I need a pre better than VLZ Pro

[fenix]

I have the 24 channel mackie vlz pro, the live board, but I use it for my home studio. I use the pre's on the board quite a bit and I also have a presonus blue tube. Basically I bought the blue tube because I figured that any preamp >$100 would most likely be better than the VLZ pre's. That's why I bought the blue tube. Boy, was I wrong. Although I think the blue tube is pretty cool for bass guitar or really loud sources like bottom snare, I don't think the sound quality comes close to that of the VLZ. The blue tube sounds like it has greater harmonic distortion.

Can you guys recommend a pre that has truely better audio quality than the VLZ pre's? I'm looking for something that is good all-around and far better than VLZ and is < $500.

[Mark H.]

Nope. I think to get something that is "far better than the VLZ," you'll need to spend $500 per channel and up (with one possible exception, noted below).

Here are a few suggestions based on listening to recordings:

Single channel preamps:

Grace Design 101, $559 at http://www.audiomidi.com/proaudio/outboard_preamps.cfm

Earthworks Lab 101, $537 at http://www.digitalproaudio.com/manuf...arthworks.html

Two channel versions:

Grace Design 201, $1800 (as above)
Earthworks Lab 102, $1075 (as above)

Not auditioned yet, but well respected by our moderator:

Davisound TB-6, $750 at Davisound.com (for 4 channels).
(I have one on order -- if it proves to be as good as I suspect it is, it will be the best buy per channel by a wide margin.)

Also check out products by Neve, Manley, Great River, D. W. Fearn, AMEK, and anything carried by Mercenary Audio at http://www.mercenary.com/gearbytype.html

With your good Mackie board, you're better off waiting until you can really make a big step up in quality with an outboard preamp.

Best wishes,

Mark H.

[heylow]

DOn't you know Mackie's suck and you have now admitted to being a terrible, awful person?!?!?

I figured I'd put that there since I believe it's customary for SOMEONE to say it after a Mackie related question. Thought it might ward off the dogs and vampires (I also own a Mackie, BTW, and think them quite adequate)

Mark,

I've been thinking about preamps a little lately and find myself wanting something nicer to track with. You mentioned those Davisounds and the money sounds nice on those since I've heard a lot of good things around the net. I'd appreciate a little review if you don't mind when you get them as I find you to be a sincere and objective guy when it comes gear an opinions. I'd like to know what you think.


thanks,

heylow
Rock Jedi/Indie Snob
www.heylowsoundsystem.net

[Gidge]

youcan get different sounding (better is so subjective ) from the lower end Joe Meek stuff.....and the Grace 101 is absolutely awesome....i dont have any experience with preamps past there so i cant relly comment......

the Delta DMP3 will be slightly better than the VLZ's 9$185 for 2 channels....Joe Meeks MQ3($199) and VC6Q($299) and VC1Q(5-600) are all nice.....

[fenix]

I think i'm leaning towards the grace 101. I am impressed by the specs and reviews of it.

[Mark H.]

Heylow,

I'm expecting to get my Davisound preamp sometime in the next few weeks. I'll be sure to let you know what I think once I've had a chance to use it for awhile.

Gidge is right that "better" can be rather subjective unless we're careful to give enough background about our preferences to know we're talking about more-or-less the same thing.

For instance, with the TB-6, Hayne Davis strives for utter neutrality and inaudibility. Those are my top preferences for a mic preamp as well. I picked out the Earthworks and the Grace Design preamps during blind listening tests of recorded music (on the 3DAudioinc.com preamp shoot-off CDs).

But Gidge is also right that the JoeMeek and other lines -- especially boxes that combine mic preamplification with processing -- can be wonderful too. I'd love to try a Manley Voxbox, for instance.

I think of the Mackie VLZ PRO preamps as the Shure SM57 of microphone preamplification. If you don't do your homework, you can spend a lot more money on other products that simply aren't as musically satisfying.

One problem in attempting to compare is that relatively few of us can afford to have a handful of decent mic pres around at the same time (I certainly cannot). So any comments I do have on the Davisound will have to be limited to comparing it to my Mackie. That's unfortunate, because I think it will deserve comparison with much more expensive preamps.

Best wishes,

Mark H.

P. S. Fenix, the Grace Design 101 is a great choice if you can get by with a single channel for awhile. Someone has a used one up on ebay right now for $699. If you buy yours new for $569, well... how much could you lose when it comes time to sell it? Resale value is an important part of the real cost of a piece of equipment.

[Ron Schilling]

I know it's fairly expensive, but I was looking at purchasing an Avalon 737SP to serve as a mic pre; eq; comp for direct to tape. Any experience out there with this piece of gear?

Thanks,
Ron

[h kuhn]

try the studio technologies mic pre eminence. I have one, and i am very pleased with it. Very transparent, extremely fast and well built (i bought mine used, its from 1989!), suficient gain for ribbons. i got mine used for 270, it goes new for under 700.
http://www.studio-tech.com/

[muzeman]

FMR audio is coming out with their long awaited RNMP very soon!

I got that from a very well respected source.

Pete