JoeMeek 3Q, Thoughts?

[CharlesThomas]

I'm looking for a half-way decent mic pre for around $300. I'm leaning toward the Joe Meek 3Q since it has a compressor and an EQ in it.

Any thoughts or comments? Anything else in roughly the same price range that people would recommend instead?

I'm hoping to avoid the hassle I've just experienced buying an Alesis 3630 when I should've gotten the Behringer Composer.

Heh!

[Buck62]

I've been looking for the same type of unit, C/T.
I've narrowed it down to the JoeMeek and the ART Tube Pac... which is also a preamp/compressor combo. The ART unit costs around $225, and it got some really good reviews at www.harmony-central.com
You might want to check it out for comparison.

[c7sus]

Keep in mind that the JoeMeek compression is by no means transparent. It isn't meant to be. I use a VC6Q and with ALL of the compression parameters turned to minimum engaging the compressor on/off switch alters the sound. I have been having fun fooling with the EQ section on bass, and it is possible to get a wide range of sounds out of the 6. If I had the bread, I'd love to get a couple more of their boxes. Like a VC1Q or the new one that does Mid+Side matrix recording....

[pglewis]

ProRec did a recent side-by-side: http://www.prorec.com/prorec/article...25687A00726D34

[CharlesThomas]

Regarding the ART "Tube PAC". It sounds intriquing (especially considering the price), but I've always been a bit leery of things with tubes in them that run the tubes at DC voltage rather than the higher voltages that tubes need to do what tubes do.

Also, the ART "tube" stuff has a reputation for being noisy, and for that low of a price, I can't imagine it's a quiet unit.

CT

[KaBudokan]

I just recently picked up a Joe Meek VC3 (not the 3Q) from Guitar Center on clearance for $185 new. I have to say, I am very impressed. Yes, the compressor does color the sound. Honestly, though, for my uses, it is a really nice color. Warms up my vocal tracks really well, and also does a nice job on a mic'd acoustic. I'm still learning what works best with it. Definitely a nice contrast to the pre's on my Mackie. I would imagine the 3Q is a nice improvement over the VC3, which uses the enhancer controls. I would prefer an EQ, but I also got the VC3 for below cost.

Just for reference, a buddy of mine just picked up the ART Pro Tube Channel (about $450) and likes it a lot. Nice variety of sounds, as the prorec article says.

And yeah, C7sus, I would love to be able to pick up some of the other Joe Meek boxes.