Recording Acoustic guitars.....

Gorty

Gorty

New member
What mic pre-amp are you guys using?

I'm looking at getting myself a nice dual pre-amp to record steel string acoustic, nylon string and mandolin etc primarily.
The mic's I have to work with are the AT4050, a pair of MSH'1's and a couple of Shure SM57's.
My mate kojdogg has given me a tremendous amount of info in the last few weeks...so I want to know what you guys are using as a mic pre-amp.
 
On the cheap DMP3, but what is your budget, in American Dollars gort, them Aussie Kangaroo clumps have no true value.
 
SRR said:
On the cheap DMP3, but what is your budget, in American Dollars gort, them Aussie Kangaroo clumps have no true value.
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About $1400US.

Do you guys in Wisconsin still use stones and gravel as currency? :confused: :D
 
Hi, Gorty!

You can´t go wrong with that money...:)

As I use expensive pres only when recording on other studios, and with other mics...you know,I can´t talk deeply about it.
About the (ultra)cheap pre´s I have at home (I use a DMP3 and BEHRINGER 2200):

I like the "clean side" (Dmp3), to things like "rithmn stell guitars L/R w/pick", but I fell it a little "clinical",maybe "too dry" (on lack of better words)to solo lines.
The Behry, altough cheaper and not a "real tube" pre, have some punch that I prefer to this "solo" thing...


Ciro
www.soundclick.com/openstation
 
CIRO said:
Hi, Gorty!

You can´t go wrong with that money...:)

As I use expensive pres only when recording on other studios, and with other mics...you know,I can´t talk deeply about it.
About the (ultra)cheap pre´s I have at home (I use a DMP3 and BEHRINGER 2200):

I like the "clean side" (Dmp3), to things like "rithmn stell guitars L/R w/pick", but I fell it a little "clinical",maybe "too dry" (on lack of better words)to solo lines.
The Behry, altough cheaper and not a "real tube" pre, have some punch that I prefer to this "solo" thing...


Ciro
www.soundclick.com/openstation
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Cheers CIRO......There is so much choice!

CIRO said:
Don´t get me wrong, don´t buy 10 Dmp3 or 13 Behrrys with the money!:D

Ciro
www.soundclick.com/openstation
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I'll take that good advice CIRO! :D
 
Don't take this the wrong way, but I might consider getting a DMP3 and a pair of Blue Baby Bottles. Actually, you could get a $400. preamp and still get the Bottles...

I just think a clean preamp and great mics is better than a high-end preamp and not as many mic options.
 
billisa said:
Don't take this the wrong way, but I might consider getting a DMP3 and a pair of Blue Baby Bottles. Actually, you could get a $400. preamp and still get the Bottles...

I just think a clean preamp and great mics is better than a high-end preamp and not as many mic options.
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The question being: Are the cheaper pre's going to be any better than the onboard pre's I have in my BOSS 1600CDR or my Mackie 1402 VLZ? A good suggestion billisa but when I accumulate more mic's I will want to get a higher end pre. So I'm thinking get the decent pre and it will be a keeper.
 
Gorty said:
The question being: Are the cheaper pre's going to be any better than the onboard pre's I have in my BOSS 1600CDR or my Mackie 1402 VLZ? A good suggestion billisa but when I accumulate more mic's I will want to get a higher end pre. So I'm thinking get the decent pre and it will be a keeper.
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The DMP3 will likely give you a cleaner signal with more power than the Boss. It has a reputation of being very neutral and powerful and quiet. People also love it as a DI box for plugging an instrument straight in. Assuming you can find a preamp at $400. that beats the DMP3, then I see no reason why you'd really need to upgrade that even if you got a $1500. Neumann.

My bias for a preamp is being neutral and quiet -- and the leap from a DMP3 to a Grace or $$$$ preamp won't be nearly as apparent as what you will get with better/different mics. You may want a more expensive preamp, but will you really NEED one? I don't believe so. There is a real law of diminishing returns that comes into play faster with preamps than with mics. If you use a high end mic, on a DMP3, and record properly, NO ONE is going to hear the result and say, "Man, too bad you didn't use a better pre..." They simply won't notice.

On the listening end, in general, a $200. receiver can sound phenomenal on $1000. monitors -- better than a $500. receiver on $500. monitors....
 
For color I love the Peavey/AMR VMP2. For lack of a better word I'd say it gives a "creamy" sound. For a clean crisp sound I like my Toft ATC2. Great reviews on the EQ section and a compressor on each channel too.
 
billisa said:
You may want a more expensive preamp, but will you really NEED one? I don't believe so. There is a real law of diminishing returns that comes into play faster with preamps than with mics. If you use a high end mic, on a DMP3, and record properly, NO ONE is going to hear the result and say, "Man, too bad you didn't use a better pre..." They simply won't notice.
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True! The pre's on my BOSS unit are pretty clean. Here's a clip of the BOSS 1600CDR pre's.

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=10753

zbert said:
For a clean crisp sound I like my Toft ATC2. Great reviews on the EQ section and a compressor on each channel too.
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The ATC-2 is one of the pre's I was checking out! :)
 
Gorty said:
True! The pre's on my BOSS unit are pretty clean. :)
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Sounds clean to me. Assuming they behave that way at high gain, why not just leave the extra preamp option out and go for even better mics? Maybe there's a reason, but don't be surprised if your basic sound doesn't stay pretty much the same (apart from pres that add color or compression).

External pres are neat and the ones Big Kenny linked to look REAL good (I wonder how much they are!). But there won't be a quantum leap from what you've posted.
 
The DMP3 is awfully nice on acout guit. I always wanted to try a John Hardy for that application, though.

The "spend your money on mics" idea already suggested may not be a bad one.
 
The FMR RNP is a good one and you'd still have plenty of dough left for other toys - even if you get the RNC with it.
 
What are you expecting to gain from a new pre? Chances are, the preamp isn't what you need, my guess would be either a different guitar or different microphone.

If you are entirely happy with the sound of the guitar then a microphone would probably be a (much) wiser choice.
 
danny.guitar said:
What are you expecting to gain from a new pre? Chances are, the preamp isn't what you need, my guess would be either a different guitar or different microphone.
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The general consensus is to spend some money on a few more mic's. Maybe another AT4050? Stereo mic'ing with a pair of AT 4050's might be the ticket.
I just want to have nice full bodied sounding acoustic tracks with definition across all the frequencies.
 
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