Best Pre-Amp Under $150?

Meh. Everyone has an opinion...including me.

Currently using a DMP3 that sounds nice & clean, as well as a Focusrite ISA One (great CL deal).
 
This thread has come up a number of times. And my opinion has stayed the same.

Unless there is a ,ajar problem with them, stick with the pres in your interface until you have a couple nice mics and can jump to $500 for the pre. You won't see a lot of improvement in a dmp3. The only other reason I'd recommend a dmp3 is if you just need more channels (like if your interface has 2 and you need 4).

What interface are you using?
 
From what I have found recently myself, is that it takes adding a '0' to the price of a $150 preamp, to actually achieve a big result. I have 3 different ART preamps, each of them have their abilities, but nothing compared to the X73 I just purchased. The ART stuff in my opinion, gives a wee bit more versatility, and some tone variations, than the stock pres on my interface. IMHO, nothing to warrant purchasing to get better sounding recordings. I use them to increase my channel count. Not to get better tone.
 
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jimmys69 said:
From what I have found recently myself, is that it takes adding a '0' to the price of a $150 preamp, to actually achieve a big result.
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I'm working towards a LA-610 MKII :D
As soon as I finish with treatment and other similar necessities I'm totally buying one of those.
It's been my dream piece for years. I'm sure plenty here will say "oh. 1500 no. get ____"
:cursing: No.

It was my first "dream" piece of recording equipment and Ive gotta get one :D.
The same way a wine red Gibson LP custom is THE guitar I want someday. And the SM57 was the first mic I wanted.
And the Rokit 6's were THE speakers I wanted. Even before I knew what they were I'd see them in guitar magazines and think "those seem awesome"

Everyone wont agree with what I want. But it's what I want :eatpopcorn:
 
Yeah, it's not a matter or pro studios use expensive pres and hobbyists can get away with cheapies, it's a matter of cheap pres don't sound better than the ones that are built into most interfaces, so why buy them? expensive pres (depending on which ones) do sound better. so you spend $150 for a dmp3 that isn't better than what you have. what the dmp3 is great for is adding more channels if your interface doesn't have enough.

maybe 8 years ago i would have said the dmp3 is better than most interface pres, but today that just isn't the case anymore. as long as your interface is fairly new and has at least 60db of gain, you should be just fine without a dmp3.

so, again, what interface are you using?
 
aaronmcoleman said:
maybe 8 years ago i would have said the dmp3 is better than most interface pres, but today that just isn't the case anymore.
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I'm not so sure about that. You're right, you're fine if you get enough gain from your interface pres, but the DMP3 is a lot better than most pres you get in an interface these days.
 
Do you all think that with DAW based setups, channels strips and other outboard compressor and eq package type things aren't really important compared to getting really solid preamps?
Would stretching that whole "you can get by with plug in eq and compressors but there's no emulating a preamp" thing to not getting outboard comps at all be too much?
 
'Aren't really important', is directly relative to how much money you have. Analog gear can give things that ITB cannot. Let me rephrase, good (expensive) analog gear 'can' add to tone. More important IMO, is getting the tone right to begin with. And yes, a great preamp (not a $150 one) will definitely help with job one. Getting great tone right at the source.
 
I'm seriously considering not getting the la610 at first (although EVENTUALLY i will. :p) and getting a 4-710d instead. I could run my four main drum mics through it, and vocals, and everything else. Where as with the la610 i'll just have one input
 
I used to use the 4-710 all the time while tracking in a buddies studio. Very useable and sounded great. In my experience, the 610 was good for bass, vocals, and some drums. It seemed to add more mud to guitars, so it was typically replaced by an X73i. That is the main reason I bought it. It was the best all around preamp on everything in his studio. All of the good pre's have their place. For us types who can't afford them all, a NEVE 1073 clone is probably the best bet for a first preamp. IMO of course. The Golden Age Pre 73 is a clone and is much cheaper.
 
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kidkage said:
x73vs x73i- whats the difference ?
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Oops, my bad. X73i is what I prefer. The price is better and the EQ is actually better for me. The X73 has 3 transformers. The X73i shares one of the transformers. That basically is the cost difference.
 
I was attracted to the 610 orginally for vox. I did some remixes for some d00ds and they were running a sm7 into the 610. and it just sounded incredible.
Now that was MOONNTHS and some gained knowledge ago. So I'm not sure if it was the sm7 or the 610. or the combo.
I did want a sm7 but i feel like getting a killer pre to run my budget mics into would be better than a budget pre to run my killer mics into.
I've got an opportunity to get a new 710d for $1700 idk. it's tough being around a deal that might not come again for a piece of kit that'll definitely be useful. But also having other necessities to take care of first like treatment.

priorities.

I shudder when i think that there was a time i never thought i would go over a year with out buying a guitar :guitar::facepalm:
its ok though. i was running out of guitar room.
 
Going back a few pages I was singing the praises of the Studio Projects VTB-1, well I just picked up a second one and I also have a rack kit on the way. I love these things, I can't believe how good they sound for the price. I know they are not a boutique pre but for the under the $150 question they rock. The blue light behind the vale looks good too , another review.

PS, I don't work for Studio Projects.

alan.
 
kidkage said:
I'm working towards a LA-610 MKII :D
As soon as I finish with treatment and other similar necessities I'm totally buying one of those.
It's been my dream piece for years. I'm sure plenty here will say "oh. 1500 no. get ____"
:cursing: No.

It was my first "dream" piece of recording equipment and Ive gotta get one :D.
The same way a wine red Gibson LP custom is THE guitar I want someday. And the SM57 was the first mic I wanted.
And the Rokit 6's were THE speakers I wanted. Even before I knew what they were I'd see them in guitar magazines and think "those seem awesome"

Everyone wont agree with what I want. But it's what I want :eatpopcorn:
Click to expand...

I share your sentiment re:la-610. WANT. Soon, but not soon enough...
saads said:
I'd love to hear the rationale on that.
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They've been nothing but headaches across a myriad of machines, from my own personal experience with an 1814, audiophile 2496 and fast track pro. And I don't like their sound when they do work.
 
jimmys69 said:
From what I have found recently myself, is that it takes adding a '0' to the price of a $150 preamp, to actually achieve a big result.
Click to expand...

You just destroyed my hopes and dreams for about the next 3 years of my life, thanks :D :laughings:

attachment.php



:D
 
It's hard to spend much more than $150 per channel on a solid-state preamp in parts. Tube, yeah you could do that. Even with transformers though, $150 per channel will get you Jensens in & out plus whatever semiconductors you need. You can shoehorn four channels of that in a 1u case without much effort and you should be able to do the power transformer for $20. You can manage the PCB run for all four (or even eight) channels for less than $200. Get in on one of the projects with PCB kits on groupdiy and you'll save quite a lot on PCBs. If you go for sexy parts like 700 position rotary switches, OK you are up to $200 per channel.

So, learn to solder.
 
Actually, this is the best answer for good under $150 preamps. That's what I do, but it's not something most have time for, or the inclination to undertake.

But, even at that, 2 channels ends up costing $350-400 while the DMP3 is $150 for 2 channels. Neve and API clones sound immensely better though. So, to anyone willing to learn a little and give up a bit of time, DIY is a great way to go. I've built 4 preamps, a bunch of guitar pedals, and a couple compressors and they all work! Tons of fun, and now I have 2x$2000 compressors ($750 total), 4x$750 preamps ($800 total), and a bunch of cool pedals...so I save over 70% making them at home.

Do it if you can and want.
 
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