4033 preamp needed?

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flamenco

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I just got a Tascam 788 and am looking for a decent mic for vocals, acoustic guitar, and some woodwinds. This forum seems to be a love-in for the AT4033 and I'm just about convinced to get one myself. Question is, can I get away with phantom power alone or do I need a mic pre to boot (or both in one box)? I'm stretching my budget to get the 4033 (instead of a Rode nt1) and I don't want to HAVE to get a preamp, if I don't need it. But if I'm paying more for a better mic but not giving it the preamp it needs I wonder if I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face. Any words of wisdom from you micheads out there?
 
The 4033 is going to need phantom power so yes you will at least need that . For about a hundred bucks you can get the art tube mp and get your mic pre and phantom power. I think you may be selling yourself short with that considering the performance of the mic. IMHO
 
Are you saying, Snapper, that even with the Art tube MP I'd be selling myself short or to fly with the phantom power alone?
 
I'm just saying that since you need phantom power you may as well get something in the art tube mp's price range. I dont think anything really touches that for the money. But for a little more you could look at the presonus blue tube since your getting a nice mic. So in a nutshell I'm not sure the tascam pre's are any better than the art's, so at least get some pre with your phantom power.
 
Thanks, that helps. One more ?. I'm going to be recording over a noisy NYC street. My soundproofing capacity will be limited--I can only go so far away from the windows. Does anyone know if I going to have trouble with the 4033 in this kind of situation? Will it pick up a lot of ambient noise and would I be better off with a more tightly focussed mic that I can try and point away from the source of the noise? If this ? borders on the stupid, please excuse me--this is my first venture into recording and there's a lot to learn.
 
close micing with lower gain or check in the studio building and display forum. There are many people in your situation there.
 
also with the 4033 being cardiod, aiming away from ambiant noise will always help.
 
I'm no pro, but I've dealt recently with some similar issues...

I agree with Snapper. However, you don't want to be too close when recording your vocals; about 12" is probably best. But you don't have much choice, since a more "tightly focused" mic isn't going to be as good for vocals. You really need the large condensor if you need that much versatility.

Another alternative is to put a "film crew" sign on your (or a friend's) car and block off your block for a couple hours.
 
Film Crew sign? This is NYC he's talking about.
Much more effective to put up "Bomb Squad at Work" signs. :)
 
im more then sure the 788 has pre amps built in. and most likely atleast 2 with phantom power.
 
In light of Kristian's comment, you don't need a preamp at all. Just make sure the phantom power is turned on.

Yo, Doc, I'm sitting here at the corner of Madison Avenue and 39th street in Manhattan (and not watching the sun reflect off the Pacific Ocean like you are). Film crews disrupting traffic are part of daily life in New York. People give them much more deference than bomb squads!
 
I've been looking at the 788 myself. On the Tascam forum they say that they do not have phantom power. But I'm thinking that having a nice preamp with a tube is going to help warm up the sound, I bet that is crucial on these lower end digital machines. Plus a mic pre could probably be used with a bass, or other instruments that go DI. I'm thinking of biting the bullet myself and getting a decent pre, probably in stereo. Also, I own a compressor and a 31 band EQ, and so I'm finding a bare bones preamp isn't way too expensive.
 
i am looking into purchasing the same mic and I have a 1604 with the xdr preamps....do you think I need a tube preamp to warm up the sound a bit...I kinda shy'd away from other mics that were considered warmer because the singer has a somewhat boomy voice. He has been recorded with the 414ul and that mic really accented that. I believe that the at4033 sounds a bit more hotter and has a crispiness to it that really won me over.

i went in to Mars music and compared all the mics they had on display...without even paying attention to prices and the at40 series really outshined the others, even those which had price tags way above the 4033.
 
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