Mindprint Envoice or dbx 576

M

mcr

New member
I'm one of the many people trying to find a good mic-pre, compressor combination. My search has narrowed down to the Mindprint Envoice and the dbx 576. I need a unit mainly for vocal recordings (and maybe at very few times to add some accoustic guitar). The songs I record are Pop- and R&B style for the most part.

Now, how do the pre-amp and the compressor of these two units compare? It's nice have the limiter function on the dbx - but does it do its job well? How good are the EQs on the dbx or envoice and would you use those (or EQs in general) while recording?

I'd be really happy if some Mindprint owners and dbx owners would respond. It's not easy to make a decision these days without having some users voice their experienced opinion.

Oh, and in case somebody wants to point out a widelya accepted superior third product, I would like to stay below the $700 line.

Many thanks ...
 
mcr,

Can't speak from experience but I am ordering a Mindprint later today. I have done enough info gathering (including the dbx) and demo listening to know that this is a pretty cool box.

I will be ordering mine with the Di-Mod so can have digital I/O thru SPDIF....

I will update you when I get everything up and running.

Cheers,

Cuzin B
 
hi cuzin
I hope you get it soon. Don't forget to write a few words about it once you've used it at home.
What made you choose the Mindprint over the dbx? Price?


If only I could make up my mind ...
 
Well, if you like to stay under $700...

I'm still in the search market too, but I CAN give you some leads:

-Drawmer MX60 $550. Comp-De-ess-tube drive -eq (mid=para)
-Joemeek VC1Q $600. Opto-comp, eq (mid sweep), de-ess/enhance
-Peavey VMP-2 $700. 2 channel tube pre.
-Sytek MPX-4. $650 (?) 4 channel mic pre's, super clean (so they say)
 
Yes Speed, the Drawmer MX60 is another option I've been eyeing with. Has anyone had the chance to try it or compare it with other channel strips?

Compressor vs. Opto-compressor .... it's about time I ask what the difference is?
 
Here's a link about a short 'review' of the MX60

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/Forum3/HTML/006955.html

Hey, I'm in there too :)

Oh, and the difference between VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier) compressors and Opto-compressors:
An Opto-compressor uses a LED and a photo-optical cell. The LED is being triggered by the audio (the threshold of being triggered is ofcourse variable by the compressor's parameters).
Because light is involved (EL/LE-conversion ??? Electricty to Light, Light to Electricity) the Opto-compressors are a bit slower than VCA's. But because of this slowness, they seem more musical. They also seem to sound a bit retro/60's, if you will.

After I've read the review of Jchas (HC) about the MX60, I'm getting a bit more leaning towards the VC1Q and the Envoice....
 
Speed,
thanks for enlightening me on the VCA / opto compressor issue.

Someone please answer me this: When I listen to the radio and hear the typical N'Sync, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Wyclef-Jean mish-mash ... what types of pre-amps and compressors am I listening to most often (VCA or opto)? How audible is the difference in a finished mix anyways ...?
 
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I would guess Neves, SSL's, or Tridents with VCA / Electro. Probably a big difference to the discerning musical ear, but very little to the casual listener.
 
excuse my ignorance but: If most hit Pop producers prefer VCA base/electro compressors (and preamps?) then why are so many people willing to pay such a high price premium for valve compressors and preamps? Does it have to do with the music style (e.g. Rock, Punk, ...) or what is it about expensive valve gear?

(hm, maybe I should start a new thread with such a question)
 
I just re-read my post and realized that Tridents, although still a leading manufacturer of sugarless gum that does not promote tooth decay, may as of yet hold off on entering the ever-crowded professional recording industry. :)

I am curious, though, if anyone has any comment on Midas' latest attempts at branching out from their already-thriving car muffler division. ?
 
Just stay with your original thought, mcr... don't get confused by other issues, because it'll drive you bonkers!

I just have one small suggestion....

MINDPRINT!!!

I've had my Envoice for almost two years now, with the optional Di-Mod, and I LOVE it!!
It's a phenomenal preamp for the money! :)

Buck
 
I do hear only good things about the Mindprints ...
I'm surprised though that there's like nobody here who actually seems to be using the dbx silver series (566, 586 or 576). What strikes me as weird is the fact that they've gotten great reviews, even by Rip over at prorec (http://www.prorec.com/prorec/articles.nsf/articles/C122294811B635668625698A000F0708)

I can get the Mindprint for $480 in Europe (which is where I am at the moment). The dbx (Silver Series) cost around $1200 here ... and since I already found it for $600 in the US I figured there must be something quality (i.e. expensive) about the dbx .... sorry, I know it's dumb to judge quality by the price but I'm too inexperienced with preamps and compressors to know better.

A friend of mine has the Envoice and it sounds great - but my ignorant self is thinking: it can't be that this is the best under-$1000 pre-amp/compressor out there ...?
Say I want a preamp/compressor and maybe an EQ ... should I look at separate components (e.g. DMP3, RNC, and ??? )?
 
DMP-3, RNC and.......

Speck ASC
see www.mercenary.com
Probably best parametric EQ in it's priceclass.
Probably ONLY parametric EQ in it's priceclass. :)
Note: I haven't used this myself, but Bruce, TAS, and some others were really hammering on this one...

Anyway, from what I hear of the dbx Silver series, is that they're like dbx's "Squier-line". (Just like the Focusrite Platinum-series)
If you want a real Fender, are you gonna settle with a Squier? No!

I think I'd rather invest in the top model of a budget-brand, than to invest in a budget-model of a top-brand.*
Midiman is a budget-brand. DMP-3 is their topmodel (mic pre).
Focusrite is a top-brand. Trakmaster/Voicemaster is/are their budgetmodel(s).
If you want a 'real' Focusrite, save up for the ISA 430... :cool:

Reasonably seen, Mindprint is a sort of budget-brand. Their DTC 2 channel mic pre is still very affordable compared to the API's, Neve's etc. But that mutha seems to rule big time!
Joemeek is also very affordable. the VC1Q is their top model. I'd rather settle for that one, than for a Voicemaster.


*=This doesn't count for Behringer, Phonic, Alesis, Radioshack, etc. :p Although Alesis does have: HD24, Andromeda, Masterlink. Good stuff.
 
Oh yeah, the Mindprint DTC ... I would go to bed with that baby :-D but I guess I'll have to wait with that for a year or two. Spec ASCs are a good idea. thanks for the suggestion Speed. At the moment however, I'm looking for my "gold channel" preamp/comp combination below a $700-1000 price range. So, it's not really about what is the "best" out there but what is the best given my constraints.
I do think that in general, the better bang comes with a top model from a lesser known brand rather than spending your money on the brand name for a budget-model of a well known company. But, if someone's willing to spend their entire budget on a preamp/comp it doesn't really matter how good a bang-for-the-buck the purchase is. What is important is the quality one ends up with.

I guess if I'm honest, I was actually leaning towards purchasing the dbx ... and I hate to realize that now I'm confused again (without any chance of A/B-ing the two options). Where are the dbx users? Everyone uses dbx compressors (1066, 166XL, ...) so the dbx 566 comps should beat the envoice hands down. The preamps in the 586 get great reviews as well. The 576 being a mixture of the 586 and 566, I would have expected it to be regarded as higher quality than the Envoice.
Why don't you LOVE THE DBX 576 ??? I wanna love them and squeeze them but I don't know if I should. What's wrong with this world. :(
 
I don't love 'em (yet...)

Well, maybe because dbx has a 'signature' sound. I would rather blow my money on a $200 Behringer tube composer than on a dbx 266XL. The Behringer used to cost over $500! Most dbx budget stuff seems 'bad'. I've read some reviews on the 376 mic pre, and although the nice digital outs and the type IV-softclipping, its possibilities seemed rather limited, and the Drawmer MX60 and the Voicemaster were said to be better.
Well, knowing that those 2 both are budget-models of a top brand, i'd rather be checking the Joemeek VC1Q and the MindPrint En-Voice. Both can be equipped with a digital I/O.

People, am I onto something with my "topmodel of a budget-brand-theorem"???
 
I like your theorem, Speed. It doesn't make my life easier but there's something to it.

Now, when we look at budget-models (MX60, Voicemaster, ...) shouldn't we compare it to the dbx 376??? The dbx 576 seems like quite a bigger animal than the smaller 367. Did I just save my day?
 
>Now, when we look at budget-models (MX60, Voicemaster, ...) shouldn't we compare it to the dbx 376???<

Yes.

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com

If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.
-Noam Chomsky-
 
Hi Tom,
what are the main differences between the 3-- series and the 5-- series? Does the latter only have extra features or also different components?
 
My main problem in accepting all in one channel strips vs. seperate pre/compressors is that why would you want to track with compression and eq anyways?

I would rather have a good stand alone pre and a good compressor to use on whatever I want during mixdown. If I am wrong in my assumption of the best method please correct me but it seems like channel strips encourage you to track with too much processing.

I am looking at the same stuff as you guys and have been leaning towards a Grace 101/RNC combo.
 
ok...

Let's compare the 386 and the 586:

386:
Dual mono Tube pre-amp
Drive control (controls amount of tube saturation).
Output control (where you derive most of your gain).
Analog to digital converter w/TYPEIV conversion. AES/EBU and S/pdif and Word clock.
XLR and TRS in/out and insert point
LED meters

586:
Dual mono Tube Pre-amp
Drive control (controls amount of tube saturation).
3-band parametric EQ
PeakStopPlus limiter
XLR in/out and insert point and additional XLR and TRS line ins.
Output control (where you derive most of your gain).
Slot for optional A-D converter.
VU meters

So the 500 series has more control, but with the 300 series you get built-in A-D converters. In theory, the circuits are very similar between the two. However, I hear a distinct difference in tone between the two models. I hope this helps.

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com

If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.
-Noam Chomsky-
 
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