Best Mic Pre under $300 Poll..

[genosmiles]

Gap-73

After much research and auditioning, I bought a stock GAP-73. It arrived yesterday and I've spent several hours with it. I can confirm it is VERY good and also great as a DI for bass and guitar. Other preamps I use/d in my setup include TASCAM DM-24 pre's, EMU 1616M pres and M-AUDIO DMP3's. GAP-73 is a definite step up from these. Anyone else use the GAP as DI (alone or in combination)?

 

[tjsmithmusic]

cheap mic pre's

Ok. After years of having to always buy the cheapest crap available, (Tascam 4 tracks, used Fostex 8-tracks, etc) I decided that 20 years of that was enough. I decided to start buying quality gear that wasn't too pricey. No Chandler gear yet...but when I started shopping for Mic Pre's for an AKAI DPS 16 recorder that I've had since '98, I considered the MP-3 and all the other under$400 mic pre's out there. After about a month of reading reviews here and on Harmony Central and Sweetwater, Guitar center, I reluctantly decided to get a used Behringer Ultra Gain off EBAY. WAIT! Here me out! I had already scored a Rode NTK on EBAY for $275 and it came with it's own power supply. SO my thinking was, I just need something to boost signals on my sm57 when I mic a amp. Good enough concept since any added noise would be buried in the actual signal and the headroom would cover it. So I got the Behringer and patched into the studio. I A/B the Rode mic plugging solo into the recorder and speaking along with just recording silent room noise. I then ran the Rode through the Ultra Gain in another track and was very impressed! the sound didn't get dirty. No increased hiss. the signal actually sounded a little clearer and a little more detailed. I don't use any of the built in EQ available. i do that in the board. I went ahead and bought two more used ones on Ebay and now I have 6 channels of mic pres for under $200. Score one for me! I then bought a used Drawmer 421 compressor for $300 on EBay. Now THAT is where you need to put your money! That thing is great! I even run my Roland TD6 module through it while recording, push it pretty good and it brings out tones that aren't even there. Really nice addition. So, get a decent quiet mic pre but go ahead and score a hot compressor. The main reason I went for the Behringer brand was because of the XLR in/outs. I was just tired of 1/4 inputs and felt I was losing any clean signal. Besides, I invested a couple a hundred in some nice xlr/1/4 patch cables and wanted to use them.

I know a lot of guys have bad experiences with Behringer but I was fortunate and must have got some units that were made when the assembler didn't have a hangover!

 

[kidvybes]

I think the Line6 UX2 does a fine job of that as well for $200 for 2 channels.

...different beast...I wouldn't compare a usb interface's built-in pres (with or without "emulation") to a Neve 1073-clone preamp with 3 transformers (iron in/iron out) and 80dB of gain output...but that's just my .02c...

 

[hueseph]

...different beast...I wouldn't compare a usb interface's built-in pres to a Neve 1073-clone preamp with 3 transformers (iron in/iron out) and 80dB of gain output...but that's just my .02c...

Yeah. Who could argue that point? I think you are talking to a brick wall though. The GA-73 is a rarity.

R. C. Murphy finally did a shootout between sub $500 mic pres btw. I guess he never managed to get a hold of the Golden Age. It's definitely on my shopping list though.

 

[dintymoore]

Has anyone used the Focusrite cheapos?

They were always a better than average company, at least I thought, and I was surprised to see how cheap their stuff is, and was wondering if it was good.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Focusrite-Saffire-Pro-24-DSP?sku=523334

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Focusrite-OctoPre-MkII-8-Channel-Mic-Preamp?sku=583659

crap or not crap?

 

[dickiefunk]

I used to have a Focusrite TrakMaster pro and have to say I much much prefer my GAP PRE73!!

I also have a Focusrite ISA One that I absolutely love aswell. I've just tried the GAP PRE73 on vocals and the results are very impressive! I love the thickness and weight that it adds!!
I am looking forward to doing some proper A/B's between these at some point!

I found the cheaper Focusrite pres to sound a little thin and harsh compared to my ISA One and PRE73.

 

[Fishmed]

I used to have a Focusrite TrakMaster pro and have to say I much much prefer my GAP PRE73!!

I also have a Focusrite ISA One that I absolutely love aswell. I've just tried the GAP PRE73 on vocals and the results are very impressive! I love the thickness and weight that it adds!!
I am looking forward to doing some proper A/B's between these at some point!

I found the cheaper Focusrite pres to sound a little thin and harsh compared to my ISA One and PRE73.

Can you give us a more detail comparison between the Focusrite ISA One and GAP PRE73? Did you have your GAP PRE73 mod'ed?

 

[dickiefunk]

Hi. My GAP PRE73 is the stock unit. I haven't had enough time to give either of these a real workout yet but on initial tests they both sound great with the PRE73 having more mojo going on with the extra transformer.

I'm in the middle of having my studio overhauled and am getting a vocal booth built over the next 3-4 weeks. Once this is done I will give these a serious A/B and post some clips.

 

[dkelley]

the focusrite trackmaster actually has a somewhat scooped sound, great for bg vocals and certain mixing styles, also great for bass or rhythm guitar parts. I've used it for lead vocals with good success too but you have to choose the mic to work with the pre...

the great thing about the trackmaster though is it's excellent opto compressor. it really is exceptional for such a simple-to-control comp.

at least for a cheap one anyway... I LOVE it as an insert compressor on vocals and some guitars.

the preamp is not, though, warm in any way. exact opposite of gap or mpa gold etc.

cheers,
Don

 

[JG96]

shop used.

 

[dintymoore]

shop used.

On the main page, it comes up that JG96's post was 3 hours ago, yet it's dated
05/26/10... go figure... acid flashback maybe...

But I do agree with JG96, and since this poll is from 2002 there's a good chance that any of these mic pre's is only available used.

Another point for the idea that every year the color around posts changes.

 

[MOFO Pro]

On the main page, it comes up that JG96's post was 3 hours ago, yet it's dated
05/26/10... go figure... acid flashback maybe...

But I do agree with JG96, and since this poll is from 2002 there's a good chance that any of these mic pre's is only available used.

Another point for the idea that every year the color around posts changes.

JG96 posted on 05/26/10... someone else voted in the pole 3 hrs ago... I hate that feature... especially on these old poles with no expiration...

 

[dintymoore]

JG96 posted on 05/26/10... someone else voted in the pole 3 hrs ago... I hate that feature... especially on these old poles with no expiration...

So someone else voted in the poll and it brought up JG96's several month old post as 3 hours old... gotcha... sounds like the programmers at Cubase got hired by vBulletin.