Best mic pre amp b/w $400-500?

The Presonus MP20 is around $500. The reviews were great on this pre but I've never used it. They are using different transformers since it first came out, not the Jensens.

I haven't made up my mind about tube preamps yet, because I've never owned a really nice one. Some of the top producers love them(and tube mics) and some think they are a sham. I'm happy with my Mackie vlz's but I do like what tubes do for keyboard sounds as an effect.
 
Thanks for the replies. I decided to go with a joe meek since everyone raves about them. And yes it had to be a tube. Mainly because it livens up the sound. So far ive hummed a few bars with the new pre and it is far better than the 286 dbx...way way better. a whole new dimension.
Thanks peeps
 
VC1Q I sprung the extra $$$$ cause im a gear slut too! I dont know if it has tubes. But it sounds great.

[Edited by BSMR on 02-20-2001 at 21:43]
 
with tears of joy

Congratulations. That was an excellent decision.

Even though the joemeek vc1q does not have tubes, it sounds fatter and warmer and more musical than most, if not all, tubes in its range

peace
 
So does JoeMeek sound better than say a dbx386 which i believe has a tube...and is cheaper by 80 bucks? And why??? I must say the jm vcq1 sounds very pro
 
I don't know if the 386 preamp is better or worse, even though they do use different technologies. It's just that the VC1Q has an optical compressor and EQ that can contribute to the sound. One is a channel strip and one is a dual-channel tube preamp. It's comparing apples and oranges.
 
Apples & Oranges

Your right, Iv'e got a dbx 376 tube pre w/comp/eq/desser, I battled and still do about which to use, I A/B'd the 376 & ajoe meek VC3Q and I came away with the dbx because of the natural response, the comp seemed transparent being a novice this was attractive, the meek sounded a bit harsh on guitar but I think bass would be cool no idea about vocal. But since my purchase Iv'e thought alot about a mindprint envoice or the VC6Q or even the A/D pro by mindprint nontube, to many for me I'm not a producer just W & R so which do I live with they're all around 500, going digital is important, I don't know it's funny the meek stuff is for the radical, dbx has a name but seems to have fallen in terms of cool, and mindprint is unestablished but promising at this price range there's quality but I'm not sure about longevity, will we use these 2 years from now.
 
So its the compressor that makes the sound fatter in the meek? I'm a little confused. Doesn't the compressor control the volume?? How would it "warm" the sound. I was under the impression that it was the pre-amp that fattened the sound. Anyway the joe meek relly makes the vocals AND the guitars sound right there(that is definately the compression). But i would really like to understand how this works as it woul help me to use the settings correctly. "Know wa a mean"

To shamefully quote some fellow meek owners here: "Have you hugged you joe meek today?"
 
I like the Mindprint. Bought it about a year ago.
Clean or warm. Or both.
The VC series Joe Meek is my next purchase.
 
reliability

Hi tojoe,

I bought the Mindprint Envoice two years ago and I don´t have any complaints, the only thing I can imagine is the tube, but it´s a 12 AX7 used in alot of devices, so wouldn´t be a problem to get a replacement. I tried out some other devices like the Envoice, but they were not as felxible in sound etc. or too expensive.
I heard some rumours that the digital Spdif option will go down in price.
 
Hey EEbaf

This was a pretty old thread.
Now it's been another year and I am thinking of buying another channel of Envoice.
I think it blows away everything under a grand.

I asked Envoice 2 years ago why they don't make a stereo version.
They said that to use the compressor that they had. I said it would be great to have all the function of the Envoice in two channels.

Guess what?
It's out and it's new.

Oh Well. It never ceases to amaze me though. Good to hear you like it.
 
IMHO only Cyan J

I love it. And I've tried the Focusrite, and the Peavey.

I paid 950 hear in Canada. (canuck bucks)

Have you worked with it?
 
hi ears,

I've heard the mindprint, and I like it. I even recommend it. I just that it was going a bit far to say that it was the best under $1000 grand. I did not know that you were talking about canadian dollars
 
Sorry. Canadian yeah.

It's just very polished in my observation. Almost a sense of 3d if you know what I mean.
I do want to try the VC3 though. For color.
 
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