Mic preamp sub $700 that is GREAT for bass too

  • Thread starter Thread starter nemo970
  • Start date Start date
N

nemo970

New member
Hey, our band is equipping the rehearsal room project studio and I am in charge of selecting the gear within the sponsor money budget.
The main vocal mic will be probably a Rode K2.

Now I am looking for the mic preamp for recording the vocals.

As it will be our only preamp, I would like to have some tips for an option that will be excellent for the bass recording too.

I am looking at Summit 2BA-221 or UA610/110 or Art MPA Gold or SPL Goldmike.

The preamp should be able to be clean, big and transparent for vocals as well as thick and big for bass.

The budget for mic pre is about $700.
 
the 610 is big, but not transparent or clean. it is very "charactered", which is its strength and limitation. it's great for (some) vocals and bass.
the art is a great value pre.
i'd also add a couple that i've used and like-- the chameleon labs 7602 is great on vocals and bass as is the safe sound p-1 pre.
 
When I was in the studio recently they were using one of these for the bass. Less than $400.

Grove Tubes The Brick

humbucker_1995_3992523
 
thanks kojdog - this p1 looks really intriguing.

kingzeph - I believe a Brick could be very good for bass, but I am concerned about its clarity for stacking vocals..
 
I've never heard a Grace 101 do bass, but it's so direct I would think it could awesome with the right mic.
 
Yep, the opposite casse to the Brick, Grace 101 might be superbly transparent for vocals but possibly too sterile for bass..
It will be our only pre so we need something very good for both.
 
Yea, I'd definitely go with the brick.

That's one killer DI for bass.
 
ADK AP-1 if you can find one used. The brick is good but not so great on vocals.
 
Brick is good. I use it all the time.

Any of those preamps will do a great job but they are each designed for a different kind of sound. There is no better, only what works for the results you are looking.
 
Yes, you are right, it depends on the source material and the goal.
 
Thats why I will post the clips of the singer and the band for which it should be taylored.
 
Summit or 610 would be my call based on what I heard.
 
How the two-channel ART MPA Gold and SPL Goldmike compare to these two you recommend?
Entirely different class or just flavour?
 
I have SPL Goldmike 9844 and my experience is that its characteristic is quite narrow and definitelly not thick. Maybe heights are little hyped.
It works well for acoustic instruments such as guitar but for vocals it lacks those fat mids.
On the other hand it is worthy of its price and definitely gives more mature sound than SP VTB1 that I had before.
If you change a Sovtek tubes that are inside, you can get more thick sound.

SPL is IMO same league as ART MPA Gold.
 
If you like the Brick as a DI for Bass, you might want to track down a Ditto which was the prior tube DI model. Not a mic preamp, but a great DI and relatively cheap these days. I've got 2 and I bought the last one for $150 off e-bay. At that price, you would have enough $$ to get both a Ditto and a RNP.
 
LP2006 said:
Gotta be the middle ground.
Gotta be FMR RNP.
Click to expand...

Given the budget and the application I would go with the RNP 100%. With the budget at $700 I would suggest adding an FMR RNLA. I love what it does for rock vocals.

The RNP is killer for Bass DI too.

As an aside, I would also consider and SM7. I have not used any of the Rode mics so I do not mean to slight them but the SM7 is a proven workhorse in the professional engineer stable. I get that the Rode K2's were used for all the nickleback stuff and I am sure they are fine mics, but the SM7 has so much history and evidence that it is great it provides a nice security blanket. Just my thoughts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top