How many mic pre's do you have?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Michael Jones
  • Start date Start date
Michael Jones

Michael Jones

New member
Generally, I'm speaking of outboard mic pres.
The reason I ask has to do with recording drums. While it seems to me that as few as 4 and as many as 8 mics are typically used on drums/percussion, I'm wondering if people use their really nice outboard pres for drums, or use the boards pres.

Or a combo of both?
And if both, what gets the outboard pres?
 
Im a guitarist, but if you listen to my stuff, youll think otherwise. When a band comes to the studio, I explain my philosophy, and if they dont like it, they can go somewhere else. I dont want to get paid for something someone doesnt like, so off I send em

I believe there are 3 parts to a song

1: the kick drum
2: the snare drum
3: the rest of the song

so with that in mind :)

the pre's with the most CONTROL ( not necessarily the best sound) usually go on my kick inside, and snare top mics. In my case usually the SSL LogicFXG series ( cuz of the eq's)

vintage sounding pre's go on the outside kick mics and any cymbal spot mics, in my case neve 1272's and calrec 1061's

hi hats, rides and toms get accurate sounding pre's, in my case usually precision 8's

overhead and room mics usually get a good compromise between vintage and accuracy, in my case focusrite red-8's

compression and outbaord eq get used on the drums first too for me...depending on my split personality of whether I want to record EXACTLY how I want to hear it in mix down, or totally the opposite, recording for maximum tweakability later

yeah Im weird like that
 
So you have a pair of the Calrec 1061's huh?
Did you get them from Brent Averill?

I have a pair of the Audix 35102's from him and have considered the Calrec's as well. Can you offer any insight as to how the Calrec's compare to the 35102's?

(off topic, but I had to ask ;) )
 
I have an HHB all tube pre with four channels that gets assigned to tom mics and overheads. An Envoice MindPrint for snare. A DBX 386 for kick on one side of it and a mic that sits about 3' in front of the kit on the other side of it. I have a HHB Fatman pre that I use either as a D.I. for bass or guitar (I also sometimes use a Hughes & Kettner BATT for a bass D.I.). I also have 8 channels of Mackie VLZ pre's and 8 channels of the StudioMaster console pre's stubbed up in the patchbay for whatever.
 
these ones were restuffed BBC ones...but I do have some 1272's from brent averill. These particular calrecs I like because they are a damn good ripoff of the mic pre's on a neve kelso ( sort of) I dont know anything about the other one you mentioned.

I DO know that for me, the word of Brent Averill or Dan Alexander is good as gold, even if they DO some funny things in there (blasphemy !!! :) )

was audix making mic pre's ?
 
pipelineaudio said:


was audix making mic pre's ?
Click to expand...

The 35102's and I believe the 35112's? were from vintage British consoles. I'm not sure if that's the same company as the modern Audix?

The 35102's I have are racked by Brent, and I agree with your assesment of him and his products.


Track Rat - Thanks for your assesment. I think I'm lacking about a half dozen nice outboard pres at this time.
 
track ratt I am DYING to know how a certain chain will work...
do you have acess to a 15" bass cab ?

can you stick that cab in front of a kick, run its speaker in into your BATT ( NO JOKE ) and then into a mic pre and stick it onto nowhere radio ? dont worry about noise
 
Sure, no problem. It sounds like you've heard something about it that I haven't (cool!:cool: ). I have a Pearl kit in the studio right now and a PA cab loaded with a Klipsh 15". I'll give it a try and post it.
 
I use all outboard pres for studio recording (I've got about 22 now... as I buy more I try to sell some off). For live sound I'll just use the board pres.

Typically, only time I don't use outboard mic pres in the recording chain is when I'm using my Avalon U5 DI.
 
I use DBX 386 for a clean pre and Joemeek twinQcs for colored sound. The DBX gets Oktava MC012's or Behringer ECM8000's for overheads. Joemeek gets AKG D112 on kick and AKG D690 or SM57 on snare. Toms and snares- SM57 or D690 into the board. I only have 4 outboard pre channels, and I consider kick, snare, and the overheads the most critical tracks. With a small jazz kit, those 4 mics may be all I use.-Richie
 
O.K. we're not counting preamps in our mixing boards (106 channels), so that leaves me with 10 Crane Song, 6 Earthworks, 2 Peavey (VMP-2), 1 Grace, 1 Studio Projects, 2 MOTU, 1 Groove Tubes (Vipre)... um, and some cheap shit sitting in the closet.
I use outboard pre-amps on almost everything except some sound effects (I use things like a miked piano harp or contact transducers on a Kalimba) and some 3rd or 4th rythm guitars used for texture.

Scott
 
I own about 160 mic pres, but I am a freak. I own almost double that amount of mics...again, I am nuts, but you asked.

Please, no lists...I don't want to go up to the loft and start counting and logging models, but yes, pretty much every model you can think of. Why, because I am insane....

No, none for sale...
 
"160 mic pre" "almost double...mics"

But Alan...
They're ALL VTB-1's and C1's!!!

That's O.K. though, it helps validate my minor gear lust affliction.
The first step in recovery is admittance.



Chris
 
Pipeline,

I tried that trick with a 15" cab and it was almost too much. But just a tiny bit blended in gave the kick more beef and low end than I've ever heard before. The second you took it away it was like "where did the kick go?"
 
Re: "160 mic pre" "almost double...mics"

chessparov said:
But Alan...
They're ALL VTB-1's and C1's!!!

That's O.K. though, it helps validate my minor gear lust affliction.
The first step in recovery is admittance.



Chris
Click to expand...

No, they are not all VTB-1's !!!!! In the mix, there are 2-VTB-1's and a whole lot of everything else you can think off!!!
 
"I tried that trick with a 15" cab and it was almost too much"

COOL!!!
I got one up on the MP3 page that Im messing with..seems fun! especially with distortion
 
Alan, with all those "toys" you have a good start towards a Gear Nut
theme park. Imagine "Studerville" and "Pro Tools Land".
When you buy an E ticket you get to spend an hour using all the
world's finest audio gear and if you win the grand prize you get to
assist in remastering your favorite song! Just an idea...

Chris
 
SO MUCH FOR HOME RECORDING!

Why the fuck would anybody on THIS web-site buy more then ONE or Two MIC PRES ?
AND, wouldn't it be prudent to buy one great mic pre the 5 shitty ones.

I do not even own one yet, I'm ashamed to say that I use the pre in my board.
I'm trying to wait & save for a well respected one, maybe.

How much can you spend on a mic pre anyway, $5000.00 maybe ?

If I could afford 160 mic pres and 300 microphones I would not be hanging around HR.com, I can tell you that.

I'd be on the forums of prosound.com or TOP NOTCH BILLION DOLLAR RECORDING STUDIO. Com.

AND ALLEN, I don't care how good your VTB-1 or whatever is, I will not be buying a 100 or so of them.
I'll buy one maybe & match it up with another brand & hope for the best.

Peace,

Sean
 
Re: SO MUCH FOR HOME RECORDING!

smellyfuzz said:
Why the fuck would anybody on THIS web-site buy more then ONE or Two MIC PRES ?Sean
Click to expand...

How ya gonna record drums with one mic pre? or two?
A lot of the guys that answered are pros. I for one am very glad they hang out here.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top