Solved Joe Meek VS DBX

  • Thread starter Thread starter MrRock
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MrRock

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Hey hey hey

Ok here is the question..... recording from an AT 4033 mic onto the akai dps 16. I need a decent mic preamp under $500 and I can't decide between the meek VC6Q or the dbx 376.

I will record vocals and a mic'd guitar amp through this unit. I play rock to folk to electronic (and everything in between). I am definitely partial to the warm, clear vocal sounds of the 60's and 70's, so should I steer towards the tubes of the 376? Or is that special meek tone reall that special?

For what I am doing, which do you think would serve my purposes best? (also, if you know about the DPS 16, do you think that an outboard mic pre will be better than the onboard mic pre of the dps?)

Mr Rock wonders if Dr. Woo is with him.
 
The Meek tone is very 60s. I don't know how far you will get towards that sound with a 4033 though, a little too pristine... I don't know much about the DBX stuff, I'm sure Tom can enlighten you more, but I do love my VC6Q. Absolutely juicy tone.
 
Tom?

thanks for the input..... who is tom and how can he help me?

hey also, I know what you mean about the glaring bright color of the 4033. I was hasty in making the purchse :( Do you think the 4033 with a meek would be counter productive?

Mr Rock wonders if Dr. Woo is just a shadow of the man that he once knew.
 
I don't really know. I bought my Meek around the same time I bought my Rode NTK tube mic, and I never used the 4033 again. There is sits in my closet, looking forlorn... :(
Lemme guess, you bought it at Guitar Center? They really push those things there. But in any case, I think the 4033 is a very nice sounding mic, really modern and it has some good proximity effect, especially for the price. I just think for that 60's sound, you actually want something less pristine and dirtier, a nice tube mic, or the Marshall V67G or Studio Projects C1 that have been getting great reviews around here...

Sorry about not clarifyin, Tom is Tom Cram, he works at dbx, and he has all the pres, and seems to be pretty damn knowledgeable about them, you might try asking him or messaging him.
 
hahaha good call on the guitar center comment... yeah, they pushed that on me when I bought the BR-8 (which I sold shortly thereafter)... a fool and his money hahaha....

I was looking at the marshall also, but I guess I am concerned that low price tube mics would somehow cheat you on quality. It's these middle priced things that are really hard to estimate, value wise, for me....

any other recommendations?
 
I really like my NTK. It cost around 500 though. I don't know about Studio Projects, they seem to have good stuff, but I can't find any of it in my area. Harvey Gerst really liked the Marshall V67, which I think is not a tube mic...he has a good rep on this board. I don't think you actually have to get a tube mic, a cheap one would probably suck anyway. But there are a lot of new mics coming out in that middle price range that I know nothing about. For chrissakes get the preamp first before you throw out your mic, it might be just the thing you need, and you may fall in love with the 4033 all over again. i mean, like i said, i've never even used it with my Meek since I bought the NTK...

also, ebay is a great place to buy used gear. i got my meek there for around 350, and it was in perfect condition. only buy from someone with good feedback though. also, sometimes musician's f(r)iend has deals on scratched or dented gear, so you can get a less than pristine looking one for cheaper than new, but inside it's all new (www.musiciansfriend.com). i would suggest asking tom cram about the dbx pres, and search on the Microphones forum for info about the C1, v67, hell, just search for "vocal mic" and you'll probably get a thousand hits.
 
there's always aphex

well, I don't know about meek vs. dbx but I just got an aphex tubessence 107 on ebay for around $200 and I like it. something to consider
 
I just bot the Meek Twin Q which closely resembles a vc60. I think your current mic is fine for what your music taste is. The meek will scuff it up pretty good. I have yet to try my meek on guitars but I've heard that's where it totally rocks. I can believe it just goofing around with my mics. Strong medicine bro. Make a statement-get the meek. The meek shall inherit the earth.

And that green color is too cool daddio
 
Meek all the way.......

I was using a AKG C2000B straight into my board. I used to think that was fine. I just picked up a Joemeek VC1Q and a Studio Projects C1 Mic. I'm THRILLED!!! Smooth, clear, clean or dirty, whatever I want, it's there.
I always loved John Lennon's vocal sound on "Stand by Me". Dial it up, there it is.
Whoa.......


My .02......
C
 
I have a 4033, a dbx286a and two Meeks- the VC3Q and the VC1Q. The 4033 with the dbx is tooo clean, no character at all. It sounds good with the Meeks, and has the rolloff switch. But the cheap condenser I have (the JM-47 Meekrophone) sounds better with the Meeks than the 4033. Go figure. I'm sure Kip Rowan would think I'm dumb or just plain crazy.
 
If you have the time to wait, the Studio Projects VT-1 is supposed
to be out pretty soon. The website iswww.studioprojectsusa.com You're supposed to be able to choose between clean amplification
or dialing in the amount of "tube" sound.
 
Thanks!!!!

Wow, thanks everyone for your help! I still haven't decided what to get, but I really get the gut sense that for the classic rock/folk rock type stuff I do, the Meek will give the color I am looking for.

I was falling into the trap earlier of thinking that the dbx's were "better" because they featured actual tubes in them, but I was promptly lambasted for my naivete in another forum (which shall remain nameless).

Now, do you all think I should keep the 4033 or sell it on ebay, take a little cash and upgrade to a the Rode NTK? I never thought putting together a home studio would be this much fun, or this incredibly taxing to my already beleagured wallet. The things we do for rock......
 
MrRock, charger is right, get the preamp first before you decide
whether to sell the at4033 or not. You may want to keep it and
get another mike with a different tone. There's an interesting
thread in the microphone forum called "NT1 vs. C1 vs. C3000B
vs. Apex 420". After you read that it may influence you to buy
a Studio Projects microphone and/or a Joe Meek unit.

P.S. Although I own and have been very happy with the Joe Meek
V3Q, there's info on both it's replacement and some other
new Joe Meek products in this forum elsewhere.
 
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