Microphone Preamp or Mixer

  • Thread starter Thread starter TheGmiester161
  • Start date Start date

Should I get a mic pre amp or Mixer

  • Preamp

    Votes: 36 80.0%

  • Mixer

    Votes: 9 20.0%
  • Total voters
    45
T

TheGmiester161

New member
I'm trying to decide between getting multiple mic preamps or just one mixer to use with a Digi 001 setup. What are the pros and cons of each? Do mic preamps in general have a lot better sound quality or is the difference negligble? Does anyone know of any specific mic preamps or mixers that you would recomend in terms of quality and price? Thanks for your help,
Eric
 
i would go with mic pre's. but that can get expensive fast. it really depends on your budget. as far as some great mic pres try universal audio or avalon or vintech.
i will tell you to go to www.mercenaryaudio.com to look at them all.
a pre like that will run $2,000 and up.
for a smaller budget you could go with a digitech vtp-1 or a art tube mp or a bellari.
good luck!
 
Yo Meister-Brewer:]

Another choice, not quite as expensive as aforementioned, is the Grace Design 101 - but it only has one patch in/out.

Grace makes a bigger model; of course, it costs more.

101 goes for around 550-600 pezzutos.

You can also checkout Martinsound on the net. They make a couple of units, a bit more expensive than the Grace. However, Grace gets good reviews. I don't own one yet but have been leaning towards the Grace design 101. [I do have an ART dual and the pres on the 2816 are pretty good.]

Green Hornet:cool: :D
 
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hmm

can't he get a good mixer with good pre's at a cheaper price?
 
I think that for just 450.00 us you can have a Mseries soundcraft board with 8 ghost pres. that would not be bad. A huge improvement over the VLZ pres in a mackie.
 
What about that digimax thing or whatever it is. In fact, there are a few companies that make these eight channel pre-amps that are designed for just what you need. That is to go with a computer interface and frankly, they are not hard to find.
 
Presonus BlueTUBE

What about the Presonus BlueTUBE. They have two inputs and I've found them cheep, close to $100 each. All I would need is 3 of those because the Digi001 only has 6 line-level inputs on the back. That would only be about $300 - $400, instead of paying $800 or more for preamps with more channels. Has anyone ever used the BlueTUBE, how is it?
Eric
 
Depends on what you have to do. Many signals-gotta have a mixer. Overdubbing tracks one by one- get the best pre(s) you can afford. What I wouldn't do is buy a shitload of cheap preamps. For about the same dinero, you will get more versatility out of a good mixer. Generally, life is good with about 4 channels of dedicated pres, and a mixer for drum kits, etc.-Richie
 
Yo MeisterBrau:

Just saw a video on some new box made by Roland that does everything but cook your Thanksgiving Rooster.

You can catch the video on Harmony Central, as well as several other videos of new products unveiled at the Winter 2002 NAAM show.

This new box has amp modeling, mic modeling, and a plethora of add-ons that seem to make it a fantastic unit. All this for less than 700 pezzutos list price.

Green Hornet:D :cool: :cool:
 
Mixer. All the way. Then add on some mic pre's for different colors later. A mixer can be many things even if your mixing in the box.
It can be;

mic pres!
A monitor controller!
You can use the aux sends to feed headphone mixes!
you can control the outputs of other playback devices like a cD player or ipod!
Use it to split or mult or *gasp* mix signals!
leave everything connected and use it to route stuff instead of plugging in cables!
Direct monitoring is always better that even a milisecond of latency!
It makes your room look more like a studio!
Use it to sum your mix to mono to check it!
Use it with your PA in rehearsals!
that might be it :D

Check out the Mackie 1402 VLZ3 for $399. six mic preamps. use the insert outs (halfclick) as direct outs to the 001. route the outputs of the 001 into the stereo channels, setup your monitoring however you like, you'll have lots of options. I have owned both soundcraft spirit and mackie VLZ boards. I prefer the Mackies, I like the layout and flexibility of the VLZ series. But i do like the soundcraft eq way better, but who eq's on the way in anymore? Also owned an Onyx 800R. One of the onxy boards would be great.
 
TheGmiester161 said:
I'm trying to decide between getting multiple mic preamps or just one mixer to use with a Digi 001 setup. What are the pros and cons of each? Do mic preamps in general have a lot better sound quality or is the difference negligble? Does anyone know of any specific mic preamps or mixers that you would recomend in terms of quality and price? Thanks for your help,
Eric
Click to expand...

Of the preamps I have been exposed to I would think you would get your best quality for your dollar with a small Mackie mixing board. If you were to got the direction of outboard preamps I would strongly suggest the FMR RNP's. They are clean, powerful and simple.

I think with a lot of the other budget preamps you will find yourself second guessing your preamps.

Some of the other > $750 pres mentioned in other responses would provide great results also, but if you are talking about budget I would think a mackie board would do it for you.

You could always add a Grace or New River or RNP later and use that for any critical channels or overdubs.
 
James HE said:
Mixer. All the way. Then add on some mic pre's for different colors later. A mixer can be many things even if your mixing in the box.
It can be;

mic pres!
A monitor controller!
You can use the aux sends to feed headphone mixes!
you can control the outputs of other playback devices like a cD player or ipod!
Use it to split or mult or *gasp* mix signals!
leave everything connected and use it to route stuff instead of plugging in cables!
Direct monitoring is always better that even a milisecond of latency!
It makes your room look more like a studio!
Use it to sum your mix to mono to check it!
Use it with your PA in rehearsals!
that might be it :D

Check out the Mackie 1402 VLZ3 for $399. six mic preamps. use the insert outs (halfclick) as direct outs to the 001. route the outputs of the 001 into the stereo channels, setup your monitoring however you like, you'll have lots of options. I have owned both soundcraft spirit and mackie VLZ boards. I prefer the Mackies, I like the layout and flexibility of the VLZ series. But i do like the soundcraft eq way better, but who eq's on the way in anymore? Also owned an Onyx 800R. One of the onxy boards would be great.
Click to expand...

Yeah, what he said.
 
OK, who's the unidentified weenie who voted on an over four-year old poll? :eek: Identify yourself, so we can flame you. :D
 
the pres.

Unless you found a mini 8 channel version of an SSL console that dosn't exsist (as far as I know), it can only do you well to take the extra circutry out of the signal chain.

It's like going through a toll booth and then driving through 10 miles of pot holes and cracks in the road to get off at your exit. Rather than going through the toll booth and then getting off at the exit 2 miles later. Clean, smooth...

you get the idea.
 
tdukex said:
OK, who's the unidentified weenie who voted on an over four-year old poll? :eek: Identify yourself, so we can flame you. :D
Click to expand...

ha ha. I didn't realize this was an old thread when I posted.
 
I've done it by mistake as well, but first some weenie had to dig up an old thread and vote on its poll, which rolled the thread to the top of the forum.
 
So is that a bad thing? Still a decent question.

Richie Monroe still has the best answer, I think. I started with live sound so I went the mixer route and am happy these days with the Onyx preamps. If I were to look for better preamps it'd be a chunk of change.

Or perhaps spring for an AKAI DPS24MkII unit, which I've been getting tempted with. I believe the preamps are the same as in the ProTools HD systems and I assume I would hear an improvement over the Onyx pres, but maybe not. Anyway, even with the AKAI being at the top of the heap for dedicated units, I've still learned that debt is bad. :cool:
 
:D :D I NOW OWN THE GRACE 101. I have for a long time. Old post get old fast.

I dig the Grace 101. Other folks have bigger needs, ins/outs, so a one in and one out may not be what is needed.

The Grace will give a nice exchange and lift, especially for vocals--rich sound.

But, if you spend more, you might get more. Kind of like the 3 models of a Chevey Monte Carlo--nice, good, and ZOOM.

Happy Easter to All,
Green Hornet :)
 
tdukex said:
OK, who's the unidentified weenie who voted on an over four-year old poll? :eek: Identify yourself, so we can flame you. :D
Click to expand...


What a sucker, you just voted on a five year old thread!

Gotcha!:D
 
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