ART MPA Gold - I want to HEAR it. Please.

  • Thread starter Thread starter baker_
  • Start date Start date
B

baker_

yeah, newbie works fine.
I was wondering if any owners of an ART MPA Gold dual channel tube pre could post some recordings of them using it in their signal chain. If you've swapped out the tubes, it would be great to hear what tubes you replaced the originals with. I was considering buying one of these, but I won't have the luxury of being able to try it out first. I realize that I should save money and get a nicer pre-amp but I don't want to. I am impatient!

So if anyone is willing, I'd love to hear some recordings!

Also, if someone wishes to post recordings using a different pre in the same price range as the ART MPA Gold, that would also be great!

Thanks

baker_
 
baker_ said:
I was wondering if any owners of an ART MPA Gold dual channel tube pre could post some recordings of them using it in their signal chain. If you've swapped out the tubes, it would be great to hear what tubes you replaced the originals with. I was considering buying one of these, but I won't have the luxury of being able to try it out first. I realize that I should save money and get a nicer pre-amp but I don't want to. I am impatient!

So if anyone is willing, I'd love to hear some recordings!

Also, if someone wishes to post recordings using a different pre in the same price range as the ART MPA Gold, that would also be great!

Thanks

baker_
Click to expand...

Ask... and ye shall receive:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/low-end-theory/333962-art-mpa-gold-clips.html
 
I've got lots, cause it's my go to preamp for most electric guitars and many vocals. But those tracks are gonna be in mixes with lots of other tracks done with other pres; I don't have any strict single track "shootouts."

If you're interested, post again and let me know, and I'll post some links.
 
...do yourself a favor and just buy it

then, DI some bass tracks through it
 


(we're not the partridge family, bit that's not the fault of the Digital MPA, which we used for all vocals and DI bass and electric guitar (with no amp models))

I've got more. All my recordings were with groove tubes in it. I recently put some older GE 12AT7s in it, and I think it sounds better, but haven't had the chance to use it much yet.
 
Thanks everyone so far! So far it sounds really nice for bass and vocal tracks. Thanks again everyone for the links. I appreciate the help as always.
 
here's a song that i used the MPA Gold on. at this point it still had the stock tubes in it. i had just gotten the MPA and wanted to give it a spin, it's only used on the vocal. the mic is an AT4050

the rest of the song was recorded back when i was still on my mbox2 pro with a DMP3 used on most things.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6872998
 
Wow great song second_skin
I do like the tone you got from the stock tubes.

For those of you who have bought replacement tubes, how often do you switch them - meaning, do you ever go back to the stock tubes, or another set altogether to achieve a different sound? Is that even advisable?

Also, has anyone ever attempted to use this preamp in a kick/snare signal chain, or would that kill the unit?

Thanks again everyone I really appreciate the help!

baker_
 
thanks baker. i'm very proud of that song.

i think that it did sound good stock although maybe a little bit fizzy on the top at times. i replaced the stock tubes with jan 5751s from kcanostubes.com and it sounds much smoother now. very open to me.

and yeah i use it for my kick and snare these days also. it works pretty well although i might try it elsewhere next time i record drums. there is no reason why putting a kick through it should kill it. just like anything else you need to setup the gain correctly. after that it's all the same really.
 
I will never go back to the stock tubes. I doubt I'll *have* to change tubes any time soon, and probably won't want to, either. I can't imagine a kick or snare would cause any problems.
 
chef:

Just curious, do you remember where you found the GE 12AT7s?
 
At a store down the street in Houston, TX, USA - if you're in the neighborhood, PM me and I'll let you know the address.
 
Do you think it's ok to chain the ART MPA Gold through the Presonus Firebox...so that I can use the Gold's pre's and just use the Firebox as the interface/ soundcard???

Oh...and how exactly do you physically replace the tubes?

Do you need to do any soldering? Or do they just clip/ unclip or what??
 
I don't know the firebox, but if it has line-ins, you should be fine.

you need a screwdriver to take the top of the MPA off, but then it's just like with an amp - there are metal sleeves that twist & pull off, then you just grab the tube (preferably with a cloth) and pull out, then push in the new one.
 
Thanks antichef...What's best for chaining one unit to another unit?

xlr or trs?
 
chaining 2 MPAs together? Not sure. I'm really the wrong person to be commenting on the analog-out aspects of the unit, since I generally use the digital outs on my Digital MPA. I've run two TRS outs from the analog outs of the unit to my MOTU traveler's line ins, and that worked fine, I suppose. Just depends on what's on the other end and what sort of cables you have as to whether XLR or TRS is better.
 
Nah...I mean from the MPA Gold to the Firebox.

The Firebox has trs line ins...I was wondering if I could plug xlr from the output of the Gold, into the mic/ instrument xlr of the Firebox...if you know what I mean.
 
I think the XLR ins on the firebox are going to expect mic level signal, not line level signal. The instrument input will expect unbalanced instrument level signal and impedance, and both of them will be routed through the firebox preamp, so I'd stick with the line-ins
 
Monkey Allen said:
Nah...I mean from the MPA Gold to the Firebox.

The Firebox has trs line ins...I was wondering if I could plug xlr from the output of the Gold, into the mic/ instrument xlr of the Firebox...if you know what I mean.
Click to expand...

I link my MPA to my FirePOD which from my understanding is pretty damn close to the same unit, and I go XLR from mic to MPA, then TRS from mpa to firepod and it works perfect for me.

Hope that helps,

-Barrett
 
Yep, that's helpful..thanks antichef and Bguzaldo. Hey Bguzaldo...you sure the Firepod is close to the same unit as the Gold??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top