looking for a new sound.

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slimmie01

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What's up guys, I'm looking for a preamp upgrade coming from a presonus eureka. I noticed that this pre sounds very boring in a mix, and leads me to make bad mix choices looking for excitement. I want the real big sound, I don't wanna sound like ok I'm here.

My top 4 choices are the Avalon 737, or m5, the ua 610, and the blue Robbie. I will be on a payment plan with these pres. So the cheapers the better. I also use a blueberry mic.
 
slimmie01 said:
.... looking for excitement. I want the real big sound, I don't wanna sound like ok I'm here.
Click to expand...

Could be the mic.
Could be the room.
Could be the vocals.
Could be the mixing.
And, yeah....could also be the pre...
...or a combination of all of the above.

But hey....nothing wrong with buying/trying a better pre if that's what you want.
 
miroslav said:
Could be the mic.
Could be the room.
Could be the vocals.
Could be the mixing.
And, yeah....could also be the pre...
...or a combination of all of the above.

But hey....nothing wrong with buying/trying a better pre if that's what you want.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I hope this doesn't come off as discouraging or negative. But if I had to bet, I'd say that a new pre will not solve the "lack of excitement". But, like Miro said, if you want a new pre, there's nothing wrong with that. I just think (am pretty sure) (know) the pre isn't the problem.
 
I'm giving my best performance in the quiest room, with a mic that does exactly what I want, and it still sounds boring in a mix, even when I boost with eq.
 
slimmie01 said:
I'm giving my best performance in the quiest room, with a mic that does exactly what I want, and it still sounds boring in a mix, even when I boost with eq.
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If you say so. I'm not arguing with you. But, and this might seem like a nit-pick, but it actually plays a big part in how things sound: There's more to a good room than just being "quiet". A closet is quiet, but that doesn't mean it's not a horrible place to record anything, for example.

I'm just giving my opinion. A new pre amp will not give you the "excitement" you think is lacking. If you prove that to be wrong, then you made the right decision by buying a new pre.
 
Put up a clip of what you have, and say what you think is really wrong with it and/or how you think it should sound.

Like when you say "quiet" room....I'm reading it as dead/small...and ambience can play a major part in how "big" the room is.
AFA "excitement"....hate to say it, a lot of that is about the performance. If you sing it perfectly in key, but rather lifeless....then it will sound rather lifeless.

A couple of those pres that you mentioned are tube-based (like the 610) and will at most add some "hair" to your tone....but it won't give you a big sound or excitement. The other pre is going to be very transparent, so it won't add anything.

I got a rack of pres, so I'm not talking you out of buying some better pre than the Eureka....just saying that it may only be playing a small part in what you are after, so you may have to change other things, and without actually hearing what you have, I'm going to go with room and performance AFA "big sound" and "excitement" go.
 
slimmie - listen to ^^^these^^^ guys! Post a clip of one of your 'problem' recordings for evaluation before oging into debt.
 
slimmie01 said:
What's up guys, I'm looking for a preamp upgrade coming from a presonus eureka. I noticed that this pre sounds very boring in a mix, and leads me to make bad mix choices looking for excitement. I want the real big sound, I don't wanna sound like ok I'm here.

My top 4 choices are the Avalon 737, or m5, the ua 610, and the blue Robbie. I will be on a payment plan with these pres. So the cheapers the better. I also use a blueberry mic.
Click to expand...

Could it be your over compressing ? (I wouldn't use that presonus compressor at all)

You should also consider looking at Vintech preamps. Very sweet sound.

SSL preamps aren't known for character but they do sound big and clear.
 
I'm not having a problem with the mixing part, I'm just looking for a pre that gives my mic a better sonic color. I listen to my mix compared to major labels and my vocals sound really neutral compared to theres. Also I heard a mix with my mic don't know which pre and the vocals sound so enchanted and full of life. Also wiz khalifa used this mic on his tour bus with a a737 for tracking some songs and the vocals sound full of life as well.
 
slimmie01 said:
I'm not having a problem with the mixing part, I'm just looking for a pre that gives my mic a better sonic color. I listen to my mix compared to major labels and my vocals sound really neutral compared to theres. Also I heard a mix with my mic don't know which pre and the vocals sound so enchanted and full of life. Also wiz khalifa used this mic on his tour bus with a a737 for tracking some songs and the vocals sound full of life as well.
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Awesome man. You seem to know what you want.

Go get 'em tiger. :cool:
 
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When I read "Tiger" I gotta post so I can follow the ensuing mayhem.

Post a clip OP! As a beginner it helps me to hear and learn what you advanced people are talking about.
 
JLondon said:
When I read "Tiger" I gotta post so I can follow the ensuing mayhem.

Post a clip OP! As a beginner it helps me to hear and learn what you advanced people are talking about.
Click to expand...
Advanced? You flatter us. I think we're all the opposite of advanced. Regressed? Retarded?

OK, I'll just speak for myself. :D
 
slimmie01 said:
Avalon 737, or m5, the ua 610, and the blue Robbie.
Click to expand...

You're looking at some serious coinage with these; in the realm of high-dollar home recording gambles. Let me throw a curve ball.... If you're considering the UA610, maybe look at the new UAD Twin. It is bundled with some free plugs, one which is a UA610 emulator. This one plug is different from the rest in that it can control the Twin mic pre's impedance and gain values. Not just emulate a change, but actually change the mic pres. I think that's pretty cool.

Have you considered the True P-Solo or Grace M101? A little cheaper. I've heard good things about them. Was considering the P-solo myself, but I now have the 610 plug and will probably stick with that (haven't had a chance to try it yet).

slimmie01 said:
and it still sounds boring in a mix, even when I boost with eq.
Click to expand...

So, I agree with the other guys, this statement brings some concerns. It sounds as if you think changing EQ or changing a mic pre can make the difference between boring and exciting. There are a whole lot of factors that make a song not boring; not just a simple EQ change and no silver bullet.

Good luck.
 
Also I'm throwing the la 610 in the bunch this one is looking like a strong candidate for me. What I'm saying is guys the vocals sit in the mix well I get a nice smooth compression. Little eqboost here and there subtle changes, throw some delay, then some reverb. After the processing I'm still just bored with the vocal sound. I'm not like wow that sounds amazing I'm more of it fits in the mix and it's audible. Last night I did some different gain staging settings to see if I'll like the pre with different settings still sound boring. I mean the mic make it sound some what better, but it's still boring.
 
Like I said....the 610 stuff can give the the signal some "hair"....aka harmonic distortion.
Now....will THAT give make your vocals sound less boring....?....IDK.
I seriously doubt that they will go from boring to "WOW"....but it will give you something different than what you are getting with the Eureka.

The point that's being made is it sounds like you've thrown the kitchen sink at the vocals, and whatever the mic pre didn't do for you, you could have made up for it with processing....but the fact that you didn't/couldn't may be related to (and don't take it as an insult)....your mixing.......or just the quality of your vocal.

Without hearing what you are hearing.....it's hard to be more precise, so post some clips....otherewise, this thread won't reveal anything new info for you.
 
Might consider the Chameleon 7602. Nice sounds, but in addition (or even mostly?) is on a practical note I really like the filtering options tracking.
 
@miro no matter how I mix it, it stills sound boring. Sounds like ass :in my country white voice: lol. To be honest Tue eureka sounds no different than my focusrite forte pres.
 
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