ART tube mike pre-amps

scrubs, nothing could be further from the truth old boy. I am listening to your suggestions - and I am looking to spend $100-150 on the pre (VTB1 about $100 equivalent here)


Now, how does the HHB radius compare to these other models? Bit more pricey but better value?
 
I haven't heard much good about the HHB.

If you're looking to spend a little bit more, and you wouldn't mind a compressor and EQ, I think the JoeMeek ThreeQ is a good bargain. Good pre, colorful compressor (good for some things, but not for others) and a good EQ. IMO, it's one of the best bang-for-buck products out there.
 
There's really not a whole lot wrong with the art preamps. Nothing stellar or jaw-dropping, but for the most part, ART makes decent low to mid-level gear. Their Tube MP makes for a fantastic bass DI for some reason. Seriously ... you could put it up against an Avalon and it will hold it's own. It's just a really good impedence match, and something about the mis-biased tube stage seems to be much better suited in this situation than it is with microphones. Although it generally isn't terrible there, either. In general, it just does a really nice job handling instrument-level signals. Everything comes accross full, balanced, and just "right," for lack of better description. Can't say enough good things about it there.

Some of their other stuff isn't too bad, either. The Pro VLA is actually a very good opto compressor; especially for the money, it's a steal.

The DI/O a/d converter is another interesting piece. It's not a bad a/d and d/a converter if you just need some extra channels on the cheap. I'm not going to go overboard and say they're going to be a huge step up from what you get with most soundcards, but for 100 bucks or whatever it is they go for, it's two perfectly usable channels of a/d and d/a; probably a little cleaner and quieter than what you might find in a typical PCI soundcard. Be careful of what you might read on the web about it, though.
 
chessrock said:
The DI/O a/d converter is another interesting piece. It's not a bad a/d and d/a converter if you just need some extra channels on the cheap. I'm not going to go overboard and say they're going to be a huge step up from what you get with most soundcards, but for 100 bucks or whatever it is they go for, it's two perfectly usable channels of a/d and d/a; probably a little cleaner and quieter than what you might find in a typical PCI soundcard. Be careful of what you might read on the web about it, though.
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I've seen some audiophile boards where they go absolutely ga-ga crazy over that box :confused:

The MP does rule for instruments. I have a modded Dual MP dedicated to that purpose.
 
guys

I am still struggling with the main problem:

This basic little studio of mine with VS-880 at the heart will primarily be used for cutting demos of my songs, which are an indie / folk / experimental / punk / orchestral, and secondly be used to produce radio interviews for broadcast. The intruments are accordian, accoustic and dirty guitar, keyboard, midi via basic PC studio package, and vocals. After as warm a sound as I can get.


As I said I am mulling over microphone / preamp combos for these applications, and was originally pursuing the ART route at the start of this thread (no more!). Now thinking AT 4040 with VTB1 preamp as budget is pretty tight but frankly reading and posting a number of other threads I have so many options it's untrue, really need a kind and seasoned digi engineer / user to advise me on the best set-up for what I want, to get the best out of the 880 and have plenty of flexibility. In total I can probably sling $250 at the mike and $150 at the pre

I'd really appreciate some options / guidance on this, and any other budget pieces of kit I should be looking out for to help the sounds along... :confused:

Thanks again

The Foal
 
When it comes to flexibility, clean is always better than colored. You can manipulate a clean sound into anything you want, but with a colored sound, you're stuck with the color to some extent.

I think you're on the right track with your AT4040/VTB1 combo. I'd probably get a DMP3 instead of a VTB1 because it has two channels.

In any case, you've already gotten lots of good advice. There isn't going to be 100 percent unanimity about any piece of gear.
 
i've got both the art tube pac and the dmp3;i've also got an audiobuddy, if that factors into anything at all, and i must say that i prefer (for indie rock) the art pre for bass. only bass. everything else i use the dmp3 or the audiobuddy (if i need 2 extra channels, that is).

so yeah, get the dmp3, it's a killer pre for the money.
 
So I guess with the VS-880 you've already got two or four preamps built into the unit, right? While I would still recommend the DMP3 because I have it, and it's so much cleaner than the preamps on the 8 track I started out with, if you're looking for a single channel to nicely treat your mono signals, you should look into the Rane MS1b. I've never heard it, but it's supposed to be a top-notch preamp. It's $150 here.

If you think you might want to do some stereo stuff, the DMP3 is $150. Get a pair of Studio Projects B1 mics for $100 each, and you're set.
 
theflyingfoal said:
guys

After as warm a sound as I can get.


In total I can probably sling $250 at the mike and $150 at the pre

I'd really appreciate some options / guidance on this, and any other budget pieces of kit I should be looking out for to help the sounds along... :confused:

Thanks again

The Foal
Click to expand...

You'll get more "warmth", and better sound overall from a better mic. I'd put most of that budget towards a more flexible mic. The AT4050 is right up your alley for the stuff that you are recording- and you can get a used one within your budget if you take some out from the preamp end of things. Just another perspective to add to the confusion :D
 
DBX mini

teainthesahara, was just thinking the same thing, more on the mike and less on the pre. As cheapie pres go, have you used the DBX mini pre? It's got 20dB Pad and soviet 12ax7 vacuum tube so audio quality might be a bit better than rivals
 
I'd say the pres in your Roland are probably as good as the DBX pre. Do a search on the DBX mini-pre, and you'll find that that's pretty much the consensus.

If you're not willing to a least get the VTB-1 or DMP3, I'd say it's not worth getting an outboard pre at all, that you should just stick with your built-in Roland pres.
 
theflyingfoal said:
teainthesahara, was just thinking the same thing, more on the mike and less on the pre. As cheapie pres go, have you used the DBX mini pre? It's got 20dB Pad and soviet 12ax7 vacuum tube so audio quality might be a bit better than rivals
Click to expand...

Sorry flying foal, i've havent used that preamp before. At the price level it's at, i might expect it to sound different, but really no better or worse than anything else. I agree with what cominginsecond said - the preamps in your Roland will do an adequete job. Another option for you would be to spend most of the money on the mic, and then just get a phantom power box/DI box (i dont think the Roland has phantom power) to power and plug the mic into your Rolands' line level inputs. Although, you might find that the dbx mini or the ARTmp, which can function essentially as a phantom power/DI box, will do the same thing for close to the same money.

Good luck,
T
 
I have the ART V3. It was my first pre, and it probably should NOT have been my first. I love the thing, but it is limited. It's worth the price as a bass DI. I also like it on acoustic guitar, but it isn't a very good vocal pre. Check out the solid state stuff already mentioned.
 
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