outboard pres and inboard plugs

CoolCat

Well-known member
I have a running reaper file with mics and pre's etc. always comparing... I suppose the goal is based off laziness that a mic + <gear> can go straight to track without any work and be ready to sit in the mix without needing too much "makeup on the pig".
a nice bass guitar into a DI to Track concept. boom...simple..done.

SM7 and me... in to the Cloudlifter, the DAV BG1, DMP3, ART TPS, LA610...and the interface pre and interface pre+plug realtime preamps.

I don't know, the Cloudlifter is cheap and clean and so simple and cleans up the SM7 somehow.
The old DMP3 is a dual pre for cheap and sounds quiet and good and has no negatives imo though needs some polish later. imo.
the DAV BG1 sounds already polished and is 2 channels and a DI, used was somewhere $475-$500 which is 5x's the DMP3...but is apparently used on many pro recordings, which gives some form of scale to my comparisons.
The LA610 is a pre and comp and just all the right knobs and I/O and makes recording fun in some way, also a "pro" piece...that doesn't make me sound pro skilled by any means. The ART TPS is a dual unit that has the outboard function and zero latency with some fuzz/overdrive options and a preset comp thing...dual for about the price of the DMP3.

really the more I compare I hear a flange when recording the plugins realtime, but the flange is gone on playback..so it must be the whole loop when tracking and listening mill-sec delay, very small...but I can get OCD like that when its "test the gear vibe"...when making music probably not noticed.

best favorite...hmm?
the Cloudlifter is so simple and cheap and clears up the SM7. the DMP3 and ART TPS are dual and <$100 and really work.

the DAV Bg1 and LA610 have to go into the money-required group. using these a person doesn't wonder if its the gear or me that's the question. but for a HR dude are they really worth 10x's the DMP3?

last place for me is the ITB, on my system theres some clarity missing or something, maybe subtle but its just "empty or thin" in comparison.
If anything of all this muck of spending is I do prefer a outboard pre to the interface.

Now...if I was forced to pick one unit and go record an entire album in fantasy land, I'd take the DAV BG1.
Why? ..its got something of tone, sparkle, and clarity and is 2 channel with DI and the HPF and Phase and Pad and +48. It doesn't tempt me with EQ and compression up front, those can wait for mix time. Its damn simple to use.

Curious what anyone else has for their #1 favorite Tracking Preamp/s in the Rack?
That one.... that if you had to do an entire album with everything going through it.. this piece could work.
 

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I personally like to go with a clean and powerful preamp.

My go-to is the Vintech X73i. Plenty of gain. Not much of a character preamp as it is a Neve clone, but the eq will give some sweet drive to some instruments.

For vocal preamp for an SM7b, it is a perfect match. Same with a 57 on a snare. Beats the shit out of my interface preamps in clarity (for lack of a better word).
 
Well I have had a couple of months now with a higher quality tube mic(Telefunken AK47) and at first I was so like, well it sounds the same as my AT4050/CM5. Until I figured out how to gain stage the thing and suddenly no matter what preamp I use, it's always more detailed and open sounding than my under 1 k mics and the differences in preamp tone comes across better but is now less important somehow than just getting the mic in the right spot.

I guess my point is that IMHO the differences in preamp colors are great but less important for the better mic than my lower price point mics. Give me something low noise and clean and I don't care if it has no personality for use with that mic.
 
i agree, jimmy the outboards can have something my interface pre's dont have, especially with shure dynamics.
I dont record bands so its hard to justfy a bunch of gear sitting around...though I enjoy it all. My whole gear thing lead to grabbing a few high end pieces and it was worth it to realize how different they are from say a DMP3 or something...RANE MS1...the latter hold up really really well, imo.
then it comes to a personal choice which can be hard to make.

yeah GT makes sense not wanting a preamp to put a footprint on a high end mic.

in my mind mic + pre , but for like the huge sweetwater mic shoot they used the clean Millenia and the SOS drum room piece they grabbed a ISA 8channel... I think the DAVBG1 is in there with a solid clean.

Do you guys use EQ and Compression going in regularly? or do that in mix down?
 
i agree, jimmy the outboards can have something my interface pre's dont have, especially with shure dynamics.
I dont record bands so its hard to justfy a bunch of gear sitting around...though I enjoy it all. My whole gear thing lead to grabbing a few high end pieces and it was worth it to realize how different they are from say a DMP3 or something...RANE MS1...the latter hold up really really well, imo.
then it comes to a personal choice which can be hard to make.

yeah GT makes sense not wanting a preamp to put a footprint on a high end mic.

in my mind mic + pre , but for like the huge sweetwater mic shoot they used the clean Millenia and the SOS drum room piece they grabbed a ISA 8channel... I think the DAVBG1 is in there with a solid clean.

Do you guys use EQ and Compression going in regularly? or do that in mix down?

I do not use compression on way in. I am a 'in the box' kind of guy after preamp.

I have found however that there is a huge difference between stock plug-ins as compared to some of the more pricey ones. I invested in quite a few of those.

I do not use a mixing console or any outboard gear. I can't afford it and honestly, I do not care to myself.

Even if I had the money, it would not make sense to me the way I work. Good signal in is easy to work with. I have used and worked with high end outboard gear. The benefit to me and what I do just isn't better enough to justify the cost.

That being said, I always send off my mixes to be mastered by someone with high end outboard gear that knows what they are doing. That is a totally different animal...
 
I feel I been stuck in this same "lesson" for 2-3yrs....outboard gear try outs with some microphone tests done.

searching for that Holy Grail...tracking setup...mics and pre....hit record and consistent/solid full sound

being HR doing it all there is a ergonomics to the gear too, like plugging in, mute buttons...access ease...clip lghts and meters
...preferences....its not as important as sound but...if sound is a tie, then the buttons and stuff make the decision too.

Gtoboy mentions...move the mic position.
Id read the Elvis Sun days those studio staff were experts at mic positioning to almost create a mix doing that to mono live stuff..but it sounds great even today.
 
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