Your opinion on the focustrite trackmaster pro preamp..

[KnightMere]

sup guys...just wondering how good this pre amp is...im thinkin about gettin this while i save for the avalon vt737...i heard some mixed reviews about so i came here to get a solid opinion..what kind of sound does it give off?...thanks in advance guys!

 

[homestudioguy]

I like my TrakMaster Pro

I like my TrakMaster Pro!
Not too expensive, provides a variety of sound options and an easy to use compresion plus it has both an XLR in and a 1/4 inch input on the front panel!
Third photo down on the link below it is......
http://mysite.verizon.net/homestudioguy/id11.html
BG

 

[demensia]

I just bought the twintrack, and I'm impressed with the fact that it handles everything.. Pre amp, Comp, and monitoring. Its solved the problem of shutting off my monitors before recording.. Now I can turn them up and down from the preamp without getting up from my recording position. I can't comment on the sound of the pres yet really, as I haven't done much experimenting with it.

 

[jonnyc]

Well if you have a pre I wouldn't bother trying to get a better sound out of something like a trakmaster, its ok for what it does but trust me it won't make you say wow. I've bought an assload of cheap pre's in the last year and only two really stuck out at me as decent for the price. One was the Maudio DMP3 which is a two channel pre, and the other was the studio projects vtb1. Yes neither one is a channel strip and that may be a drawback but they are really decent pre's. I've also had experience with the joe meek 3q, its 200 bucks but also isn't bad, although I never use the eq/comp part, to me the 200 bucks was worth the price of the pre alone, great on kick drums too.

 

[Robert D]

Well, the quality = transparency crowd won't be too pleased with the Trakmaster, it's colored.....but then so is the new Neve Portico and several other much more pricy pres, and I don't necessarily equate color with lack of quality . I like the preamp and the compressor in the Trakmaster, which I find to impart a full warm sound. I find that it pairs well with a DMP3, with the latter handling the clean stereo micing chores, and the Trakmaster providing a fuller, rounder sound for other things.

 

[homestudioguy]

TrakMaster Pro Mid-Scoop eq is nice too!

I agree with Robert D plus, for my voice range, the TrakMaster Pro mid-scoop eq provides me with some definite variability especially when using my sE2200-A. For $300 it might be just the right thing for you, Knightmere. However, for the same money you can now buy the ART MPA GOLD 2 channel tube pre! It provides a lot of gain either clean or coloured and has a lot of variability as well.
BG/HSG