Ocotpre or Spirit M12 for mic pres?

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Deface7String

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Which is a better solution for 12 channels of mic pres as a front end to a DAW?

1.) Octopre and a TL Audio 5001.

2.) Vintech 1272 and a Sprit M12.

3.) Another solution for under $2000?
 
Of the two you've chosen here, the Vintech/Soundcraft idea is going to cover a better variety of sounds.

What your looking for with these choices is basically warmth and clarity for a greater tonal range. The Octopre is not what I would call entirely clean. It's slightly warm sounding. The TL is very warm sounding so, for some types of music you would be lacking pres which are more neutral.

The soundcraft pres are very clean sounding and you are getting some really great EQ on that board. The Vintech has the Neve warmth and thus you would have a wider range of choices but only two channels of warmth. Overall I would opt for #2. Your also getting a summing buss on the M12 which you may want occassionaly for a more analog sounding mix. Finally the M12 has the digital conversion capability so if you want to send digital to your DAW it would be very clean.

Other choices for 12 channels, Allen Heath has a board which is slightly better than the M12 for around a grand. You could pick up a Great River ME-1NV Mic Pre which would be a warm sounding 1 channel pre. Another option for warmth would be a John Hardy M-1 Mic Preamp Single Channel. For slightly more than $2300 you could add the Langevin Dual Mono from Manley. The other choice is a Dan Alexander pre for around $1200 on ebay. Lot's of choices out there.
 
Ill be using a MP-1NV with my 8 channel Yamaha MLA7 as soon as I get my Settlement.
 
This might go for $2100 or so:

2 Sytek MPX-4Aii's and a TL Audio 5001

If you get the JFET options on 3&4 on both Syteks, you'll have a total of 4 very transparent pres ( channels 1 and 2 of both Syteks ) and 4 slightly colored, edgier pres ( channels 3&4 of both Syteks ). Then the 5001 will be there for the valve warmth, smoothness and more coloring. The 5001 Ivory 2 is much improved over the previous Ivory and HHB Radius models.

That's the most flexibility, best quality and most sonic variety I can think of in 12 channels for around $2000. And they are all very good pres.

The Vintech Dual 72 is great and very colored - but I wouldn't blow $1250 of my budget on 2 channels and have only $800 or so left for the remaining 10 channels. Too lopsided, IMO.

Dan Richards
Digital Pro Sound
The Listening Sessions
 
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