

(Listen to "Your Face is What I'm Thinking About").

[Wil Davis]

I have two Radius-40s - I love 'em! I like how they sound, the fact that they're pretty simple to use, they're versatile, and they're very well-built. I've never had any problems with them. Ask 20 people and you're get 20 different opinions. It's what makes life interesting.

- Wil

FWIW: How many HHB Radius-40s have you seen on the used market?

[tubedude]

FLYGUY- that track sounds pretty intimate, not bad at all... what mics were used? Sounds pretty good.

[Track Rat]

I have one and am real happy with it.

[Henrik]

I have the Radius 10 (TLAudio Ivory 5001 as it's called over here), which is four tube pre's. I understand it's the same pre's as in the Radius 40. It's the best. I can't begin to tell you how much I love it. It totally kills for drums when driven hard. And when you choose not to drive it hard - it's simply a very good pre.

There are probably less colored units on the market, but I don't mind gear with an attitude.

I myself haven't heard the Radius 40, but a friend of mine reported that the compressor was soft and fat. Anything you'd want from a tube compressor. Nice and warm for vocals, wonderful for bass guitar.

Cheers
/Henrik

[tubedude]

Is HHB stuff true high plate voltage tube equipment? The only cheap tube stuff that I ever hear anything good about, and I hear GREAT stuff about from most over at the pro audio group, is the Peavey/AMR vmp-2.
www.peavey.com/amr/vmp2.html Supposedly the best piece of tube gear available for the price and very well designed. Its only like $700 or so list I think. I'll probably end up with one eventually just because of the price and what I've heard from alot of respected names. Rarely will they hype cheap stuff.
I've always had some interest in the HHB stuff, but never really hear much about it. Fletcher smashed them one time, and I kinda lost interest. That track didnt sound bad though, at all.
Anyone else have some tracks?

[db51]

TLAudio (HHB in the US) seems to be a lot more popular in the UK than in the US.
Their gear is regularly mentioned in interviews in british mag Sound-on-sound, for example Chris Tsangarides (Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Depeche Mode...) has the TLAudio VTC desk (a 'tube' console) and a rack full of the TLA Ivory series, and says he's a 'big fan' of theirs...

So some pros do like their gear...

[Gargamel]

"Like what? I know the Avalon VT 737sp is pretty good...anything else? I'd like to have something that will last me awhile, but... "

-There is a lot of stuff out there that is better than Avalon. Check out John Hardy's Stuff. I just ordered the M2 from him. Sure, its around $1200 but it sooo worth it. I don't know.....I wish I had $150 for every time I 'wasted' $300.00

By cheap. By twice.

[Henrik]

Originally posted by tubedude

Anyone else have some tracks?

I could post some tracks with my band. We should be done in a few days or a week.

/Henrik

[tubedude]

Anyone else have some tracks to post yet?
Hey Track Rat, what do you have to compare it to? Got any tracks that were done with it? That song really doesnt sound bad, what mic was it again with that HHB?
Hows the EQ and compression? I like thick, gooey compression...
Peace.

[tubedude]

wanna be in for a big surprise just look up www.tlaudio.com , not exactly what I was expecting. At all. Not exactly the same kind of Ivory equipment I was expecting.

[Track Rat]

Hey Tudedude
That was extremly uncool. Some people surf these boards from work. Following a link like that could get them fired. Very uncool.

[tubedude]

Oops, my bad, you're right. I'm gonna try to take it off, if it'll let me still. Doesnt seem like it would go there, though, thats screwed up.
Editing in..
Nope, because of some stupid 333 minute rule, I cant take it off... if you see this before you go to it, its not TLAudio at all, its some goofy porno shit with the tlaudio name, which is quite strange. Oh well.

[Mark H.]

Lot's of confusion for me as well....

Both JoeMeek and HHB are selling a "sound," as far as I can tell, yet this is the FIRST time I've had the opportunity actually to *hear* something with the "HHB sound," and it sounds great, even in MP3 on crappy little no-name computer speakers.

I've gotten great information on where to go for ultra-clean microphone preamplification (Earthworks, Grace Design, perhaps Davisound and a couple of others), but where to go beyond that? So much to learn, so much to learn.

A soundclip is worth a thousand words.....

Many thanks to FlyGuy for posting the clip, and for asking the original question.

Mark H.

[Flyguylol]

Thanks for the good response...I'm probably going to order a Radius 40 after all...

As far as I know, most if not all of Devin's vocals were done with the AKG 3000. Check out some of his other stuff- you'll notice his vocals sound warm and defined. This is exactly what I'm looking for in a preamp. I'm just basically trying to see if there might be anything out there that might be worth the $629 and miht hold its value a little more.

As for Peavey......I've been told by various unconnected sources that Peavey's are designed poorly and cheaply.

By the way, does anyone have anything to say about the Hafler Triple? They've got great ratings and they can be found cheap right now.

And look at Tubedude putting porn links on my discussion post!!!!

[Flyguylol]

Sorry, let me make a correction...Devin uses a Rode NT 1000 for his vocals...

[subspace]

Your original post asked about tube preamps under $700, so I think the Peavey VMP-2 was the best suggestion. What you heard about Peavey is true, it's to be avoided like the plague, but this is a re-badged AMR piece and their stuff was solid. Kinda like how HHB is just re-badged TL Audio. It's the only actual tube preamp suggested, transformer coupled to boot, and is a solid stereo pre for under $700 used. The HHB/TL Audio stuff is a transformerless IC pre followed by a 12AX7A line amp, kinda similar to the pre in a mid-line console feeding a "tube warmer" box. TL Audio did build a real Pentode tube pre in their Classic Series, but everything else they made uses that IC pre feeding a "tube driver." I've got one but just use it for a DI box for keyboards to avoid the mic pre IC stage.
If your open to non "tube" mic pres for $629, I'd consider the Trident-MTA Signature 2 on www.joemeek.com 's Scratch and Dent page. It's a stereo pre with swept 4 band EQs for each channel, same design as the 924 console. It's discontinued, not scratched, and may hold it's value quite well. I understand it sounds thick with musical EQ, but I've only used the Series 80 pres so far myself. I think this close-out Trident with an RNC qualifies for the best stereo channel deal available. HTH

[Mark H.]

I know nothing, but for those who do, I wanted to alert you to a sale in the HHB line. There's a dealer at Digibid.com who has 13 factory sealed "A-stock" HHB Classic 70 Mic Pre/Parametric Equalizers with warranty for $999 plus $18 shipping. They list for $2950, and some sites are still trying to sell them in the upper twenties.

The sale seems to be limited to units that cost about $1850 and up (the Classic 80 mic pre, the Classic 60 compressor, etc.), and some vendors are offering them at about half retail, including Macmidimusic. Discounts on the Radius 40 and other models suggest they are NOT on sale at this time.

What's a bit maddening for those of us with less experience is whether such high-end units are a good buy at half price or not -- ?? There's steep competition in the $1000 to $1400 price range, to say the least.

Mark H.

[tubedude]

Recession is happening... I'm hoping to see gear come down all over the place. Actually, I cant wait.
If anyone told you that the Peavey pre was junk, then they probably dont know what they are talking about. Peavey stuff in general used to be pretty shabby, but as someone said, this piece is an AMR designed REAL tube transformer-coupled piece with big transformers. A good design, too, from my understanding, and its a stereo piece, with some high and low filters, pad, phase reverse, and a good DI for $700. You cant go wrong here. I repeat, you can't go wrong here. If you dont like it, I'll buy it for $500
Peace.