Mic preamps(tube) Do i need them?ANd which one?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chammy
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Chammy

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If I need one,which I would like to purchase one,which one should I get?In a home price range sorta speak,you know what i'm saying?Or do I need one?Balarri,Art...etc.?
 
You do need a preamp.

You do not need a tube.

I would not recommend ART or Bellari for a first (or only) preamp.
 
Can you suggest me one?

Please?I always thought a mic tube preamp would be good,like maybe for digital recording and to make stuff more warm sorta say.
 
The Event MP1 is a good cheap 1st preamp. I A/B'd it with an art tube mp and I liked it a bit better.

EMP1

Better than a mackie channel.
 
Re: Can you suggest me one?

Chammy said:
Please?I always thought a mic tube preamp would be good,like maybe for digital recording and to make stuff more warm sorta say.
Click to expand...

a good tube preamp will not necessarily be any warmer than a good solid state preamp. that's a myth. the primary difference is how they handle being driven into distortion. but good tube preamps are going to cost you $700 per channel or more.

the preamps you are talking about in your price range are not anywhere near what one would call "good" tube preamps. in fact, most of them are a cheap compromise that merely sticks a tube into an otherwise solid state signal path, unlike a true all-tube preamp.

it's my opinion that if you are looking for an inexpensive preamp, there are solid state models that will sound better for the same price than the "tube" equivalents. and good sound is, in the end, what most of us care about.
 
Re: Re: Can you suggest me one?

littledog said:
but good tube preamps are going to cost you $700 per channel or more.
Click to expand...

Listen to littledog, he knows what he's talking about! And his $700 per ch. for a good tube preamp statement is pretty darn much true...
 
Most of the crowd will advise you against a cheap "tube" preamp, stating things like the tube doesn't do amplification and it's just there for effect. That's true, and I used to say the same things. When I first started I got an ART Tube MP and hated it's dark sound, and started searching for more "transparent" preamps.

Yeesh, when it comes to vocals and acoustic guitar, I now prefer the dark & dirty sound of the ART compared to more "transparent" preamps. Yeah it's an effect, but IMO a good one. Ed told me I'd feel this way...he's always right...the bugger.

Slackmaster 2000
 
so whats' the concensus on the Summit Audio 2BA (or any other of their 1/2 rack models) pre's.
Anyone?

T
 
But whats the real purpose of the mic preamp?Or tube mic preamp?Or a tube preamp basically?
 
Chammy said:
But whats the real purpose of the mic preamp?Or tube mic preamp?Or a tube preamp basically?
Click to expand...

So you can hear what's coming out of your mic. :D
 
preamps

preamps, they provide some gain.

in doing so they change the character of the sound to some degree. some a little some a lot.

tube preamps can be designed to change the character very little, or to exploit the distortion/compression of tubes to change it quite a bit.

people tend to like tube distortion cause it contains a lot of even harmonics (4ths 5ths etc)
 
Not only 6 years old, but an absolutely horrible thread. The OP didn't even have any microphones or recorders.

G.
 
hahahaha, wow, i forgot about this site, thanks for reminding me. I need to visit more often.
 
I use a Blue Baby Bottle mic with a Focusrite Voicemaster Preamp and the sound is incredible.
 
Why would anyone want tube breakup/distortion on a vocal signal?? When I hear that I think high gain electric guitar distortion.

So if you're NOT looking for that classic tube distortion on a vocal signal, is there no practical use for a tube preamp?
 
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