8-Channel Microphone Preamps

A

Alex W

New member
I'm in the market for an 8-channel preamp with 8 analog outputs to feed into a Korg D1600 cause the onboard preamps are noisy as hell. It needs to have phantom power on each channel but that's about it. I've thought of getting a decent mixer used just for the preamps but don't really need all the associated features. I have access to an older Mackie 1602 but figure I can do better than that.

Budget wise, I could probably see my way clear up to about $1000; but would prefer to stay under $500. Up in the grand range I'm in the market for a used Soundcraft or A&H mixer.

A quick web search turned up newly released affordable units from ST Audio and SM Pro Audio; but I don't know if these would be a significant step up from what I've got. I also saw that Joemeek is coming out with an 8-channel unit towards the end of the year; but it's likely to be near the upper end of my price range.

Any thoughts/guidance would be much appreciated.

Alex
 
1 - RNP

2- VTB-1's

1- DMP3

1- Audio Buddy


right at $1000 but you have different flavors of preamps instead of 8 of the same.....
 
Alex W said:
I've thought of getting a decent mixer used just for the preamps but don't really need all the associated features.
Click to expand...

You might not need them, but it doesn't hurt to have them around.

Reason I say this is because your only real options in that range probably aren't going to be much better (if at all), really, than an 8-channel Soundcraft or Mackie board . . . so why not just go that route and consider the extra features purely as bonus?

If you have to have an outboard unit, then Wide Awake's recommendation of the Presonus is about your only decent option.
 
Appreciate all the input.

On the Presonus LT, I don't think there are 8 individual channel outputs; but I'll check.

I've seen some very affordable older model Soundcraft mixers on e-bay as well--is that a gamble worth taking? The cheaper ones only have 8 channels of input but that's all I need.

Thanks again.

Alex
 
dont cheap out

on mic preamps, they are the life line to great sound. Go as good a quality as you can. For a grand I wound go for the focusrite octopre. 8 channel with a comp. gate. 900 bucks at GC.Now is is not a V72 or a Neve but it is nice for the money.
 
Wow! Line's 8 channel mic pre is cheap!

4,000.00 SEK Sweden Kronor = 480.822 USD United States Dollars....not bad. I wonder how it sounds.
 
Stefan Elmblad said:
Very very clean.
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This pre seems to be a forgotten gem... would you know the RNP and how it would relate ?
Or do you mean 'very, very clean' as in: 'boring clean' ?

This seems like a perfect and affordable mobile solution (3 of these and a 24track HDR..)


Herwig
 
I was looking also for a 8 channel pre that would add some color..the pre's in my Echo Mona systems are really clean and sound good, but If I want something with color and 8 channels where shoudl I go? Focusrite? The meek pre looks killer so I may just have to wait and see how the reviews of it go....
 
DeadPoet said:
This pre seems to be a forgotten gem... would you know the RNP and how it would relate ?
Click to expand...

A friend of mine has it (the Line Audio), and I have been planning to compare it to what I have for some time but haven't got to it yet. Anyway I'll be needing a some extra preamps for a gig about a month from now, so perhaps I'll borrow it and put it through its paces at last. What I have now is a soundcraft board and a Mindprint AN/DIpro, and the Mindprint is really exellent! I would very much like to compare the AN/DIpro to the RNP some time, but I don't expect to see RNP's showing up in in the stores on this side of the great pond any day soon.

ps. Oh, I almost forgot, I have the micpres on the ST-Audio ADAM24 as well. But calling those useless would be a slap in the face of ordinary useless things. The uselessness of these micpres are beyond the descriptive capabilities of ordinary language. I feel a strange urge to seal up the xlr inputs with plastic padding to be sure that the design flaws hidden within will not leak out and start giving the rest of my equipment ideas. Come to think of it there was suddenly a strange hum from my RME digiface the other day, after it had been sitting on top of the ADAM24 for a few hours...
 
Hi I'm new here, and this be my first post.
I agree wholeheartedly with the Presonus Digimax LT, and Octopre. But I'd also love to add the Terratec Mic8, SPL Gainstation 8, RME Octomic (will be out soon), Event EMP8 (might come out eventually, and the Crane Song Spider (If you have lots o' money - I don't)
If you really don't need 8 pre's but are willing to get 4 GOOD quality real tube pres, the TLAudio 5001 (I think?) are a great unit.
For the other gear, the Digimax and Octopre both have ADAT outputs, the Gainstation and the Event do also, but the TLA and RME are audio only
 
DeadPoet said:
Or do you mean 'very, very clean' as in: 'boring clean' ?
Click to expand...

Probably yes. :)
I think that is A Good Thing, though, since it makes them usable for anything since they don't color stuff.

I still use my ART Tube MP (which I otherwise hate because it's a piece of crap) for vocals though.

Having 8 channels of the same colour seems a bit boring to me, unless you really need 8 extra channels. Otherwise getting a couple of different preamps with slightly different color seems the obvious choice.
 
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