Mic pre shoot out is up!

  • Thread starter Thread starter James HE
  • Start date Start date
J

James HE

a spoonfull weighs a ton
Well partially...

I tested the M-audio DMP-2, Art Tube MP, and Mackie VLZ pres. I did a test with an NT-1 and my voice...
you can find it at
www.idrive.com/jamushe/
the file name is voice test. 9once you get to the storage folder, click the box then hit download.) it's a 24/96 file as requested. You hear three samples of my singing what I think is radiohead- but I'm not sure now if that's exactly what he's saying... it's just what was in my head. The order of samples is ART MP, Mackie, DMP-2. On the Mackie one my voice isn't right on par with the others (I'm not a machine or Thom York, who is a lazy-eyed android) but the character of the pre-amp is there. They all sound good, but defintly have different charcters. The MP is fuzzy, the Mackie clean, the DMP-2 fantasically airy. have a listen.

I also did a test on a snare drum, having trouble uploading that one... maybe later. The MP failed this test horribly, the Mackie was good the DMP-2 good...

man why did you guys have to go and buy all of these in stock for the $80 price! I wanted another one! should have kept my mouth shut, i should have....

-jhe
 
I just wanted to thank you for so much for this shoot out! I am currently in the market for preamps and this is exactly what I was looking for.

Man, that DMP2 sounded really good! I definately liked it better than the Mackie. The ART was okay, but seemed muddy. I guess that's the tube?

Thanks again and good job!

-Brad
 
The Tube MP has a weak high-end, that would be a part of the "muddyness". It's not the tube per se, it's quite possible to do tube gear that doesn't weaker the high-end.

But mind you, that weakened high-end could be what you want. :)
 
I just got mine in today....did a quick half assed take with a sm57 on a song Ive been working on....played it back a few minutes later after getting the compressor plug-in and a touch of reverb...did it pass?

My wife said it sounded like I was right there singing it, not like before when she could tell it was recorded....

Hmmm, made my recorded voice sound just like my live voice?....what a ripoff....

AWESOME unit....
 
Sweet!

Now... if only Mars would get them back in stock. I just checked the website and no dice :-(

Gidge, where did you get yours?
 
Hey, I've talked to Sharon. She did some price matching on Cubase.

Of course, with Mars not even listing them on their website I bet she can't do that anymore.

Oh well. I'll keep looking!
 
sorry lunatic,

but I am getting the last unit that audiomidi.com had. I should have it tomorrow. I can't wait to compare it to my vc6q which cost 5 times as much.

thanks again gidge. Wow that is impressive. For your wife to say you were standing there. I'm excited.
What pre were you using previously.
 
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

;-)

Cyan, let me know how it stacks up against the Meek. I'm very curious to know. It could save me a bundle.

Thanks again!
 
previously i was either going thru the preamp of my old 4 track or thru a Johnson J-Station so it doent take much to top what I had.....But compared to other preamps Ive heard it still rocks...at $40 a channel it sounds better than Behringer and Mackie for sure....dont know how it will compare to that vc6q...a friend of mine has one and he can pull a clean sound from it and can get a bit of "color" from it....this DMP2 gets a good clean natural full sound.....

I think Mars is the only one that discontinued it...M-Audio still lists it at their website.......Maybe Sharon could hook you up, lunatic.....
 
With all due respect to James' efforts...

...your work is quite obviously useful and appreciated.

But an FYI for those also interested in a large-scale shoot-out of mics and pres - there are CDs available (for a nominal fee) at Lynn Fuston's site....

http://www.3daudioinc.com/

Bruce
 
With all due respect to you efforts, Bruce ,most of those preamps are outta my league...Im doing vocals with a SM57 for Christs sake....remember, HOME RECORDING.com.....

FYI, James wasn't exactly doing a mic-pre shootout (though he did name the thread that)...it was a specific test of the DMP2 that we asked to hear....

BTW $40 a channel...you shoulda picked you up a few....blows away the Mackies.....
 
And, unfortunately, the CD doesn't include any of the el cheapo budget preamps that are popular in homerecording. It's clearly aimed at a more pro market.
 
Yeah but the level of sophistication seems to be increasing all the time here!

...people will be ready for the high-ticket items in no time! :D

Actually now that I look back at my post, it kinda looks like SPAM! (But I was only passing an FYI on.... I have no affiliation whatsoever with Lynn Fuston or 3DAudio...)

Bruce
 
I think Im going to do a CD and call it "Cheap-Ass Preamp Shootout"....

Bruce, the level of sophistication is rising but my allowance isnt....anyone knows how much plasma is going for these days?....
 
hi lunatic,

save yourself a bundle and get a dmp-2 even if you have to pay regular price.

I spent three hours a/b ing the dpm2 vs the joemeek today, matching levels, panning, etc etc. Of course I ran the joemeek without compression or eq, and I had the highpass switch activated on the dmp2

I used the same cable from the mic and from the pre, so cable is not a factor.

Let me just tell you, side by side, they sound the same. I mean so much so that you could not pick out which one was which.

There were some small differences when soloed.
The joemeek was almost smoother. I said almost because some times it sounded smoother and sometimes it sounded the same.

The dmp2 was clearer in some places(the key ring test), but the joemeek had some had some more high end. Maybe like .5 dbs more. I did not hear this high end till after the third hour of comparing.

All in all, this is a wonderful unit even at $200 for 2 channels. I am just lucky that I got mine for $42.50 per channel. Incredible.

Of course, remember that it does not come with eq or compression, but if you have good software, then that's negligible.
 
Cyan, glad to see you got to play with your unit (I dont like the way that sounded).....I cant believe it, Im so stupid....when I was on the phone with Sharon and she told me she had 2 left, she asked if i wanted them both.....Im kicking myself, but Im glad you got it....
 
...and Lady Luck smiled on Brad and bestowed upon him... a DMP-2!! Woo-hoo!

Out of curiosity I e-mailed Sharon at AudioMIDI and inquired as to when they would re-stock and if at that time she could still match the price. Come to find out those units are being discontinued. However, I'm guessing some of you know that Anyway she tracked one down through a distributor and now it is officially the last one from AudioMIDI.

I'm so excited... I'm almost shaking ;-)

Thanks, Cyan! If you are ever in Denver I'll buy you your favorite drink!

-Brad
 
Congrats lunatic, I hope you have hours and hours of fun playing with your unit.....

If any of you guys ever need anything, it seems Sharon over at www.audiomidi.com knows what customer service is all about.......
 
congrats lunatic,

I plan to do some major tracking with the dmp2 this weekend. THe joemeek will be second fiddle for a while.

My favorite drink is Great value Pink lemonade from wal-mart, mixed a can to the gallon. I stopped buying orange juice since I tasted it. Of course, my friends think it to tart or tangy or whatever so they have to mix it with more water. I'd rather have that than a martini anyday.

Whoa, gidge, I am so happy you did not buy both. Why didn't you tell me that the dmp2 was such a nice aluminum color. The pictures looked cream. I was very impressed when I saw the aluminum.

Yes, Sharon's help at audiomidi was awesome. I plan to call her up and ask if she will match marsmusic's auralex sale.
 
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