$,1000 preamp (and mic?) for voice over

[earworm]

last month i bought a sennheiser md411 for €150
its the best dynamic mic i've ever used !
easy to get that real fat radio voice if u plug it in a decent preamp and compressor (160 will do just fine!)

 

[Reggie]

...your reasoning for omitting the compressor is fine, but IMHO the Safe Sound Pre is a good deal pricewise, even without the compression features (which can be bypassed anyway)...the SS pre is a high-quality pre with ample gain (which you'll need with a pro quality dynamic like the RE20)...and once you get comfortable with the pre/mic combo, you'll have good quality outboard compression to experiment with...
...I have the Presonus MP20 you mentioned (the original version with Jensen transformers and the Burr-Brown upgraded op-amps) and although it's a very usable decent quality pre, the Safe Sound is a definative step up in quality with more available gain...worth your consideration...

I'm gonna have to second (or third, or fourth) his advice, if it's not too late. The Safe Sound is fool proof. The compressor will not mess up your sound, and the limiter just may save your butt by catching overs that would have ruined a take. Also, the expander is great if you have to record near a computer or something. And it has a built-in monitoring section with headphone out. And it sounds good. yadda yadda

The 451 is an odd mic to use for voices. Check out the RE-20 and the Shure SM7. They are your friends.