EHX Pre - Samples!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Halion
  • Start date Start date
Ben Logan said:
Halion - this is my problem in a nutshell. I've got to get my outlets grounded asap. Thanks for the tip. I've been debating whether or not hassling my brother (who's an amatuer electrician - a scary concept) to help me. Based on your experience, I'm sold.
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Here's a surprise for me: my garage IS grounded. I bought one of those cheap little tester units that you plug into the outlet. Very handy. Garage is grounded, house isn't. Which makes sense, since the garage was wired only about 5 years ago, whereas the house was wired in the 40's.

So lack of grounding isn't the source of my hum problem with two different EHX Mic Pre's.

Walter, are you by any chance using TRS cabling? There's another thread up that claims TRS solved a guy's hum problem.
 
TRS cable is pretty easy to find, pretty much any music store will have it. If the fix is that simple you are a lucky guy!
 
Hi there, new user.

I just recieved one of the EH mic pres and ran some tests last night. Using XLR to TRS, and also used a XLR out to a Hi/Lo transformer with unbalanced tip. Both were quiet, and I really am liking the sound and vibe of this little unit.

I have another quick question. Is the main power LED supposed to go off when the Phantom power is engaged? Seemed strange at first. I haven't heard anything that makes me think it's faulty, just checking.

Great forum here, learning a lot.
 
sonicalbert: I have no idea why you can't get to them. I get over 2,000 plays/downloads a month off my soundclick site. Sorry. I can email them to you if you like.

Ben: I have no idea what TRS cables are. I am using a regular guitar cable.

Hampy: glad yours is working ok. Yes my light goes out too when the phantom power switch is on. Walter

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/7/waltertoresspontobeat.htm
 
Walter Tore said:
Diogo: I used to live in Ohio-Athens, many years ago. I was a bouncer in a bar, and played with a few local bands. Thanks for that kind offer! Have you tried ebay for a used hotplate?

Walter
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hey Walter, yep i tried ebay...thing is, i have to get the Hotplate from Europe, or else ill need somesort of power adpater cause of the voltage difference :/ and i always hear those things take away from the performance of the gear and get really hot really fast so...

as these are very useful pieces of gear, they dont come up often on ebay :/ but ill keep looking..

thinking of getting a Vox Pathfinder 10v to practice at home...for 70 bucks i figure i cant go wrong with it..but im afraid it might be too loud still :/
 
Ben Logan said:
Thanks for posting the clip I sent you Halion. :)

Yes - Lomo - I tracked just about everything through the EHX pre. Here's the recipe:

Vocals and Acoustic Guitar: EHX pre and Studio Projects B3 mic
Elec Guitar: EHX pre and SM57
Drums: Just two mics: FMR RNP and SM57 on Bass and Snare drum / EHX pre and SP B3 as room mic
Bass: FMR RNP

I used the 1/4 inch output on the EHX pre. The XLR output, suggested by Joel Hamilton, is supposed to sound better. Next payday I can buy myself a new XLR cable...

When you solo individual tracks you can hear some hum, but in the overall product, the noisefloor seems fine to me.

I'll send an MP3 version of the same clip to Halion so you can access it with dial-up (I'm a dial up guy too).

Thanks for checking it dudes!
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Just to clarify:

There is NO output control on the tube side of this mic pre, only on an IC buffered 1/4" output.

The pre is just like any of my other real tube pre's: one knob, straight to tape (or disk, whatever...)...

This pre sounds amazing when used properly, just like any other gear. I really, really like this little pre for vocals, and acoustic gtr.

I have no vested interest in this pre other than that I helped by beta testing a few prototypes.

Little refinements were made after engineers tried the thing out. This pre really was tested in the studio, rather than ONLY to meet a price point. The fact that it does BOTH is amazing to me. The designer is a really brilliant guy..
 
Hey Guys,

I've been away from the computer for a while, but I wanted to share this tidbit about the EHX Mic Pre. Some of you guys who've been on board with this thread for a while may remember that I got a terrible hum along with the great tone of this pre. Problem is now totally solved.

I emailed EHX a second time, a month after I tried to contact them the first time with no success. This time they got right back to me. Here's what EHX said:

"for you its a different problem... its the unbanaced input of your sound card. you must get a balanced to unbalanced transformer (like the ones sold by shure). this is a real balanced output preamp. there is no unbalanced out. it will hum because of the one floating output. try a transformer or active directbox (balanced to unbalanced...). that will fix the hum. we agonized over whether or not to go "semi pro" or "pro". pro it is... and that means balanced. and as for clipping, do not use the buffer level control at all when you set up the pre. turn it OFF. if you are not going to use the XLR out, plug your mic in, get a level using the input gain and the LED (it should just dimly light up when you nail the mic loud). THEN, use the buffer out volume control to match the level to your sound card.
jc


So, Diogo and Sonic Albert were correct - it was my soundcard that was causing all the fuss. I purchased a transformer. No hum now. I'm in the club with Walter. Love this pre. :p

Ben
 
I got mine a few days ago, thank god 2 of the 1010LT ins are balanced!

I've not used it properly yet but just playing around with an acoustic guitar and singing it sounds pretty sweet.

These are now available in the UK for £115.00 from this place:

http://www.hotroxuk.com/store/erol.html

I looked around everywhere and couldn't find a UK seller so ended up going to a US seller on ebay. As soon as I'd won the auction hotrox got back to me saying they now had them in stock. :rolleyes:

It still worked out about £5 cheaper with the US seller (he marked it $50- gift) but it took a couple of weeks to arrive.

Actually I have a question about this pre. Are the tubes in sockets or are they soldered in? Just wandering how easy it'd be to try out some different tubes.

thanks
 
Kevin,

i think i remember Joel telling me that they come off, so - in the sockets..but dont take my word for it..
 
Kevin DeSchwazi said:
Actually I have a question about this pre. Are the tubes in sockets or are they soldered in? Just wandering how easy it'd be to try out some different tubes.
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When I experienced the hum problem on my unit (don't tell my wife I said that), the first thing that I did was unscrew the heat sink and re-seed the tubes. It didn't solve the problem, but it did tell me that the tubes are in sockets and very easy to swap out.

Ben Logan said:
So, Diogo and Sonic Albert were correct...
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Gee whiz...I don't even get a mention for being the first to document the balanced vs. unbalanced cabling issue on this preamp? :(

- Jerfo
 
Ben Logan said:
Hey Guys,



I emailed EHX a second time, a month after I tried to contact them the first time with no success. This time they got right back to me. Here's what EHX said:

"for you its a different problem... its the unbanaced input of your sound card. you must get a balanced to unbalanced transformer (like the ones sold by shure). this is a real balanced output preamp. there is no unbalanced out. it will hum because of the one floating output. try a transformer or active directbox (balanced to unbalanced...). that will fix the hum. we agonized over whether or not to go "semi pro" or "pro". pro it is... and that means balanced. and as for clipping, do not use the buffer level control at all when you set up the pre. turn it OFF. if you are not going to use the XLR out, plug your mic in, get a level using the input gain and the LED (it should just dimly light up when you nail the mic loud). THEN, use the buffer out volume control to match the level to your sound card.
jc


So, Diogo and Sonic Albert were correct - it was my soundcard that was causing all the fuss. I purchased a transformer. No hum now. I'm in the club with Walter. Love this pre. :p

Ben
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Hi Ben: I am glad you got it figured out. I guess my delta 66 soundcard is balanced. Thanks for sharing that email from EH. I have been running my vocals according to thier advice. I use 1/4" jacks out of the EH, and in to the delta 66. Walter


I recorded a bunch of new songs, with the EH on the vocals, with a C414 TLII. Everything is 4 track, live, with only a bit of reverb added, and a bit of bass taken off the guitar.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/7/waltertoresspontobeat.htm
 
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wow, 2 neg reps for posting in this thread!

Somebody didn't get enough attention when they were a kid! :D
 
SonicAlbert said:
Yeah, and I just got another one for a post in this thread that's over two weeks old! :confused:
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Notch up two more for me, too. Do people really not have anything better to do? :confused:

To the phantom / anonymous negative rep-er:

Have you read my review of this preamp, in which I state that it's quirky, noisy, and bereft of numerous features that would have been nice? Does that sound like the work of a biased corporate shill?

I also wrote another blog entry on your behalf. Enjoy!

- Jerfo
 
jerfo said:
Gee whiz...I don't even get a mention for being the first to document the balanced vs. unbalanced cabling issue on this preamp? :(

- Jerfo
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Oops! Yes - thanks for reminding me Jerfo. You did indeed mention this early on. I'd still be agonizing over that background hum if it wasn't for you dudes. Thank you! :)
 
diogo said:
Kevin,

i think i remember Joel telling me that they come off, so - in the sockets..but dont take my word for it..
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Totally swappable. I have tried a couple of different 12AX7's and a few 12AY7's in both positions. Finally found a pair I like together. Awesome.
 
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