Do I Need A Seperate Mic Pre-Amp If....

  • Thread starter Thread starter samich17
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Yeah, if you're tracking to hard disk, then get one or two preamps unless you're doing drums, which requires more channels (ie a mixer). Those channel strips with a preamp, EQ and compression are lovely to work with. But like Darrin said, two channels are way better than one. Being able to put two mics on a guitar offers you loads more possibilities with sound. And two of 'em would cost more than $300. But if you just go for two straightforward preamps, you can easily do that for $300.
 
I would still take the mackie over cheap preamps any day. The cheap preamps are a nice addition to a mackie but I would never call a Mackie1202 overkill for any situation. It only has 4 mic preamps so it's actually not enough for most drum mic setups.

If you get a Meek or one of the others you will be stuck with that sound on everything. Not necessarily a bad thing but you will be limiting yourself.

I would recomend everyone get a clean, neutral signal path first. Then start adding components that give you different colors when your ears are better trained.

If you want any kind of flexibility in your setup a mixer is a better first choice IMHO.
 
tex - i think everyone would like to have a Mackie Mixer, but you have to take in account that i have very little money and i would never use a Mackie to its full extent. i am a small time songwriter/mixer. i use one, maybe two, tracks at a time. ie. guitar and vocals..i don't need 16, 12, or even 10 channel to work with. Right now i am using a Fostex 4 track from 1995. It has a built in pre-amp, but it isn't very good..I think the Joe Meek MQ3 would be a nice addition to my setup...i agree that every signal should be clean and clear at first and then effects and/or compression added later. With the Joe Meek, i wouldn't have to start out with compression, but it gives you the option to start with one. Plus it is only $200 in comparison to the 1-$1,200 for a Mackie...believe me, after i finish my apprenticeship and become a certified mixing engineer, i probably will invest in a Mackie Mixer, but right now, it'd be dumb. I do, however, appreciate your advice. thanks a lot.
 
I hear ya Samich. FYI a 1202 is only about $300 new and less used. That's the only reason I was pushing one on you ;)

Follow your heart. or maybe your ears. Well probably your wallet, than your ears than your heart.
 
gidge - i have a question for ya..a little off subject

my guitar cable has 1 band on its plug, i am guessing that means it is mono, however, i have an A/V-1/8" cable going from my Fostex to my SoundBlaster Live! i just got my Echo Mia card today and installed it...i am stumped as to whether i should use that same cable to go into the card....of course the Mia has 1/4" inputs...so i would need to put an adapter on the end of it, which i have. (the adapter has 2 bands, so i am assuming that means stereo)

OR

would i just use regular A/V cables from my Fostex (Monitor Out) into the Digital inputs on the card? ??except?? one of the inputs says "DIn" and the other says "Dout" so, now i am thinking that the A/V cables aren't the way to go.. Is it the first way? i know this got off subject, but i'm trying to figure this thing out..thanks guys
 
Yeah, I was just looking and noticed that price creeping up. I paid $275 for my first 1202 new.

There are a few on Ebay for less than $250.

I dont have any personal stake in what anybody gets so I dont really care. I've actually never used a dedicated pre since most of my work was very utilitarian and required getting a good clean, reliable signal or else I would not get paid for the job.

I dont know anybody who gets paid to record audio who uses a Meek or Audio buddy for all of their audio. But I know plenty of guys who run everything through a Mackie.
 
for christ sakes, there's a dude selling a Fostex XR-5 on eBay for $60...i really need to upgrade.../my next investment will be a Mackie 1202, i feel dumb now because i already ordered the Joe Meek MQ3 Pre-amp...i hope it is good, because for just a $100 more i could've just went with the 1202...how many times do i have to kick myself in the ass for jumping the gun with music equipment..I must've lost nearly $5,000 already in trade-ins and upgrades..oh well, i guess it is all worth it.
 
ouch!!!

The Idea Is to always find the best stuff and pay low money for it.
 
the mq3 goes for $180 and the 1202 goes for $380....if you needed quite a few preamps and routing flexibility, the mackie may have been a better choice....but the mq3 is a better sounding preamp (IMO) than the mackie plus you get that "optical compressor" that is the heart of the Joe Meek sound.....dont be disappointed until you hear it, and if you dont like it you can always return it.....
 
i just got the m-audio audiosport duo (the usb mic-pre), and the mic-pre is very clean. i think i like it better than the mackie1604vlz, but i'll really be able to judge it proper in a couple of weeks.

this makes 4 good purchases in a row, and for me that's a record. i bought some cheesy sh** over the years and lost money making things right. please do kick yourself in the pants, but don't keep the crap gear just to save money. learn your lesson and trade the crap for what you really want.

purchases over the last 9 months:
1) ultrafunk directx fx package
2) roland xv3080 and Orchestra card
3) sansamp classic
4) m-audio audiosport duo

that's 4-4 over the last year, and probably 10-20 lifetime. i've bought and traded several guitars over the last 3 years, and have an alesis quadraverb gt and a roland rp-1 sitting in my closet to this day.
 
Mic Pre Suggestion

Perhaps someone mentioned this already (too lazy/busy to read every post) but the ART DualMP would be an excellent choice ... I believe they retail for $250 or so.

Mackie does make much smaller mixers that still have those amazing pres ... you might look into one of those.
 
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