Which really makes no difference since Neve consoles as well as other like SSL have the same signal headroom. Ever noticed these boards have programmable clip light via a cal knob?
Are PreAmps a marketing myth?
- Thread starter CoolCat
- Start date
No.
These days, any interface you buy is going to have perfectly usable preamps.
Out of the lower budget interfaces (Focusrite, Arturia, U-Audio, SSL), I wonder if one will sound noticeably better or worse, and all should be fine.
For a long time, I would mix and match preamps (UA, API, etc.) using my 'better' pres on things like kick and snare and the built-ins on less critical sources.
For me, the records I love were mostly recorded on one console. I decided to sell everything and go all API with 8 channels of Carbon if I need them. IMHO, higher-end preamps make a difference, but probably less than people think. When it comes to stacking up tracks, I find using the same pres on everything seems to work best for a final mix.
If I were starting out I would spend my money on good monitors and putting them in the right place vs mic preamps. That being said, if I track drums through 8 channels of API, something magical happens that didn't when I was using a couple of APIs, a couple of UA-610s, and a couple of lower-end Neve clones.
Like anything else, YMMV.
Out of the lower budget interfaces (Focusrite, Arturia, U-Audio, SSL), I wonder if one will sound noticeably better or worse, and all should be fine.
For a long time, I would mix and match preamps (UA, API, etc.) using my 'better' pres on things like kick and snare and the built-ins on less critical sources.
For me, the records I love were mostly recorded on one console. I decided to sell everything and go all API with 8 channels of Carbon if I need them. IMHO, higher-end preamps make a difference, but probably less than people think. When it comes to stacking up tracks, I find using the same pres on everything seems to work best for a final mix.
If I were starting out I would spend my money on good monitors and putting them in the right place vs mic preamps. That being said, if I track drums through 8 channels of API, something magical happens that didn't when I was using a couple of APIs, a couple of UA-610s, and a couple of lower-end Neve clones.
Like anything else, YMMV.
"If I were starting out I would spend my money on good monitors and putting them in the right place vs mic preamp"
That ^ is one of THE most sensible things said in this thread so far IMHO. To add to that "first class monitors with room treatment".
All the hand wringing and BS about pre amps and mics is a waste of effort if you do not have a means of ACCURATELY* listening to your results. A monitor (or room) with a 'honk' at say 700Hz will forever cause errors in judgement.
It is standard practice when evaluating, repairing or designing any sound system...mic>pre>power amp>speaker that you start at the output end. For PA you begin with the SPL you want to generate at which points in the room. That determines the speaker specification and their sensitivity gives you amp power. Amplifier sensitivity gives you the voltage needed at the front of the power amp and that tells you the output needed from the pre amp. Gain of the latter is determined by the sensitivity of the microphones. If you DON'T start with SPL you are just sticking a wet finger in the wind.
*There will be those of course that say "there is no such thing as a truly accurate speaker" and that is true in the limit but monitors like the KH150 are BLOODY good! Those that use/listen to and review such top end monitors agree that the best ones all converge to sound very similar...AND good!
Dave.
That ^ is one of THE most sensible things said in this thread so far IMHO. To add to that "first class monitors with room treatment".
All the hand wringing and BS about pre amps and mics is a waste of effort if you do not have a means of ACCURATELY* listening to your results. A monitor (or room) with a 'honk' at say 700Hz will forever cause errors in judgement.
It is standard practice when evaluating, repairing or designing any sound system...mic>pre>power amp>speaker that you start at the output end. For PA you begin with the SPL you want to generate at which points in the room. That determines the speaker specification and their sensitivity gives you amp power. Amplifier sensitivity gives you the voltage needed at the front of the power amp and that tells you the output needed from the pre amp. Gain of the latter is determined by the sensitivity of the microphones. If you DON'T start with SPL you are just sticking a wet finger in the wind.
*There will be those of course that say "there is no such thing as a truly accurate speaker" and that is true in the limit but monitors like the KH150 are BLOODY good! Those that use/listen to and review such top end monitors agree that the best ones all converge to sound very similar...AND good!
Dave.
easyrider
New member
Good clean recordings can be had with cheap modern day interfaces….
But it’s not just about that…it’s how much clean gain the pre amp offers…
Then we get into driving the preamp into harmonic distortion and transformers costing more…
Use what drives your mojo…and what you can afford…
Music is about what comes out of the speakers not what brand name it says on the tin…
But it’s not just about that…it’s how much clean gain the pre amp offers…
Then we get into driving the preamp into harmonic distortion and transformers costing more…
Use what drives your mojo…and what you can afford…
Music is about what comes out of the speakers not what brand name it says on the tin…
Agree with all that but what people must understand is that once you have driven a pre amp into distortion* you cannot undo the effect. Maybe look at post tracking software effects or re routing/'re amping' to get some controlled mojo?
*Because, never forget. THAT is what all this "attitude" ***t really is!
Dave.