Please Recommend a Mic Preamp

  • Thread starter Thread starter beefeater267
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beefeater267

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Hi,

I recently purchased an ART MPA Gold Mic Preamp. This is my 1st mic preamp so i have nothing to compare it to. I've read extreme mixed reviews on ART products and just wanted to get some opinions on whether you guys think this product is good or not. I am currently using a Shure SM57 mic.

Here's the link to what i got:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/prod...el-Mic-Pre-with-Variable-Impedance?sku=180630

If not, can you recommend anything as a mic preamp. My price range is $300. I only really need up to 2 channels.

Thanks!
 
Actually, you bought a pretty decent sounding mic preamp IMHO. If I remember correctly, your new preamp has an input impedance selector, which will make a big difference with your SM-57. 57's are a bit fussy when it comes to the impedance they "see", and can sound pretty amazing if the right input impedance is selected. ;)
 
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beefeater267 said:
This is my 1st mic preamp so i have nothing to compare it to.
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Use your ears.

They will tell you everything you need to know about that preamp.

Some things you should look for are -
  • Is it noisy? If so, under what circumstances and gain level?
  • Is it an improvement over what you were using before?
  • Why or why not?
  • Try recording guitars.
  • Try recording vocals
  • Try recording other things

Unless you're willing to stretch, say, to one of these you're limiting yourself to a precious few choices.


.
 
I can't comment on the Art as Ive never heard or used one. The post right above mine gave you good advice IMHO.

This guy has a Presonus MP20 for sale for $275 and the MP-20 is a decent mis pre in your price range. Even better if it has the jensens in it. The link is below. Good luck.

http://tinyurl.com/ygfvj2
 
Yeah, the Grace Designs pre-amps are very nice. I have the Lunatec V3 and I love it.
 
I don't know if you can find a pre under $300 that will adequately push an SM57 without alot of noise. If you're recording loud sources, the PreSonus Firebox will do okay with the SM57, but if you're using the 57 for vocals or other not so loud sources, you will probably hear background, at least that is the result I have gotten with that set up.
 
ssscientist said:
Use your ears.

They will tell you everything you need to know about that preamp.

Some things you should look for are -
  • Is it noisy? If so, under what circumstances and gain level?
  • Is it an improvement over what you were using before?
  • Why or why not?
  • Try recording guitars.
  • Try recording vocals
  • Try recording other things

Unless you're willing to stretch, say, to one of these you're limiting yourself to a precious few choices.


.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that's the best way to find out. He may be under the impression that reason soemthing he recorded does not sound the way he thinks it should could be anything from the mic to the cables he's using to the source, or the pre. I think what he really needs is a side by side comparison of his own, like recording the same thing 2 times on two different pres. If he doesn't know what he's looking for, he won't be able to answer his own question.

If I didn't have experience and Iw as just starting out, I might think my recordings sounded great, but then if I A-Bd them to some pro recording I might just say "What am I doing wrong, hrm, I sound good in my head, maybe it's my <insert equipment>." Doing this will put everything into perspective. Right now, as you said, you don't have anything to compare it to. A Behringer preamp could sound awesome to you if you don't know what to listen for; however, put it next to a UA preamp and maybe you'll here the difference and know what to listen for.

I realize it's all a matter of opinion, so your comment could be the only right answer in many people's eyes. But like I said, I think if he doesn't have anything like another preamp to a-b to, he may be lost in the dark still. D

Beefeater267, go to a local dealer that has preamps, either a local music shop or maybe a GC, find out what their return policy is and if it's lenient, buy a preamp, a-b singing/playing whatever into your ART and your new one. If you like the new one better, you know it's the preamp, if it still sounds not to your liking, then perhaps it's the mic or source (you).
 
That should get you by for a while. Until you can afford something with imput transformers, I would save your money. It may have to be an off 50s or 60s piece, but an all tube set up with imput transformers makes a huge difference. Your art looks like it'd improve your signal over a straight mixer and give you enough gain especially using a 57. When you listen back, don't listen for just the amount of clean gain it will give you, but the depth and articulation of what you're recording. If you can get it to sound good and you're happy with it, that's a very good thing. There's people with $2,000 woth of gear who can't get a useable tone, it's up to your ear to find the nuances of your equipment.
 
Never Say Never

Hi,

I recorded "Never Say Never" with an SM57 through an M-Audio DMP2. It's clean and had plenty of gain. Came out surprisingly good since the SM57 isn't the first mic that comes to mind for acoustic guitar.

You can hear it here.

http://www.archive.org/details/Hairy_Larry.Never_Say_Never

New DMP3s are about $160 and they have two channels.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
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