Mic preamp question

dsealer

New member
I'd like to get some advice and suggestions on a couple of preamp questions. I currently have a 20 year old Art Pro MAP. Wondering if anyone can tell me about the Focusrite ISA Two? Anyone have another preamp they'd like to suggest?
Also, since I have the Art Pro, would I be better off with a solid state pre or maybe a highbred with both tube and solid state options.
Thanks,
Don.....
 
I love the question but for me theres no answer and somehow I dont think I want it to be answered.

SOS rated the ART MPA well. The ISA One and Two and the others have often been mentioned as the first entry into the "pro's".
SOS did a major best Drum rooms of the world kind of thing, top of the top and they chose the ISA 4 channel or 8 to do this massive test, having access to any preamp they wanted. If I recall right it was the ISA solid sound yet not too clinical clean but nothing really considered colored/distorted.

I had the ISA One and then a Two later. To me they made anything sound right and with confidence. I didnt have any issues but read something about the jacks on some units, nothing major. The ISA imo has tons of gain and a very pleasent look and layout. At the time you could buy a ISA One for $250 and man was the inside impressive, and there were some posts then about "do I get 2qty ISA One or 1qty ISA TWO....?"
I sold and traded and keep trying different ones. I bought my ISA Two for $500 if I recall used.

Im no professional only a gear addict, the usage is low and so take that with a grain of salt..... my hobby seems to be Buying Gear then selling it at a Loss to buy more gear...

Im itching to try a Daking Mic PreOne....and a Great River.... both are well liked. The ISA's might be a nice variation from your MPA tubes. However a 610 can do some distortion stuff the MPA cant. Ive had a few MPA go through the studio and very nice tone.

I realized the clean preamps were clean, near my Interface preamps, and the clean transformer of the ISA was solid but I was seeking distortion after awhile and stumbled on the compressors doing all that work. Tried the EL9 Mike E and the LA610 for some high end data points both are really great if you can afford it and need that.
 
Back
Top