What outboard are you using yourself CC?
dont get me started! lol
what I have at the house today is a small sample for 2019... a Cloudlifter, JDI, DMP3, Neve Clone 73, KT2A..... but the staple for me today is the Cloudlifter and JDI. The NeveClone73 into a KT2A was the "test drive this year"... (and theres a few others laying around too)
but this is after a few years of rabbit holing seeking the "perfect" outboard for myself...
numerous JoeMeeks new and old several models, Focusrites, ISA and Platinums, UA LA610 approx 3 qty , Emperical Labs Mike-E, Lindell 18xs, Symetirx, ART possibly all of those, in various Gold to Black colors....starved or high voltage, transformer or not, Ranes several models, DAV BG1, other channel strips or single pres and comps...
always comparing to plugins too as its by far the cheapest and has SAVE AS...
Im selling most this stuff, as much was flipped and swapped anyway and my needs are small for HR recording/hobby stuff. What I have interest in trying next is a DAKING MicPReII or a Grace Design...only because I havent tried them here.
My 2019 comparison fun was the NeveClone into a KT2A vs Cloudlifter/Interface Pre and ITB comp....and I think Im choosing the latter.
and for
2021 probably will be the Cloudlifter/Interface + ITB plugs vs DAKING MicPre...and a Grace Design...but Im looking for the option of a Return/Refund on used stuff.
If you like reading the gear stuff SOS Preamp- large shootout a "classic article"
SOS Forum • Preamp comparison in SOS October 2012: the key!
my keepers seem to be the cloudlifter booster box for dynamics, (the Cathederal Pipes Durham was just as good for 1/2 price but my son took and kept it....with his dynamics.)
the JDI I grabbed a "pro hyped piece" and let the real bass and guitar players do the shootouts, and to be honest I love it for desktop access location, too...but in truth almost all the units DI seem to work fine, even the interface DI works fine and small differences to me.
The ART TPSII became a unique box, its cheap but has FX and tone shape the clean stuff doesnt get and even the UA610 didnt get there to what I wanted, the ART TPS does guitars and vocal and anything...its Neutral is ok. I got turned on to it from a local band did an a great CD with it, and with it being cheap a no brainer. The EmperialLabs Mike E was awesome but for $1800? and its based off a crunched 1176, which the piece is beautiful but for a HR home-dude messing about, abit over my head and needs. Again the TPS gets dirty and cleans up kind of too.
heres a staple I post on cheaper gear in the right hands...cheap CAD mics x 4, and Aphex 107 x 2qty...and a beautiful room and great engineer...
JaxTrax Mobile Recording
go to...
Equinox string quartet mix-lt.mp3