Has Anyone Used an ART MPA Pro or a Behringer t1953?

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ghetto3jon

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i'm interested in some of the qualities of these pre amps. i've heard that these amps are not especially trasparent, but that's not what i'm looking. i'm looking for tube coloration. now i know that these pre's are merely "tube stage" amps, so i know the tube coloration is not going to be incredible...but it's what i can afford...

if you've used these, and can let me know about your experience with them, i would be greatful.
 
I used to have an MPA. I got a deal on it used and kept it for a while. It was not bad, but not a whopping step up from the Tube MP to be honest. A little cleaner perhaps. VU meters are always better than LED's and look impressive to clients.

Tube sound? In this price range we call it "toob" or "tewb". It has some coloration, distortion that is, which can be pleasant on some things. It does not have the clean gain to push a greedy source like a ribbon mic. Might do what you want if for though.

I didn't keep it long enough to bother, but I suppose you could switch out the stock 12AX7's in there (I think they're Chinese) for some fancy NOS, or even Electro-Harmonix, for a little nicer tone.
-kent
 
I recorded this:
http://artists.iuma.com/site-bin/streammp3.m3u?190193
with an ART PRO MPA.
I tried NOT to have the pre color the sound, so I close miked, and used as little gain as I could get away with.

Some coloration is still evident, especially if you compare it to this sample.
http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1656&alid=-1
(Same piano, same room, same player, different pre)
Second Song.

Next time I have a few dollars burning a hole in my pocket, I think I'll try switching out the tubes in the MPA; Just for fun, and see how much of a change it makes.
 
Had the ART PRO MPA for a short while - I was disappointed.
 
T1953

I own a T1953, do not buy one. Cheap production. The Level VU's are whacked out already, and I've only had it for a few months. The tubes in the T1953 are for effect, kind of a high frequency exciter, they just add to the signal.
 
what do you mean by they "just add to the signal"?

(thanks for the reply)
 
Re: T1953

ecs113 said:
I own a T1953, do not buy one. Cheap production. The Level VU's are whacked out already, and I've only had it for a few months. The tubes in the T1953 are for effect, kind of a high frequency exciter, they just add to the signal.
Click to expand...

Exciter? I never heard that one before about the T1953. The biggest complaint I've heard is
they don't hear any difference when the "warmth" knob is cranked. I own one and I like mine. Not the first preamp in my rack I plug in to but I find it good for some applications. like it much better then the Blue Tube and Art MP stuff, but for alittle more money you can find a better preamp.
 
Hey MJ, what was the pre on the second sample?

-Jett
 
I do hear a difference, and it is not a midrange warmth, but a high frequency crispness. What I mean by adding to the signal is that it does not use the tube to preamplify the signal, it uses the tube as an effect.

Note: My VU meters are magically working again. Go figure...
 
jet-rocker said:
Hey MJ, what was the pre on the second sample?

-Jett
Click to expand...
A pair of Audix 35102's racked by Brent Averill.
Similar to the Calrec's.
 
I really liked the sound of that track. Liked the Art too, but.... damn.

-Jett
 
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