help me find the best mic pre for $2,000!

[maskedman72]

i have 2k to spend on a mic pre and i would like eq as well. i am looking for that neve 1073 sound. right now i am looking at vintech's vr73 and chandler's ltd-1 and a unit by green river.
please help me!!!

 

[Recording Engineer]

Considering everything you mentioned, I wouldn't setttle for ANYTHING but a Phoenix Audio GTQ2. You can't contact Phoenix Audio about it though. Have to get a hold of Geoff Tanner.

By the way, if you get one, I'm going to have to figure-out where you live and rob ya! I've been wanting one for awhile now... If only someone would buy my mics from me, dammit!!!

 

[darrin_h2000]

Alot of folks like the great river stuff.

 

[Scriabin]

I was just received my mp-2nv from mercenary...but I havent put it through its paces yet. So you want the best mic pre for $2000 huh? The best for what style and application? After you address these questions then maybe some people can help you find the right pre for your needs.

 

[Beezoboy]

I'll sell you a BEEZOBOY custom modded audio buddy for $1500 dollars. Don't tell anyone that I gave you such a deal though, or else I'll have more buisiness than Stephen Paul.

Beez

 

[musikman316]

I would try a few @ $2,000 although I can't promise you the 1073 sound, take a look @ the...

Trident S20 - $1299 (list)
Langevin AM-4 - $1475 (list)
Demeter HXM-1 - $1299 (buying price from Demeter)
Amek Neve 9098 - $1710 (list)
Amek Neve 9098 w/EQ - $2269 (list)

These along w/ what has been mentioned are all pretty good (I really love the Demeter stuff at the prices it's hard to beat, but not impossible).

Later,
Musik

And if you find some of these used you could buy a pair of pre's...

 

[tubedude]

The Great River NV would be the best bet all around. New, under warranty, based on a Neve design only done better, neutral all the way up to massive character, and $2000 on the nose. Its the only way I would go unless I was racking a few API's.

 

[maskedman72]

i will be using the unit for everything from snare drum to guitar to vox to djembe. i track one thing at a time to a click so everything will be going through it. but the great river dosent have eq. what about universal audio?
i have been hearing alot about phonex audio and avalon too.
you guys are being a great help thanks!!!!!

 

[musikman316]

The Amek Neve 9098 w/Eq is a really nice unit, and it sells for $1759.00 @ Mac Midi Music.

Here is a link.

http://www.macmidimusic.com/amek9098eq.html

Later,
Musik

 

[tubedude]

OH! You want EQ, too... and a single channel unit? Ahhh.. perfect... get a Great River MP-1NV and a Speck ASC EQ and link em up side by side in a rack... best chain you'll get, and save $500, too. How fat is that?
PEace!

 

[PhilMckracken]

I like the Universal Audio 2-610 and, they now have a channle strip that is one channel of the 2-610 and the 1176 limiter combined. If you only need one channel, this looks to be like quite the choice or at least one that should be considered. Most people here are partial to Great River stuff which I would not knock at all. Certainly the MP-2NV is a viable choice but by no means the only choice. Mic pres seem to be personality oriented and everyone has thier favorites. At the 2k range I guess it is not so much what to geat as it is what not to get. Eliminate the crap and choose the one that you like.

Good luck!

 

[Recording Engineer]

All the others mentioned are very cool units. BUT, considering EVERYTHING you originally mentioned in your original post, I still feel the GTQ2 will do it best for you.

 

[NathanEldred]

Great River MP-2NV (or now the 1 channel NV identical to the 2 channel...er...except one channel), and the Phoenix Audio DRS-2 which is somewhat based on Neve sound, but is a new fresh start. Both compliment each other very well. YMMV.

Best Regards
Nathan Eldred
atlasproaudio.com

 

[20db.com]

i have 2k to spend on a mic pre and i would like eq as well. i am looking for that neve 1073 sound.

Masked, the first question I would ask is what are you trying to achieve ? It sounds like you know what you want but my guess is you are asking about products someone has told you were good quality.

My second question is what kind of console are you tracking thru now and do you have any other sounding mic preamps ?

Mic pres with EQ are nice but... for the same amount of money as one channel with EQ will get you two great sounding 1073ish channels. Personally I use two channels a heck of a lot more than EQ.

I agree with Nathan about the Great River and the Phoenix being complimentary but so is the Buzz Audio or the Millennia. They are complimentary because they are different sounding.

My personal opinion is the Great River is one of the best sounding and well built 1073 designs on the market. It is one of those pieces of gear that you can build a great sounding studio around. It is not a flashing trendy fancy design with cute buttons. But it is versatile and it is simply a solid piece of gear that you will keep in your rack for 20 years.

If you want a mic pre that has a very up front sound that is clear clean but has a great bottom end then go with the MP-2NV. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Lee

www.20db.com
"Providing Passionate Artist with Inspiring Tools"

 

[JuSumPilgrim]

Take a listen to Buzz. Two channels of MA2 around $1700. Focused and aggressive midrange thats reminiscent of BLUE mics only more subtle. Wide open top end. Tight low mid/bottom. I dont know what to compare it to. Its colored yet neutral, warm but accurate, etc.

 

[20db.com]

JuSumPilgrim, you will not get any arguments from me about the sound of the Buzz MA-2.2. it is one clean sounding mic pre. But it is very, very different than the Great River.

The Buzz is the perverbal straight wire with gain, smooth and crystal clear. It certainly can bring out the best in a mic, and for something like an acoustic guitar it will amaze you. The 2.2 is probably the fastest reacting mic pre on the market and if you want to capture some thing with a lot of transients like a snare, this baby is the way to go.

But, I wouldn't have recommended it in this situation only because maskedman72 mentioned he was looking for a Neve sounding mic pre. But there is no doubt the Buzz would be my next recommendation after statisfying the urge for a 1073.

Lee

20db.com
"Providing Passionate Artist with Inspiring Tools"

 

[jugalo180]

whoa

two thousand dollar pre, what type of mics do you have. i bet they are sweet.

 

[ozraves]

Take a listen to Buzz. Two channels of MA2 around $1700. Focused and aggressive midrange thats reminiscent of BLUE mics only more subtle. Wide open top end. Tight low mid/bottom. I dont know what to compare it to. Its colored yet neutral, warm but accurate, etc.

I was going to recommend the Buzz MA-2.2 as well.

steve
www.mojopie.com

 

[JuSumPilgrim]

JuSumPilgrim, you will not get any arguments from me about the sound of the Buzz MA-2.2. it is one clean sounding mic pre. But it is very, very different than the Great River.

The Buzz is the perverbal straight wire with gain, smooth and crystal clear. It certainly can bring out the best in a mic, and for something like an acoustic guitar it will amaze you. The 2.2 is probably the fastest reacting mic pre on the market and if you want to capture some thing with a lot of transients like a snare, this baby is the way to go.

But, I wouldn't have recommended it in this situation only because maskedman72 mentioned he was looking for a Neve sounding mic pre. But there is no doubt the Buzz would be my next recommendation after statisfying the urge for a 1073.

Lee

20db.com
"Providing Passionate Artist with Inspiring Tools"

Really well put.

The Buzz is all about transients. Everything going on is magnified to a surreal degree. But its not neutral...its incredible on rock vocals, OHs, acoustics. Nothing gets lost in the mix.
Where the grace is neutral and linear from top to bottom the MA2 is aggressive and extremely tight all around. Whatever your mic has to offer will be apparent very quickly.

 

[maskedman72]

the mics i own are an at 4033,57's,and an audix d-1 for snare,and a d112 for kick. i have a mackie 24-8 and i run to da-38's. the only mic pre i have right now is a digitech vtp-1. i think it sounds like crap. i hope that when i do get my new pre it will sound better.....
a lot better. with everything everyone is saying i am now between the great river mp2nv and the phoenix audio. i hadnt even considered buying a dual channel unitand linking a eq unit later. now that you guys mentioned that i think that would be the way to go. i really really hope that i will hear a difference in one of these pres compared to what i have got.........a $2,000 dollar difference. that is the problem for me, alot of things just dont sound that much better for the price. thanks guys and keep it comin!!!!!!!! im all ears.