Pre amp or no preamp

  • Thread starter Thread starter edward0328
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edward0328

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Hey guys, Im planning to buy a Rode NT1a and was wondering if low end preamps such as Behringer Mic200 or ART Tube MP will make any difference on the signal itself. Main source will be male vox FYI
-Thanks
 
IMO, not really. In that price range, you will get different, but probably not better than that built into your interface. See if the mic works for you, then make your own decision as to whether something else is needed. :)
 
Do you have any other preamps? Interface? Something? How are you planning to use this mic?

The main thing a preamp will do for a microphone is bring the comparatively low output of whatever you stick in front of it up to line level. It amplifies the signal to what other pieces of gear want to see. In the case of mics that require phantom power to operate like the Rode NT, a lot of preamps will provide this too.

If you already have something like this, I can't see those pres you mentioned being much of an upgrade from anything else. If you want to hook the Rode up to a line level input device that doesn't have a mic pre, you need one.
 
edward0328 said:
Hey guys, Im planning to buy a Rode NT1a and was wondering if low end preamps such as Behringer Mic200 or ART Tube MP will make any difference on the signal itself. Main source will be male vox FYI
-Thanks
Click to expand...
What are you recording into? Interface? Sound card? Outboard recorder?
 
I agree with jimmy that you should avoid the Behringer and Art preamps.

A better alternative might be the MAudio DMP-3. I'm aware that there might be some here who would disagree, but the DMP-3 is a step up from Behringer and Art to say the least......IMO.
 
The pre amp built into the M Audio C400 is fine--and the Behringer or ART ones are certainly no better and quite likely worse.

Frankly, I think that when using an entry level mic like the NT1A, you gain nothing by fiddling with the pre amp. Wait until you can afford a really top notch mic (or mics) then, when you have an idea on how you with to modify the sound, buy an equally expensive pre amp to achieve that modification.

Until then, put your money into more/better microphones.
 
Bobbsy said:
Frankly, I think that when using an entry level mic like the NT1A, you gain nothing by fiddling with the pre amp. Wait until you can afford a really top notch mic (or mics) then, when you have an idea on how you with to modify the sound, buy an equally expensive pre amp to achieve that modification.

Until then, put your money into more/better microphones.
Click to expand...
Is the Rode NT1A really considered an entry level mic?

What top notch mics should he buy instead of the NT1A?

And

What expensive preamps should he buy?

I'm just asking
 
The NT1A is a perfectly good mic for the money--but far from the same league as some top of the line stuff from Neumann, AKG, DPA, etc. Even within the Rode range of mics, the NT1A is their "starter" LDC.

I'm certainly not saying that the OP needs to dash out and spend thousands on fully professional gear--the NT1A is a nice quiet mic and will provide good recordings--until the OP gains the experience to know what he wants to sound different. What I am saying is that adding an entry level pre amp to an entry level mic in the hopes of magically changing it into a U87 is a mugs game.

As for which pre amps to buy--well, when you get to a certain level of mic you don't spend money on a third party pre amp just to generally sound good. Usually you want it to modify the sound in a specific way. This means that there's no one pre amp to be recommended. However, in the past (when working, not in my home studio) we did have access to some pre amps/channel strips from Rupert Neve and also from Metric Halo and these were patched into the system for specific reasons.
 
The preamps inside the C 400 are probably on the same level or better than that art. If you want something to go with a Rode NT 1a i would get something like a Gap 73 it'll thicken up your sound and make it nice and smooth.
 
When a preamp is advertised to thinken your sound....what does that mean?

I have a TC Helicon VoiceWorks unit.

It has a thicken button.

When I depress the thicken button it makes my voice sound shittier than it normally sounds.

Is the button there to make me sound like Eminem?
 
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