7th circle vs. FMR RNP

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BobbyBalow

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Ok... So I've been doing a lot of digging and I was wondering if someone would give me there opinion.

I'm looking at picking out some new pres for my studio and I've basically narrowed it down to these two options: FMR RNP or the 7th circle lunchbox guy with one or two of there pres. I'm unfamiliar with most of the ones on the 7th circle site save the neve clone that they offer.

These are both around the same price, but I was wondering if the 7th circle stuff was better than FMR. I really haven't found much comparing these two. I'm looking for something for vocals (I get a lot of metal vocalists and Rappers if that helps) and maybe guitar. I picked up two ACMP-73s from the group buy and I like how these sound, but I'm looking for more options.

Thanks guys!
 
Get the Seventh Circle..you can mix and match a bunch of flavors in your lunchbox as time and $$ permit. I have never been a fan of transformerless pres (like the RNP)..they seem to lack something you can't put a finger on...
 
I'm a fan of the Jensen twin-servo design. I love the John Hardy stuff and this type of pre gets you that big-assed-in-yer-face sound without any effort. All your LDC mics including any bargain brand ones will LOVE that style of pre. The J99 is this design for the 7th Cicle stuff.

While I think the RNP is a great neutral sounding budget type pre, the 7th circle stuff is a whole nother level.
 
I can speak to the 7th circle but I do have the RNP and RNC. Hooked together I think this is a pretty great sound for the money. I purchased both for half the retail price on ebay.
 
I'm a big fan of FMR Audio, but as previously stated, the Seventh Circle gear is a whole 'nuther level of wow.
 
My reading would indicate that any Neve or API clone is way better than the best entry level budget pre...the API and Neve is the design that has been making the records...I havent heard any hits made with the RNP yet.
 
I havent heard any hits made with the RNP yet
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a)how would you know that?

b)i doubt the preamp makes or breaks a track from being a "hit"

and yea...if you have the cash, and the knowledge to build the pres(or the cash to pay to have them built), i would go with the 7th circle stuff. there's a guy on gearslutz who was a long-time neve engineer who said flat-out that the 7th circle 1272 clone is the closest thing he's seen to an actual 1272, and their API clones are highly regarded as being on par with the originals.
 
Because hit records are cut in pro studios where profesessional equipment is availible...Demos are cut using stuff like the RNP...if you had access to the Neve...API...Avalon stuff...would you choose a cheap preamp?
 
darrin_h2000 said:
Because hit records are cut in pro studios where profesessional equipment is availible...Demos are cut using stuff like the RNP...if you had access to the Neve...API...Avalon stuff...would you choose a cheap preamp?
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Nah... I'd probably save a ton of cash by going with Line 6 preamp modeling
 
Why not...it is the next best thing...seeing them pop up on equipment lists are what drew me to them after all.
 
darrin_h2000 said:
Because hit records are cut in pro studios where profesessional equipment is availible...Demos are cut using stuff like the RNP...if you had access to the Neve...API...Avalon stuff...would you choose a cheap preamp?
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not necessarily

i can tell you that an album that debuted at #11 in the US a couple weeks back was cut with triggered/sampled drums, a PODxt, and a mackie 400f, and that the most expensive mic used on the album was maybe $500

skilled engineers can make "hits" with whatever they have available

that's not to say i wouldn't take the neves and API's if they were there...but that shit def. isn't necessary to make a quality finished product
 
So what...nowdays most Pop is done on drum machines...and for years they have been using C414...now there is a C214 that is a version that is cardioid only for arround $500...that is likely what was used...and a Mackie does get used in some pro studios...Im sure that it was purely for mixdown and not for its preamps.

My point is that there is alot of shit being squeezed out by some record companies...it doesnt mean I have to dumb it down...and I still didnt see an RNP used on that record.
 
This is all news to me. I've had my RNP for about a year now and I think the quality is pretty good. I certainly don't feel like it is holding me back. Then again, I'm not anywhere near the level of some of you guys as far as experience. My biggest gripe is the gain that steps up. Sometimes I wish there was something in between.
 
Im not saying it is a bad pre...Im just not going to "go to" an RNP if I have alot better at my disposal...you can have 2 channels of the API and NEVE sound in a modeler for arround $200 in a modeler which is the next best thing to a real one....that is worth going for.
 
i don't know if you get a discount or something, but the 7th circle stuff is a few hundred dollars more than an rnp. especially if you get one of the better mic pre modules.
 
Hmmm. Actually I have 2 channels of API 512c and 1 channel of Neve 1272. I also have 2 channels of Pendulum MDP-1, 2 channels of Millennia HV3, 2 channels of GT MP-1, 2 channels of A-Designs P-1 and 1 channel of Purple Audio Biz. All pretty good preamps by most people's definition. I also have an RNP and I think it does just fine for many things. Sure it's not the best preamp for everything, but neither is any of the others. I think it hangs in quite well with my other pres. I wouldn't use it for a source that needed a lot of gain - I'd use the Millennias or the Pendulum, but I'd much rather use the RNP for electric guitars than the Millennias or the Pendulum. Sometimes I'd rather use it on e-guitars than the APIs or the Neve as well. Merely having other high end preamps available doesn't eliminate the RNP from consideration and use. It's good enough. Based on his posts, I know that Harvey Gerst also happily uses it along with his high end preamps at his studio and his is undeniably a pro-caliber operation.
 
I have 3 or 4 RNP's and love them. Besides being a known entity for me the company is a dream to work with. Had one problem with one of my units that was out of warranty and their response was "Uh, yeah, it is out of warranty, but this should not happen." I wound up paying for just shipping.

In comparing with SCA stuff you should be comparing (for pricing reasons) to their T15 which is the circuit closest to the RNP. So, for 4 channels of FMR you're talking $475 x 2, or $950. For 4 channels of SCA T15 you are talking about $700 (pres, chassis, power, shipping)

I also own a Jim Williams pre and a Great River and an old UK Meek. All good.

The meek is the one that stands out as the most different... the rest are all here for good in my studio, but I am not sure any of them are so wildly different that they make me think "If I did not have THIS one I would really struggle to make a good recording."

For loud vocals I am a huge fan of an SM7 into my RNP with an RNLA inserted. I can use the RNLA settings to get a really nice variety of sounds.

However, the GR and JW pres also sound great on vocals.

Huge fan of the price performance of the FMR stuff.
 
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