Raydio said:
I bought one of these mic pre's today because the guy at Guitar Center said that it was better than the Focusrite Vocalmaster thing . . .
You should know better than to listen to Guitar Center guys.
Any settings to start with? How can I get the most out of this mic preamp?
Anything with the Joemeek name is going to require plenty of experimentation. You just have to play with it untill it sounds right.
One thing to keep in mind is that the compressor attack / release times are both
very slow, so always start out with both at their minimum setting (all the way to the left), and adjust from there untill it sounds right.
Is it really better than the Focusrite Vocalmaster thingie?
That's totally a matter of personal taste. And it will depend largely on what you're using it for. You might love it, or you might think it sounds like ass.
I happen to love it on some things, but won't touch it with a 10-ft. pole on others.
But what I love it on, I
really love it on. Which generally amounts to be anything loud, aggressive, or anything bassy. It has a lot of headroom for loud stuff and won't crap out on you. If you really drive it hard enough, the compressor and EQ will impart a certain texture to it that I find pleasing -- kind of like slamming analog tape; makes things more manageable.
And the reason it's good for bassy things is because it responds flat all the way down to like 10 hz or something like that. In non-technical terms, it reproduces low low bass better than it should for the price.
What I don't like it on: Quiet things.
It has a tendency to sound a little murky on less aggressive vocal styles, delicate accoustic guitar work, etc. Self-noise can also be an issue, too, so I certainly wouldn't use it classical guitar. That's where something like the Focusrite thingie might really shine, I'd suspect. In comparison, the Focusrite tends to be a very nice, quiet, clean, transparent, etc. -- although sometimes a little thin.
The Focusrite is the model citizen who you'd want your sister to date or hold public office, and the Joemeek is someone you'd want to party with every few weeks or so (but not every weekend).
I started out loving it on electric guitar, and I still do, mostly -- but it's been finding much more of a permanent home on kick drum. I can't believe it took me this long to realized just how much of a perfect fit that was, but think about it : Handles loud sources well, excellent bass response, and opto-compressor has naturally slow release time (which is what you need on bassier sounds).
Furthermore, the EQ is just ideal for bringing out -- or taming -- either the "whomph" and/or click.
Im using an AKG Solidtube microphone and an Audiophile 2496 soundcard, can I get professional results with this equipment if I perfect my mixes?
If you indeed perfect your mixes, you can get professional results with much less . . . but not many people I know have ever "perfected" anything, let alone their mixes.
