Bellari pres

  • Thread starter Thread starter 99teeth
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99teeth

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Hi guys. I'm looking at pres again. I's thinking about a Sebatron 2000e for a while but I'm trimming the budget and that seems to be the most extravagant thing on the list so I'm finding cheaper yet still respectable options. I'm looking at the Bellari RP220. It's sits at around the $380 USD mark (in the states). Does anyone have any experience with it or any opinions on tube pres at around this price range and maybe a little above but before you start getting into the, "I used this one in my 'Abbey road' session last week" area. Thanks.

I'll just add an edit. I've been surfing around and found these guys. Anyone out there had any experience with this kind of approach?
 
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go to warhead.get a safe sound...tell me about it, i think i want one to add to my rack (focus vmp, toft atc, hhb radius 40)
 
Bellari is Rolls' name for rebranded junk with a fancy front fascia. Avoid at all costs........

Good budget pres under $1000 include the FMR Audio RNP, the previously-mentioned SafeSound, the 4-ch Systek, and the Grace 101......

I would stay away from faux tube gear that is primarily marketing towards novices who don't know any better.
 
i would avoid bellari.

you might not want to hear this but you should save a bit more until you can get somethng a bit better. i found that it is better so save longer and spend the money on a nice piece of gear that i wont be looking to sell a month after i buy it at a loss to my wallett.
 
i sold my bellari after one weeks use.my best preamps are certainly my great river and sebatron.i like the tone i am recording now better.maybe you should save up and get some good microphone two. :D
 
Thanks guys. The 'Safe sound' looks very interesting. ;)

Nothing to say about the DIY jobs?

The 'Safe sound' and the Neve and Jensen copies all don't use tubes as far as I can see, as opposed to the Sebatron, Avalon etc. Any comments to make on what would be personal preferences between the two types?

I'm going to ask a real novice engineering question now so please be kind. I know that stereo is two mono tracks played simultaneously, recorded from two separate sources, be they dual mics or left and right outs. How does getting a one channel (mono) pre affect the recording of stereo, not so much with mics as I s'pose they have to be mono but with other types of direct sound sources (modules, samplers etc). Are you tied to mono uses only? Do you have to double record as left and right to get stereo preamped tracks utilizing compression etc effects on the recorder? Am I in the running for the dumbest question ever asked? Oh well. :confused:


ps. pdlstl. Bellari sclapem good. Very droll. :rolleyes:
 
The RP-220 is not "faux-tube" junk. It's actually a respectable, real tube mic pre with proper voltage and transformer input, etc. The only thing in it's price range that can boast that.

I wouldn't use it as my only mic pre, :D nor would I necessarily consider it any sort of Gold Channel or anything.

But it is a pretty fun and useful color to have around on certain things. A little dirty sounding, but a good dirty. I like it.
 
yea, f- all ya. bellari is cool.

but no. no . nooo way pay $350 for an rp220. they go on ebay for WAY less. like $175-$200. then upgrade the pop out opamps for another $20 or so. then you are styling. oh dont forget the tubes.

and if you want to go crazy, you can swap out the transformers for something better. but once you do that, yea, you might want to start looking at the real deal.

bellaris are cool sounding. they remind me of dynaco preamps. soft sounding. rolled off top and bottom. smooth in the middle (better all around when you upgrade the opamps). i think they get somewhat of a bad rep (and i am glad for it... cause that's why you can get them cheap used) cause they dont sound at ALL like TOOOOOB amps. they are just dirt f-ing cheap REAL tube amps.

really user friendly too, easy to reach in and work on them.

get um get um.

but yea, have something clean on the side.
 
oh and another thing, the DI circuit on them is pretty cool too. great for REAMPING drums to give them some MEAT. i was comparing my $40 rp105 with the line amps in my spl charisma (i think it originally was like a $400 piece) and they sound kinda similar.

if you want some agressiveness on your kick and snare, reamp them thru a bellari and crank the gain.

NICE.
 
I bought an rp220 on evilbay and did the mods to it..as a stock unit it was okay, nothin' fancy...I dropped in some burr brown opamps (4$ a piece at digikey)and vintage telefunken tubes (made the biggest difference) and WOW..it got really good..then I replaced the transformers with lundahls and clipped out some un needed caps and now it is a pre i use everyday..I have about 400$ into it with all the improvements and there is not a pre you can touch for 200$ a channel that sounds this good..it is not clean but clean is not something I am after :) ...I compared it to a Manley Mono block and Neve 1272 (I rented) and they all have a good sound..the Manley was almost too clean but it was very clear....the Neve was warm and punchy (gotta love transformers!)...the 220 was right there...not quite as good but a fraction of the cost..

Ray
 
Spent all that time practicing Beethoven sonatas when I should've been soldering. Hmm, developing a new found respect for artists that do them both well. Me thinks I need a producer. Making this studio is like getting caught in a financial riptide. Might go to the casino and put five grand on red. Might take a spare pair of undies with me too. :confused:

Ding-ding. No more bets please. :eek:
Congatulations it's a Neve/two diodes and a resistor
:D / :mad:
 
I am just getting into DIY..I have to say it is very satisfying to make gear and have it sound good..Don't be afraid to fiddle with stuff...just ask questions when you get stuck (I am at "The Lab" everyday asking noobie questions) and make sure you unplug and power down when working :)...Beethoven?..now you are a real musician!

Ray
 
oh and something about seventh circle. they make a very respected product. it is up there in the, good as anything else, its just a matter of taste level.

one good way to approach the 7th circle stuff is to buy an assembled rack and an assembled pre and another one that you do yourself.

this way you have a finished product to look at.

also, what is good about buying his stuff is that you can slowly fill that rack up for pretty cheap once you get going. in other words, you make a big investment on the 2 channel jobbie. then from there, its only $350 or so every time you want another world class channel. totally cheap.

also tim is a very cool guy. email him and ask.
 
eeldip said:
oh and something about seventh circle. they make a very respected product. it is up there in the, good as anything else, its just a matter of taste level.

one good way to approach the 7th circle stuff is to buy an assembled rack and an assembled pre and another one that you do yourself.

this way you have a finished product to look at.

also, what is good about buying his stuff is that you can slowly fill that rack up for pretty cheap once you get going. in other words, you make a big investment on the 2 channel jobbie. then from there, its only $350 or so every time you want another world class channel. totally cheap.

also tim is a very cool guy. email him and ask.
Click to expand...


I've been think about doing just that. Get the assembled case/PS and 1 assembled pre for $750. Then get a kit for $300. That will be 2 channels of Neve esq pres for a grand. Seems like a pretty good way to go.
 
exactly. and make sure to get the rack that is compatible with the new API clones. then you can for $1500 have 2 channels of neveish and 2 of apiesque.

that be CHEAP
 
'Port Arthur'. Thanks Ray. Not trying to be a wanker but when someone gives me kudos I feel I need to back it up. I'm gonna give the DIY path a go. It looks like a good way to get a decent shake and well chuffed at the same time. ;) Here's to learning curves.

Lance

ps. Please endure the ubiquitous strings on the keys. I really need to re-do a lot of the older classical stuff on a decent concert grand sample.
 
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