Just got Rode NTK. Now what Mic Pre??

J

JesusFreak

New member
Hey guys,

I just picked up a Rode NTK and have noticed a huge difference right away compared to my other mic's. Octava MK-319 and a Rode NT1a.

Anyway, I do contemporary Christian music. A lot of acoustic and some ballads.

I'm looking to get a Really good mic-pre. One channel is fine as it is only me doing recording. My budget is around $600 give or take.

I've been looking into the Grace 101 but am open to suggestions. I'm just looking for something (as is everyone) that will help to give it that real polished sound that you hear in commercial CD's.

Granted, I may not get 100% there but I am looking to getting close.

Anyway...your opinions are greatly appreciated.

I forgot to mention that I will primarily be doing vocals so I'm looking for a pre that will compliment that. Some acoustic work but mainly vocals.

Thanks.
 
JesusFreak said:
I'm looking to get a Really good mic-pre. One channel is fine as it is only me doing recording. My budget is around $600 give or take.
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I'm going out on a limb here and saying Grace Design.
 
I'll second Chessrock,

But as a alternate choice I suggest the FMR RNP.
I have a couple of the FMR RNPs and really love them on vocals.
I have the tube T-3 , a B-3 and a AT4033 that I mainly use for vocals and it really brings out the richness in the mics without coloration that I can really notice.

I record mainly acoustic oriented music (Celtic /Folk/Jazz/Country)
but have done several Contemporay Christian Artist as well and they have been very pleased with the sound.
 
You're not ever going to record a stereo acoustic guitar track--or a stereo anything track? That would be a mistake, IMO.

How about the RNP/RNC combo? $650 for two channels of high quality pre and compression.
 
Hey guys,

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I've often thought of the RNP but I also had figured that the Grace 101 would even be a bigger step up than that. Maybe I'm wrong.

And why would it be a mistake not to record acoustic in stereo?? I'm asking because I really don't know. Why couldn't I just copy a track to another and pan them opposite eachother?? What advantage is recording stereo over doing this??

Thanks for the help.
 
Well copying the tracks is not nearly the same thing. If you think about it the two mics are picking up different sounds so the same track doubled and panned is not the same. A stereo recording on guitar usually gives a more complete sound. Althugh a good sound can be acheived Mono as well. Here is a mp3 of a guy that was recorded in Mono with a TLM103 ran through a Sytek Preamp and an RNC compressor. Yes I know the percussion is off but it is just a little demo song for the guy and was recorded in a couple hours.... If I were to reccomend somehting I would suggest you save up a couple hundred more bucks and get the Sytek preamp.. 4 channels..great sound, killer price. The vocals were done via a NTK as well....

 
JesusFreak said:
Hey guys,

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I've often thought of the RNP but I also had figured that the Grace 101 would even be a bigger step up than that. Maybe I'm wrong.
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i'd say your wrong...from fletcher's posts about the fmr guys(mark mcquillen) they are hippies at heart and try to make gear that equals gear that cost 2000, for a lot less...but of course it comes with compromises like the RNP for instance has 12 gain stages at 6 db increments we would prefer 3 db, but that extra dough... and its relatively noisey compared to other pre's @ the 1k and up range...not to mention it runs on a wall wart
 
All these suggestions are great. The preamp I've been using for the last 3 years and that I love is the Focusrite Platinum Voicemaster . It is in your price range, has class A electronics, and a superb compressor and EQ built in. A lot of bang for the bucks. You probably won't go wrong with any of the preamps suggested.
Lynn
 
Focusrite Platinum Voicemaster PRO would be even better. $600 and it can be upgraded to supply AD via SPDIF right to your soundcard or board.

It's a step up from the RNP IMO.
 
I think

an Octapre!! by Focusrite.Its 8 chanels but hey 8 chanels for like $1100.00 is a deal with there quality.I have Langevin am16's and telefunken v72a's and Im very impressed.Cant never have enough mic pre's!!
 
here is another clip of the Sytek, but recorded in Stereo with KM184's and a additional TLM103. Vocals were on a NTK. Cello is coming on this song....Vocals were ran throught he Sytek Burr Brown channel. The guitar is one I made.

 
JesusFreak said:
Hey guys,

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I've often thought of the RNP but I also had figured that the Grace 101 would even be a bigger step up than that. Maybe I'm wrong.

And why would it be a mistake not to record acoustic in stereo?? I'm asking because I really don't know. Why couldn't I just copy a track to another and pan them opposite eachother?? What advantage is recording stereo over doing this??

Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

The difference between cloning a track and recording in stereo can be significant. You can tweak a cloned track with eq and delay to make it sound a "little different" than the original, but it is still the exact same track with cosemetics. On the other hand, with two mics in XY config e.g. one will be pointing at the neck picking up less bass (thus more treble) and sound/vibe coming from the fret board and strings while the other mic is pointed toward bridge/soundhole picking up more of the richness and bass of the guitar. When panned opposite these two tracks will give the recording more life, more feel.

Put another way, a cloned track is like spending another night with the same girl wearing a wig and different lipstck, while a well-executed stereo recording is like spending the night with twins. Get it?
 
tdukex said:

Put another way, a cloned track is like spending another night with the same girl wearing a wig and different lipstck, while a well-executed stereo recording is like spending the night with twins. Get it?
Click to expand...

Nicely done!

Space
 
you know what...
i'm really upset that Summit Audio has totally dropped the ball on their promotion for the Summit Audio Half Rack pieces

the 2ba-221 goes from ultra clean, to phat and warm in the twist of a knob...

i recorded a female blues singer, with a Rode NTK through the Summit...and everyone who heard it asked "how did you get it to sound like vinyl"
now, it might have helped that she's one of the dopest blues/jazz singers i've heard...(and those are two of my favorite types of music) but still, someone actually said "i can almost hear the vinyl rotating"

then i recorded some hip hop stuff myself, and i like it warm, but man, did it sound great clean...
i chose to stick with the warm side, cus for hip hop, it's nie to be rugged...

but seriously, i wish they'd get these to some stores for try-outs and some reviewers
 
moeses said:
i'm really upset that Summit Audio has totally dropped the ball on their promotion for the Summit Audio Half Rack pieces
Click to expand...

Why does it upset you? Do you have stock or part ownership in the company?

Did you lose a bet on it?

I don't understand. :D :D
 
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