Any opinions on Old School Audio Pre's?

[adclark]

I'm considering getting an OSA rack (adaptable with API 500 series) and start building a preamp collection a little at a time with mostly OSA, andf then mabe API, and Purple preamps. Anyone hear have any opinions? The OSA racks have built in power supplies. I have heard nothing bad about OSA products.I would like to build up at least 8 channels of quality pre's since I'll be recording drums when I get a house. The built in pre's on a device like a Firepod seem a bit "lifeless". Opinions please...sound samples would be great as well.

 

[darnold]

I have experience with the OSA. I was able to use 2 A's, 1 C, and 1 L in the studio for a few months and a couple more times on certain occasions. What i have found with them is they are awesome pres for the money.

The biggest investment is the first set because you have to buy the rack box or lunch box and powersupply with it. But after that i think each individual pre is like $450 each. Thats a great price for a pre at that quality.

Its also very easy to expand after that point. Also with their new up comming compressor line it even gives you more options.

Just remember that they are not necessarily clones. They have their own sound. Me and a few buddies recently did a AB shoot out with the pres to compare the A model, C Model, L Model, API 312, Chandler TG2, and D&R Console pres.

The API with the C were definately "similiar" sounding meaning if you like the APIs you will like the C version. I think the overall thought on the C was it had the same round low end but was a little bit tighter.

The A's are really clean but still have alot of balls. Im not as much of a fan of clean pres when it comes to pres like this so i wasnt stoked on them. But they were definately great sounding. The L just kicked ass on everything i thought. Lots of balls all around. Supposed to be the one that sound closest to Neve but ive never heard a real neve to really know. Probably same thing as the C model and API. Not really same sounding just similiar.

And the chandler is just awesome and has alot of bite on everything. I havnt got to use this much but this is Xstatics beauty. Seems its killer on distortion guitar.

What we were most surprised was the D&R held up on its own really close if not better a few times on the shoot out. It was even double blind shoot out i believe. These were the stock D&R pres that Xstatic has in his console.

The main test was on kick drum with a little bit of Acoustic Guitar tones. I bet Xstatic still has the files if your interested.

Danny

 

[darnold]

Oh, need a quick fix here.

Xstatic told me today that we didnt have the L Model on that shoot out day because it was in for repairs (or upgrade, something like that). So just wanted to make a quick fix to that error i made.

Danny

 

[Hornplayer]

I use 3 different models of the OSA's. The A, the C and the L.
IMHO they are top quality pro level pre's. Very clear and precise. Each has their own flavor and pretty much sound as Nathan describes them on the Atlas web site.

I have tracked many different genres of music from acoustic guitar, (using the A's) to soft ballads (C's and A's) Trumpet through a ribbon mike (A's and C's-plenty of gain to handle the ribbon) to rippin rock and roll including huge drum kits (C's and L's) and have never been dissappointed. These pre's have served me well.

I highly recommend them as top shelf gear. To say nothing of the outstanding help, advice and service from Nathan at Atlas. A great value in pro gear.

John

 

[xstatic]

After we did that shootout the other day, I decided that there would be no OSA A's or C's in my arsenal. It's not that they were bad, they just didn't suit my likes well enough to drop money on them. I liked the API better for the limited drum stuff we tried (no big surprise there since in my book API is king of the drum sounds). On acoustic, my D&R sounded to close in my book to buy the OSA's. Especially since I already have 44 D&R preamps. In my opinion, the D&R was certainly close enough that $500 for a 2 channel D&R preamp seemed like a much better bargain to me. Out of those we tested that day, the Chandler was the only preamp that really stood out every time as having its own real character. It even did better than I thought on certain sources that I do not normally use it on.

 

[Phyl]

XSTATIC - Check your PMs. I'm trying to get your mic back to you and need your address.

 

[remco]

After we did that shootout the other day, I decided that there would be no OSA A's or C's in my arsenal. It's not that they were bad, they just didn't suit my likes well enough to drop money on them. I liked the API better for the limited drum stuff we tried (no big surprise there since in my book API is king of the drum sounds). On acoustic, my D&R sounded to close in my book to buy the OSA's. Especially since I already have 44 D&R preamps. In my opinion, the D&R was certainly close enough that $500 for a 2 channel D&R preamp seemed like a much better bargain to me. Out of those we tested that day, the Chandler was the only preamp that really stood out every time as having its own real character. It even did better than I thought on certain sources that I do not normally use it on.

do you mean those ?
http://www.d-r.nl/dnrsite/products/micamp/micamp.html
they look interesting

Remco