Best Mic to Preamp matches

  • Thread starter Thread starter Middleman
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Middleman

Middleman

Professional Amateur
Just curious as to others favorite home "Gold Channel" match up.

Whats your favorite mic and preamp match, on Voice?
Same question for Bass, Guitar, Keyboard and Drums.
 
Speaking of this sorta, did you get a chance to use your NTK with a DMP3? My DMP3 just arrived and I am totally loving my overhead sound. Like a sheet has been lifted off of the mics.
 
Well it doesn't quite qualify as home setup but I love the Sony c800 going through my GT Vipre. I only get to use that setup once in a while, for commercial soundtracks.
For my home stuff, I get great sound out of my Octava 319 going through a Meek VC3q.

For the price it gives a lot of versitility.IMHO
 
theletterq

I did not get a chance to run the NTK through the DMP3. I actually sold the DMP3 and picked up the Focusrite Voicemaster Pro. However, initially I am not getting the results I expected.

I am going to spend some more time tonight seeing if it was just some EQ settings or if the match up between the NTK and the Voicemaster works.

The C1 and Voicemaster Pro sounds really good with little EQ after the fact. The DMP3 and the C1 was OK, very EQ intensive however, after the fact.

Getting back to the NTK, because of its warm nature, I think it needs a fairly neutral pre to make it sound its best. It already has a significant amount of color and when you match it with a pre that has color it tends to be too much warmth. I may pick up another DMP3 to check the results as it was fairly neutral.

I am also going to try some soundcraft, mackie and behringer board pres tonight.

I wish there was a chart of experience that showed great mic/pre match-ups and vocal types. Something I could keep on my wall as a general guide. That's why I started this thread, to see others positive experiences in a sea of excessive variables.
 
Yeah that's what I was thinking about the NTK/DMP3 combo. Should be pretty good. I'm sticking with just the DMP3 for now and have narrowed my mic search down to:

NTK
M-9
Baby Bottle
KSM32

I'm looking for smooooth. :)
 
theletterq,

Just got done with the Behringer mixer/NTK match. Good but not as good as the Focusrite VM Pro.

Actually the Voicemaster Pro is much better than my previous post. I had the Optical Expander cranked up too much to cut out the fan noise from my computer. It also was pumping too fast on my voice so trails and lower volume vocal sounds were getting truncated as well.

The DMP3 is really a great little pre and I will probably buy another soon. I just needed to sell it to cover the cost of the VM Pro.

Now I'm looking for an alternative detailed, non warm sound in a mic. I have the C1 which requires a colored pre in my experience but I want something more clear across the board. Something less warm than the NTK that will match up with this extremely clear focusrite. Maybe the TLM103.

Anyone got any reccomendations?
 
The Baby Bottle maybe? From what I've heard and read, it is supposedly very clean, neutral, and very smooth in the highs. Could be what you're looking for.

I think I may just take the plunge with this one (as if this doesn't change on an hourly basis). The descriptions of "ribbon like" and a ribbon mic trapped inside a condensers body tend to excite me. :)

Thanks for the NTK trials and opinions...I appreciate it.
 
Middleman said:
theletterq

The C1 and Voicemaster Pro sounds really good with little EQ after the fact. The DMP3 and the C1 was OK, very EQ intensive however, after the fact.
Click to expand...


This is a huge point. Mic/pre combos that sound similar going in can sound very dif from each other once a little EQ and compression is applied. This varies from pre to pre. I didnt realize the extent to which various pres respond differently to EQ and compression until recently with the RNP. Going in by itself with no compression it sounded somewhat dark or very unhyped. Adding just a small amount of 2.5:1 compression with a 60ms release opened the sound up hugely. The unique tone and extended top end of the preamp was heard pretty dramatically.
Probably the best way to compare pres is with a small amount of compression.
 
Now I'm looking for an alternative detailed, non warm sound in a mic. I have the C1 which requires a colored pre in my experience but I want something more clear across the board. Something less warm than the NTK that will match up with this extremely clear focusrite. Maybe the TLM103.
Click to expand...

Try a Rode NT1000. Very clear and detailed. Also the Shure KSM32. Not too glassy but very true and clear.

Blessings, Terry
 
AT4033 into a Peavey VMP-2. Very nice, especially on people with deeper voices or if the vox call for a certain 'whispiness'.

I think an SM-7 would sound even better, but I don't have one... yet.
 
Thanks everyone, keep those recommendations coming.

JuSumPilgrim,

I could not agree more on the compression thing. I use 2.5 to 1 on all my vocals to keep those transients in line. 3-6 on the threshold 20ms attack and 75-100 release. I come back later with more for effect if necessary.
 
AT 4060 into a Grace 101..Sounds nice on vocals..I have gotten some good results with a Baby Bottle with one singer..This mic surprised me..I havent had it long enough to have used it alot..But If you got a very brite voice check it out..



Don
 
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Like you think many of us can afford more than ONE preamp :rolleyes:

Well, I just switched out the resident tube (for the second time) in my Art MP Studio with a 12AX7 from Electro-Harmonix - warmed things up rather nicely - made my new Oktava MK319 sound pretty good, and it didn't do to bad a job on my also new SP B1 either. :)

I also have USB3 external soundcard that I now use as a preamp for my VXPocket2 soundcard when I want to just use my SM57 - makes things sound nice and crunchy and clear!
 
Re: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Shaky Tee said:

Well, I just switched out the resident tube (for the second time) in my Art MP Studio with a 12AX7 from Electro-Harmonix
Click to expand...

I just did this very thing yesterday on mine (dual mp), with the exact same tube, and personally don't notice too much of a difference. I spent a coule hours doing 2 vocal tracks with someone, too, so really had a good chance to test and compare. It sounds tighter, but not better, and whatever added warmth is negligible to my ears. i'm leaving it in because I like the tightness, but I won't be replacing the tube in the other channel.
 
Heya!

I actually had a GROOVE TUBES AU7 in there to replace the initial one by Sovtek - it added a lot of buzz to my vocal tracks. So this one was DEFINITELY an improvement.

Also, wouldn't it depend on what mic you are using? If you have a colored mic, would it make much difference? I actually noticed it more using my SP C1, than the MK319, but that's just me. :D
 
Maybe you guys can take that tube replacement conversation to another track. Looking for stellar mic and preamp experiences here. :D
 
Vurt said:
AT4033 into a Peavey VMP-2. Very nice, especially on people with deeper voices or if the vox call for a certain 'whispiness'.

I think an SM-7 would sound even better, but I don't have one... yet.
Click to expand...

I've heard that Audio Technica mics take really well to tube preamps.
 
I am getting some excellent results from my latest mic/preamp combo: Shure KSM-44 thru an ART DPS DI/O.

Beautiful for single vocal, group vocal, acoustic guitar and empty Sparklet's water jug - that is all I have recorded with it so far. Beautiful, just fooking beautiful.


Brad
 
Brad..Nice mic ,the KSM44..I like mine alot !Have you tried the other patterns yet{fig 8/omni}?


Don
 
I hear ya, HD - I am in love with this mic.

I have mostly used it as cardioid - but I did use the omni pattern for a project I am working on - had 8 people standing in a circle chanting - mic was omni, about chest high in the center of the chant circle. Worked like a charm.

I plan on doing a little experiment with it bi-directional. I don't want to say what it is yet because I hope to use this experiment in a mp3 posting in the clinic in the future and see if people can figure out what I did. You know, just for shits & giggles.

Brad
 
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