best Preamp for buck with outs for 24bit?

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videodrone

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Im thinking about getting the ART DPS but not sure,

I need 24bit outs so I can connect my 1680 to it and go 24 bit,

any help with good budget pre would be great!

Im looking for the SM57 or the RNC of pres
 
Don't do ART. They are really flat sounding, and they will make you have to EQ the hell out of your mix. I'd say lots of high quality and value, RNP from FMR, or Old School Audio preamps. Lots of great stuff out there, but more expensive.

Nathan Eldred
atlasproaudio.com
 
I have used a DBX386 with very nice results. The A/D converters
are great in the DBX's units. They have invented the Type IV conversion that helps you avoid digital clipping with a clever
compression scheme. You get a huge headroom to work with.
They go around $500 so they are pricey, but it is a good sounding
unit. The DBX376 is the a single channel version with a nice
compressor and de-esser added. They can output 16, 20 and 24
bits too.
 
I agree w/ bluesbear on this one. I use the DBX386 with a VS1824CD and an RNC, and it's a really good combo.-Richie
 
I've just upgraded from an ART TPS / Behringer Ultragain Pro to a Focusrite PVMP. This has the optional AD/24bit card and I love it ! 600 USD for the pre and 230 for the AD card
 
atlas said:
Don't do ART. They are really flat sounding, and they will make you have to EQ the hell out of your mix. I'd say lots of high quality and value, RNP from FMR, or Old School Audio preamps. Lots of great stuff out there, but more expensive.

Nathan Eldred
atlasproaudio.com
Click to expand...
Really?
I recorded this with an ART PRO MPA and a pair of TLM 103's.

http://artists2.iuma.com/site-bin/streammp3.m3u?190193

Doesn't sound flat to me.....
 
Hey ho,

I've also been looking about for a 2 channel mic preamp with 24/96 s/pdif out, to fill the last 2 (s/pdif) channels of my Delta 66. So far, the budget models seem to be:

ART DI/O DPS, us$230
Mindprint DI-Port, us$260
M-Audio Audiosport Duo, us$260

The Duo hasn't been mentioned so far, but it seems like it would fit the bill (assuming you need coax s/pdif and not optical; i'm not familiar with the 1680.)

Btw, i found the DI-Port at www.Kellysmusic.ca; just click on the American flag at the top, and you'll be shopping in US bucks.

Be seeing you,

piper.
 
Lately there have been a bunch of brand-new ART DPS on ebay going for $200. Might have to scoop one up.
 
atlas said:
Don't do ART. They are really flat sounding, and they will make you have to EQ the hell out of your mix. I'd say lots of high quality and value, RNP from FMR, or Old School Audio preamps. Lots of great stuff out there, but more expensive.

Nathan Eldred
atlasproaudio.com
Click to expand...
Neither of those have a digital out, which is what the poster needs.
 
piper spice said:
Hey ho,

I've also been looking about for a 2 channel mic preamp with 24/96 s/pdif out, to fill the last 2 (s/pdif) channels of my Delta 66. So far, the budget models seem to be:

ART DI/O DPS, us$230
Mindprint DI-Port, us$260
M-Audio Audiosport Duo, us$260
Click to expand...
Please note that the DI-Port supports sample rates up to 48kHz, not 96kHz. But that may not be a big deal to you. Don't know about the others mentioned.
 
The original poster is really looking for a converter that also happens to have a mic level input... which narrows it down [for the most part] to a couple of pieces of real crap.

With the possible exception of the Apogee "Mini-ME"... you're really not going to find a good version of a mic pre coupled with a good version of an A/D converter in the same box... expecially in the <$1k weight class. The pre design is going to be a compromise and the A/D design is going to be a compromise... which seems to me would be a waste of time and money at damn near every level... but every day the Banjo-Mart sends more and more of these things home with unsuspecting kidz who actually believe some minimum wage mook who couldn't buy a real gig...
 
OBVIOUSLY both the pres and the converters will be compromises. That's a given; there are ALWAYS compromises. Many of us on HOME RECORDING(!) DOT COM BBS cannot afford to spend $1000 or more on a pre and/or converter. The question still is, given a tight budget and the need for a SPDIF out, what piece of gear will allow us to continue to make decent recordings. The ones I'm considering:
- ART DPS
- DBX 386
- Mindprint DIPORT

Maybe, if I read between the lines of Fletcher's "it's-all-crap" post, what he's really saying is that given OUR needs and OUR budgets, any of the above units will serve us well. The pros on this board keep saying that low-priced gear is crap but at the same time they also keep saying, it's not the gear, it's how you use it. I've lurked on this board for a long time and it gets frustrating when someone asks for a recommendation and gets told that they NEED to spend a lot more money or they are SOL.
 
Originally posted by flanneljammies Maybe, if I read between the lines of Fletcher's "it's-all-crap" post, what he's really saying is that given OUR needs and OUR budgets, any of the above units will serve us well.
Click to expand...

I Think that’s close. Although, I think what he’s really saying is that you’ve locked yourself into a box with the requirement that the pre and the converter be on the same box. There are passable solutions to be sure. I seem to recall the great things that acorec (a frequent poster here) says about his Focusrite VoiceMaster Pro. But, much of the stuff in the category that you’re looking at is limited and will only be a stepping stone to something better and more expensive. That’s why many folks are reluctant to answer your specific question... because they probably think that it’s better to save up for something really good than get something that’s pretty much disposable that you’ll sell in a year once you know a little better. We’ve all been there and don’t want others to go there either.

The pros on this board keep saying that low-priced gear is crap but at the same time they also keep saying, it's not the gear, it's how you use it. I've lurked on this board for a long time and it gets frustrating when someone asks for a recommendation and gets told that they NEED to spend a lot more money or they are SOL.
Click to expand...

Sure engineering skill has a lot to do with sound, but with great gear skill maximizes the performance of the gear. With mid-level gear there are lower absolute limits to the gear’s performance that skill cannot generally overcome. That’s why it’s better to buy the most quality for your dollar, forsaking quantity for quality.
 
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