Mid priced microphone preamp and compressors?

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StudioRecorder

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Midpriced microphone preamps and compressors?

Hi, well I figured I might just spend a little more money getting a decent midpriced Microphone Preamp and and a nice Compressor instead of buying something cheap to replace my Joemeek VC1.

As I see it there are a number of choices but if my budjet is between $500 and $800, looking for used equipment, I think can get my hands on some pretty good stuff. So what do you guys recommend? I was thinking about the ½-rack Summit's and the the TLAudio's. Do you have an opinion about these?

I'm using the Digi001 and a couple of mics, Shure SM57 for my amps and the AKG C414B-TLII for just about everything else. That's about it.

I want the preamp and the compressor to be transparent but yet warm sounding and since I'll be using them on everything that I want to record through the Digi I don't want them to colour the sound too much. I want it to sound good with just about anything, but my main concern would be High Gain guitar amps, acoustic guitars, voice and D/I-bass.

I'm really appretiative of your thoughts and ideas, thanks.
 
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The RNP + RNC combo ($650) would give you two channels of quality pre and compression.

The new Meek TwinQ may also be an option you want to explore.
 
i did the same thing as you. i had a vc1q, i sold it and turned it into a couple different outboard units. didnt regret replacing the EQ and the mic pre. but i still miss the compressor


as far as used pres...

you can pick up a grace for $350 or so. i have seen them go for that.

i got an earthworks lab pre for $300. pretty decent.


but i guess it depends on the flavor you are looking for. you can build a hamptone kit for $500. two channels. jfet i think, low voltage beginner sort of thing. should be colorful.



compressors i really dont know... for mid priced you might want to go with a few flavors of old mid priced. an optical and a VCA would be nice. maybe a dbx160x and umm. some cheap optical (is there such a thing). or you get the ART proVLA which despite the ARTness of it, is a pretty respected piece.

or as you mentioned you could look at used summit stuff. those are supposed to be very good values.
 
tdukex said:
The RNP + RNC combo ($650) would give you two channels of quality pre and compression.

The new Meek TwinQ may also be an option you want to explore.
Click to expand...
Ditto on the RNP/RNC combo.

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What about tube-preamps and -compressors? I think most of the stuff you guys mentioned is solid state?!

I'll really need the warmth of tubes since I don't really use any tube mics and do record in a digital environment.
 
Save that $800 and add $10 a week on to it and wait out a Distressor to pop up on ebay or until you have enough for a new one. You'll shit your panties when you crank into some extreme settings on that thing. I had a chance to twist some knobs.

I dont have one.

I will.
 
Not sure why you feel you need tubes. At the $800 price point the best thing you can do for yourself is simply get the most bang for the buck. This whole "tube warmth" thing is kind of a bad joke. Some very warm recordings can be made with solid state gear. Maybe it's just me, but I feel the cleanest most honest signal path is the one that is going to be the most warm. You have to pay a lot more than $800 to get into the tube gear that gives you that. So stick with getting the best bang for the buck in your price range, which will mean something like an RNP or Grace 101 along with a compressor of some sort. eeldips's compressor suggestions seem pretty good to me, or maybe an RNC.
 
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Hi,

I was under the impression that tubes where the best way to go?

I have found a decent pair of Summit Audio's (the 2BA-221 and TLA-50) for about $800. Is that a good bang for the buck?

I'm sorry, there aren't that many places here to test drive gear at. This way I really can't make up my mind. I also live in Europe, so most of the brands you guys mentioned aren't available for the consumer at a fairly good price, since they have to import them.

Do you know of any good test sites for mic pre's and compressors?
 
I didn't read your original post carefully enough, you are only in need of one channel. I haven't used the particular Summit gear you mention, but it has been recommended to me at times, and Summit does have a good reputation. I think both would be respectable choices.

Still not sure why they both need to be tube though. Also, if I was to only have one compressor I'd want one with more settings than just fast, medium and slow. Granted, the DBX 160X and ART PRO VLA recommended earlier don't have a lot of settings either. Inexpensive compressors with more control settings include the RNC and the Aphex Expressor, for example. The Expressor can be found used rather inexpensively.

So using the RNC or Expressor would be an example of coupling a tube preamp with a solid state compressor that has more control. The Distressor would be an excellent choice (I own two myself), but is beyond your current budget.

The other option is to get a solid state preamp like the Grace 101 or Earthworks for example, and follow that with a tube compressor like the Summit TLA-50 or the ART PRO VLA. I might go with the Summit if I only needed one channel.

I've been going through a somewhat similar process with my studio over the past year or so, except that I need everything in stereo because I'm a keyboard guy. I started off with a great two channel preamp, the Grace 201. I got a couple Distressors, and recently added a Manley VariMu. Along the way I got an Aphex Compellor and a bunch of Expressors and DBX 160X's and 903's. People are dumping the Aphex and DBX stuff pretty cheap these days. The other thing I did to give myself more tube tone options was to get a pair of Groove Tube DITTO direct boxes, which I can patch anywhere if I want that particular sound.

So, you may find yourself ending up with a tube preamp and compressor, and a solid state preamp and compressor.That would give you a lot of tonal options. Think in terms of variety of tones available to you, not "tube warmth".
 
Hi and thank you SonicAlbert, that was a lot of information you covered and things are starting to seem a bit more clearer. I guess I'll have to really test the stuff either way though. But I'll keep your suggestions in mind. Thanks again, all of you!

All the best!
 
how about the Mindprint Envoice II? That should be right in the middle of your budget range. Has anyone experience with them??
 
tdukex said:
The RNP + RNC combo ($650) would give you two channels of quality pre and compression.

The new Meek TwinQ may also be an option you want to explore.
Click to expand...

Actually that combo would give you two channels of pre and one of compression. You would have to add another RNC to get yourself to 2 and 2. If that is the route you want to go, you could likely get them all for right around $800.
 
The RNC is a stereo unit (at least mine is). That means it is two channels but only one set of controls; so you can only get the same settings for both channels, although you can run two different mics through it at the same time.

Tom
 
Tomcat said:
The RNC is a stereo unit (at least mine is). That means it is two channels but only one set of controls; so you can only get the same settings for both channels, although you can run two different mics through it at the same time.

Tom
Click to expand...

You are correct, but remember this: If you have one mic on snare and the other on guitar every time the snare pops a good one, the guitar volume will ditch down with the snare.

So, to the letter, you are correct, however you should be warned that their might be some problems running it this way.
 
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