Mic Pre Poll, a very comprehensive one (newbie material)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Speeddemon
  • Start date Start date

Which mic pre (this time...) ?

  • Joemeek VC1Qcs

    Votes: 33 18.2%

  • Grace 101

    Votes: 43 23.8%

  • M-Audio DMP-3 (+ FMR RNC)

    Votes: 37 20.4%

  • Drawmer MX60

    Votes: 5 2.8%

  • Focusrite Voicemaster

    Votes: 7 3.9%

  • Focusrite Tonefactory

    Votes: 2 1.1%

  • TL Audio VP 5051 (Ivory series)

    Votes: 5 2.8%

  • Mindprint Envoice

    Votes: 10 5.5%

  • other, specify in post please

    Votes: 39 21.5%
  • Total voters
    181
chessrock said:
So what's the word on the API's we're talking about. I know you tend to be partial to the Great River in terms of value, so how would one of these single channels compare?
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So, Grasshopper, you wish to become a Shou Lin priest of audio? First, you must try to pluck the pebble from my hand. You cannot do it? This is your first lesson; things are not always what they appear to be.

The API 212L is the preamp module out of an API console. Most professional consoles are made up of channel strips or modules than can be removed and still have the other parts of the console function. The API module has a special connector on the end of the module which carries the balanced signal, in, the balanced signal out, and the power lines connections that are needed to power the module.

That price is for the module only. To make it talk to the real world, you need the other stuff, too. That's usually called a "lunchbox" or a rack supply. It has the XLRs i/o's and built-in power supply that is needed to power these modules. Guess what? That's another $800, but it will handle four of these API modules.

That means that a single $625 212L mic pre (with the $800 four bay rack mount power supply) will cost you $1,425. A pair of 212s will cost you $1250 PLUS $800 (for the four bay rack with power supply), for a total of $2,050.

But you say that the 12 channel rack is only $625? Yes, but that does not include the power supply, which is another $750.

Why the sad face, Grasshopper? You are learning, but it will take time.
 
master harvey,

what about brent averill's api refurb pres?
here's the info i found at brentaverill.com-

Classic Mic Preamps

Made from vintage API™* components

Single Channel

$899.00 Single channel with power supply

Two Channel

$1,449.00 Two channel with power supply
$1,229.00 Two channel w/o power supply

Two mic preamps with direct inputs in a single rack space with a power supply

Same as single modules except no lunchbox or rack is needed

Made from original API components from early consoles

Available with Reichenbach input and output transformers at no additional cost

Remote power supply with four-foot cable capable of four times the current needed by the preamps for optimum sound quality
Switches have gold contacts for long life

Has XLR connectors on the back for mic input and output and phone jack in front for direct input

High impedance direct input for guitar and synthesizer

Separate front panel switches for phantom power

the two channel unit sounds like a good deal.
 
The Brent Averill APIs are refurbed, and they might be slightly different from unit to unit, plus there is a chance they can crap out. This happened to Lynn Fuston when he was compiling his "3D Preamp" shootout. He wound up NOT using the Averill since it arrived bad out of the box.
 
AFAIK John Hardy preamps are only available direct from John. They are, IMHO, works of art. The price of admission is steep, but they're the kind of piece you own for life. His # is 1-847-864-8060.

A small studio I do jingle work at bought a 2-channel M1 preamp from him, and there's room for 2 more channels. It's an incredible-sounding piece.

TP
 
Harvey Gerst said:
"This is your first lesson; things are not always what they appear to be

. . . Why the sad face, Grasshopper? You are learning, but it will take time.
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"I see," said the blind, uh, insect.
 
Sorry, Chessrock, that was probably a very obscure reference. I keep forgetting how frickin old I am and how young everybody else is.

In the mid 60s, David Carradine was the star of a popular TV series called "Kung-Fu". As Caine, a Shaolin priest (forced to flee China to the old west), he battled wrongdoers every week for an hour on TV.

In flashbacks to the Shaolin temple in China (where he learned his Kung Fu), he was always asking questions of the high priest of the temple. The high priest would always expound some obscure words of wisdom for him to think about.

The high priest called him "Grasshopper". "When will I be ready?", Caine would ask, and the answer was always the same; "When you can snatch the pebble from my hand."

That whole scene was part of the opening credits for the show.
 
Grass Hopper..Does not the pebble entering the water begin fresh journeys..Yes master it does!


Don
 
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I'm not so young that I can't remember all the late night cable reruns of "Kung Fu." Classic stuff. Who could forget the Carradine brothers?!

"I see," said the blind man as he spit into the wind, "it all comes back to me now."
 
harvey,
i believe brent offers a guarantee. if something bad happened to that preamp in particular, i believe he would fix it free of charge. it still sounds like a good deal though.
so what would be your digital or tube preamp of choice in the $1000-1500 range? preferably two channel, but not necessarily so.
 
For outboard pre amps, I'd probably get a Great River MP-2 (solid state), a Peavey VMP-2 (tube), or wait for the FMR Audio RNMP.

95% of the time, I run most of the mics thru the board's pre amps and that works fine. That last 5% is when I'll use an outboard pre amp, or I'll use the D.I. function on the outboard pre for instrument amplification, usually a bass.

I do use the outboard pre when I'm using my ribbon mics, or for very soft acoustic instruments (where I need a lot of clean, noise-free gain).
 
95% of the time, I run most of the mics thru the board's pre amps and that works fine.

i would do that too if i had an MCI board.;)
as i don't know what mixer i'll be working with yet, i can't really decide, but i'll keep collecting opinions.
thanks for the input, harvey.
 
That also applies to the 32 x 8 Soundtracs Topaz we have in the small studio.
 
People, people

Could we get back to my question pleaz? All that Brent Average and Neve Campbell stuff is too expensive and NOT available for me. :(

Now, my thought is: Buy a VC1Q AND an Audiobuddy? Is that a cool go?

2nd question: What the sound difference between a VC1Q and a VC1Qcs? Alan Hyatt still didn't reply to that, so I'm waiting.

cheerz
 
harvey,
have you tried the peavey pre-amps? what price range are they in?
normally if I mention peavey gear on this site I get alot of feedback to the effect of peavey being total crap. I have always been a user of peavey gear cause its indestructable and will hold up so well to hauling in a van....and very dependable in live situations (and i live close to the plant and they will fix something for me on the spot)

I noticed that they have come out with large condenser mics. Are they any good? I didn't even know that they had a mic pre.

It has always been hard to beat peavey in the "bang for the buck" dept.
 
I noticed that they have come out with large condenser mics. Are they any good? I didn't even know that they had a mic pre.
Click to expand...

The Peavey mics are Chinese. Judging from one photo I saw, it looked like it had the white plastic capsule ring which would make them 797 mics from Beijing. Might be pretty good, but I don't think they'd have the QC of MXL or Studio Projects, the safest bets in the Chinese mic world.

Peavey has an inexpensive tube pre, the TMP 1:

http://www.peavey.com/products/proaudio/processors/tmp1.cfm

However, this unit only puts out 24V of phantom, so some mics will be slightly noisy and a few may not work at all. Might be worth trying though.

They don't have the VMP-2 on their site yet (or any of the other AMR-series pieces); I think they're in the middle of a site upgrade.

TP
 
I wouldn't have thought peavey would just put their name on an assembly line chinese mic. I i have a c-1 and i like it. I also have a joe meek vc6q...but its only one channel, I need another channel of mic pre
 
If you're in Europe, you should try out the SPL GoldMike preamp. I gotta say, it blew me away for under a grand (US). But, be warned: it's got ICs (AND tubes). Not only can Germans make incredible mics, apparently they can make rediculous mic pres too!
 
The Vintechs are certainly very nice microphone preamps--I wouldn't mind a rack o' them myself! Dallas does a fine job making them. :)
 
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