Need a recommendation compressor/preamp

  • Thread starter Thread starter bludozer
  • Start date Start date
B

bludozer

New member
I am currently completing my home studio using Steinberg Nuendo 1.5, Steinberg 9652 audio card, Apogee D/A converters, AKG 414 TL-11 mic. I am looking to buy a good compressor/preamp in the $500-700 range. The three models I am considering are the Drawmer MX60,Presonus VXP or a Joe Meek product. Is there anything else worth checking out? Anyone with any feedback would greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Bob
 
ill sell you my alesis 3630s for 10 bucks

no one else will even look at them.....



ha ha ha
 
Look into a Altec. It's a tube compressor/ Preamp
(there are about 3 different models)
I don't think you will find one in a standard shop but the are very nice sounding !.
Just do a search on the web and you will come up with dealers.

I could be wrong but I think it goes for around the $700
range.
You won't be sorry. A Meek doesn't even come close.
 
Shailat said:
Look into a Altec. It's a tube compressor/ Preamp
(there are about 3 different models)
I don't think you will find one in a standard shop but the are very nice sounding !.
Just do a search on the web and you will come up with dealers.

I could be wrong but I think it goes for around the $700
range.
You won't be sorry. A Meek doesn't even come close.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the recommendation. After spending some time on this website, I noticed a lot of musicians seem to be very happy with the Mindprint Envoice. Mindprint is also being distributed by Steinberg in the USA, so I'm kind of leading in that direction only because I'm a Steinberg user. Also I can get the Envoice for $500.

I would to love to due an A/B test with the Envoice and the Altec, but there are no local music stores that carry these products.
 
The HHB Radius 40, ART Pro Channel, Mindprint Envoice, There's a lot in that price range.

The compressors on most channel strips are not quite as comprehensive as a dedicated compressor, but setting up to record with everything in one box seems like a great way too go. Keeping the signal chain short is another reason these things make sense.
 
I recently purchased a joemeek vc1q and it is very good. I dont have alot of preamp experience but this unit has alot of variation and nice full sound. Hope this helps.
 
There's a plethora (I always wanted to use that word ;) ) of preamps with compressors in the $500 to $700 price range.
The VXP is a nice unit, so is the ART Pro Channel, as well as the Joe Meek units (VC1 and VC6Q).
Others to consider are the Focusrite Platinum, the dbx 586, and a few Bellari units that are also in that range.
Probably the best "bang for your buck" units in that range are the MindPrint Envoice and the Joe Meek VC1Q.
Both of them are excellent units, but they each vary in sound and control-options.

Here's a review of the MindPrint Envoice....
http://www.proaudioreview.com/par/october99/Mindprint-web.shtml

Here's a review of the VC1Q.....
http://www.sinamex.com/Reviews/Joemeek_Studio_Channel_VC1Q-Sound_On_Sound.htm

As you will see, both are highly praised, but neither is without minor faults. It all comes down to what pleases YOUR ears.
I bought the Envoice after listening to more than a dozen different preamps. It's a sweet little preamp. :)
Many here prefer the unique "Meek sound" of the VC1Q.
All I can say is ... compare, compare, compare!
 
Last edited:
Exactly c7sus, when i was looking i almost went for the dbx386 b/c everyone said how clear it was and that sounded good but then when people were saying that the meek stuf colors the sound in a good way i said hmmmmmmm we're doing mostly rock/pop type stuff here and duh color IS good on that...transparancy...well if you are pavarotti...you get the picture.

BTW if you buy something at guitar satan you can return it within 30 days thats sure better than trying it at the store. Lotsa luck
 
Buck62 said:
There's a plethora (I always wanted to use that word ;) ) of preamps with compressors in the $500 to $700 price range.
The VXP is a nice unit, so is the ART Pro Channel, as well as the Joe Meek units (VC1 and VC6Q).
Others to consider are the Focusrite Platinum, the dbx 586, and a few Bellari units that are also in that range.
Probably the best "bang for your buck" units in that range are the MindPrint Envoice and the Joe Meek VC1Q.
Both of them are excellent units, but they each vary in sound and control-options.

Here's a review of the MindPrint Envoice....
http://www.proaudioreview.com/par/october99/Mindprint-web.shtml

Here's a review of the VC1Q.....
http://www.sinamex.com/Reviews/Joemeek_Studio_Channel_VC1Q-Sound_On_Sound.htm

As you will see, both are highly praised, but neither is without minor faults. It all comes down to what pleases YOUR ears.
I bought the Envoice after listening to more than a dozen different preamps. It's a sweet little preamp. :)
Many here prefer the unique "Meek sound" of the VC1Q.
All I can say is ... compare, compare, compare!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information. It's nice to see other musicians looking out for each other. I Initially read about the Envoice from one of your threads. I'm a novice when it comes to using compression on guitar and vocals. My last system was a Roland VS-1680. I used a Sure 57 to record the vocals and the internal sound card from the 1680 for the guitar parts and got good results. I've finally splurged and bought the Steinberg gear and the AKG 414 for vocals and a Line 6 Pod pro for guitars.

I've been playing blues /rock guitar for 23 years but just started to try my hand a singing. I'm not sure if I need a preamp that will add "color" to my vocals which probably is a good idea because I'm really not that good. On the other hand, people seem to say that the VC1 adds a pleasing sound the voice.

Would a transparent sound be good for a beginning singer so I can hear all the flaws in my singing? I'm not sure. I'm buying a unit next week so I still have a few days to decide.

Thanks
 
c7sus said:
Do you want transparency or "color"?
Click to expand...


I'm not sure. Is "color" a good thing if your not a good singer or a bad thing because you will not be able to really hear how you sound and improve your voice.

Help!
 
What about the 5 series DBX?

Hi, I've been watching this thread, and wanted to mention the DBX silver series. They have a unit called the 576 that is a pre-compressor in a 2U box. It was reviewed on Pro-rec, they quite liked it. This unit can be picked up for close to your high end number. (A little over $700.)

I recently purchased the 586 pre and the 566 compressor, and while I don't have much time on it, so far it seems to be exactly what I was looking for. The 576 is one channel of each in a single box.

Some features at a glance
High voltage tube cirecuit (hybrid)
3 band eq
integrated limiter
optional digital I/O
line, instument, and mic input
+4 or -10 input.

I'm no expert, but the reason I picked it over the Joemeek is that its tube function allows a "colored" or "un-colored" sound to be dialed in as needed.
 
Re: What about the 5 series DBX?

schwa said:
Hi, I've been watching this thread, and wanted to mention the DBX silver series. They have a unit called the 576 that is a pre-compressor in a 2U box. It was reviewed on Pro-rec, they quite liked it. This unit can be picked up for close to your high end number. (A little over $700.)

I recently purchased the 586 pre and the 566 compressor, and while I don't have much time on it, so far it seems to be exactly what I was looking for. The 576 is one channel of each in a single box.

Some features at a glance
High voltage tube cirecuit (hybrid)
3 band eq
integrated limiter
optional digital I/O
line, instument, and mic input
+4 or -10 input.

I'm no expert, but the reason I picked it over the Joemeek is that its tube function allows a "colored" or "un-colored" sound to be dialed in as needed.
Click to expand...

Thanks for adding to my confusion--just kidding.

Just out of curiosity, did you do research or test the envoice and VC1 before deciding on the DBX. And if so,
what did you like dislike or like about those units
 
i have noticed no one has ever seemed to use the DBX project one......sweet preamp/compressor...de-esser...cool expande/gate....i think its fairly tramsparent....got it for a hundred bucks...anyone have any clue what this thing sells (or sold) for??
 
I looked closely at the Meek...

I researched and priced the VC1, ART, DBX 3 series, Bellari, and a little into Focusrite (platinum).

I only actually listened to the DBX 3, VC1, and the 5 series.

When I made the descision to purchase, I added the requirement of a stereo solution. This indicated the choice of a stero pre - stereo compressor instead of a "voice channel". With the separates, I get a little extra flexibility to use them in other contexts.

If I were going for a voice channel, I still probably would have gone with the DBX, since it's two "separates" in a single box. Many voice channels (the presonus, for example) remove some features to fit them in a 1U package. All of the inputs and outputs found on the separates is helpful as well.

At the end of the day, if you can't listen to them, I would try and go for the best deal. They are all capable, and in a home recording context, would probably deliver the goods for you.
 
500$ preamp

I also am a guitar player who recently started doing that singing thing, I considered envoice and joe meek, but eventually went for the 376 dbx, it has comp&eq and deser. I can't say if I made the right choice, what was the deciding factors were digital out and some coloring tools along with $ budget. If you want to expand the buget, sky's the limit, but being a novice I went for the dbx,good luck, so far so good with the dbx, but one is always enquiring.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top