Questions about ART Tube MP

  • Thread starter Thread starter M.C.Abrams
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M.C.Abrams

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Hi, i've been looking for a mic preamp for hip hop vocals since the weekend. I first went to the local guitar center and was shown the M-Audio Mobile PreUsb which was selling for around $170 (too much considering that I wanted the cheapest setup that I could get at the moment). I looked more since the weekend and found out about the ART Tube MP. I know it is a preamp, and i know it has XLR inputs and outputs. I'm going to be using my PC (with Ableton Live) to record the vocals. I have a FireWire input on my sound card, and USB inputs just for my computer. My question is this: What will I have to buy in order to hook the ART Tube MP to my PC? A XLR-FireWire Cable (assuming there is such a thing), or am I better off buying a different preamp?
I know that the Mobile PreUsb acts as an external sound card and that this in turn "helps convert analog signals a.k.a. the mic to digital signals" (according to the Guitar Center guy). Is this is a big deal? I have a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (good for gaming, fine for ableton live, reason and fruity loops). Well any help is very appreciated, thank you in advance.
 
a simple 1/4 to 1/4 cable

there is a xlr in and out, and a 1/4 in and out. you can either get a XLR to 1/4th cable or a regular 1/4 instrument cable and run it from your preamp to your soundcard (depending on your soundcard you might need a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter). Radio Shack has pretty cheap cables, not that I would reccomend them though.

peace
 
firewire is for data, xlr is for audio.

If I were you, I would go with the Mobilepre for better soundquality.
You'll go through the mobilepre's decent preamp directly to harddisk.

If you insist on using the ART and the audigy...you'll have to hook it up through an AUDIO input on your Audigy. Firewire has nothing to do with it, that's for data.
 
noooooooooooooo

that ART tube is pure crap. i have owned both the ART Tube and the M-Audio usb pre. I still have the M-Audio usb pre ;) . that usb gives me freakin zero latency in my midi setup, the M-Audio is a soundcard with a phantom power preamp for only $170.00 that is the better choice over the ART Tube. sell the soundblaster card to another gamer and you pretty much come out on top: better micpre and better soundcard.
 
It really gives you no latency? I thought about picking one up a while back for the laptop but then just decided to do all of my vocals on the PC instead. If it does that then it's definitely worth $170
 
A XLR-FireWire Cable..........ouch,
if you are trying to go for the cheapest at the moment dont do it, not to discourage, but i made that mistake so learn from me, just research and save cash because you will never get what you paid for in resell, but whats best the first time
 
yes sir

as far as midi is concerned, it's pretty much 0 latency, i love it. i haven't tried recording analog through it, so i don't know how the latency is on that end, but i'm pretty sure that's 0 or very close to 0 as well.
 
don't buy the shure58

i owned the shure58 it's a damn good mic, but it's a dynamic mic. do a search on dynamic vs. condenser. you are better off gettin an MXL if money is an issue, but if i were you i'd check out the Audio Technika's and NTK's for starters. look in the gear for sale section of this forum, ebay, your local music pawn shop, or ebay.
 
i'd go with the sm58 before i went with a cheap condenser
 
treymonfauntre said:
i'd go with the sm58 before i went with a cheap condenser
Click to expand...

I have once owned the marshall for two days and then traded it in towards an Audio Technika 4055, this was like three years ago, but i do remember the marshall giving me a stronger signal than the shure 58. I hated having to stand real close to it in order to get a strong signal.
 
I have an ART Tube MP that I bought with the idea that I'd be modding it anyway, they are cheap. I've replaced the cheap tube in it with a vintage NOS GE Long Plate 12AX7 which tested 98/98+ on the triodes so it's essentially a brand new tube even though it's nearly 50 years old. I don't even know what the cheap tube sounds like that came with it actually, I replaced mine right away. Next I'm going to replace the cheap opamps that came on the board of the preamp to a better National Semiconductor or a Texas Instruments.

With regards to your question, PreSonus makes a Firewire 400 interface which will allow you to plug your tube preamp or just mics right into the interface. It comes with it's own DAW software or you can use Ableton Live, Pro Tools or Logic Studio or whatever you want to use.
 
MXL67g, It's pretty cheap and pretty good, plus it looks cools as f*ck. I wouldn't touch low end so called tube stuff, its not like its actually going through the valve, you'd be better buying an older interface like a Quattro and Omni. Old M Audio stuff is cracking, I used it for DJing and it was solid. This low end Art stuff is just very bottom end I'm afraid boys. :)
 
Gotta disagree with the slams on both the ART-Pre and the SM58. I can't see any reason with either or both would not work for your application. Sure, there's better stuff, but both will serve you well when getting started, will last a good time (with reasonable care,) and will come in handy when you get better gear. This applies double to the SM58- it's not an industry standard for nothing- it works, is robust and reliable, and gives you consistent results, day to day, mic to mic- which is why it has become an industry standard.
 
I just think there are better options for the money, not that it matters much, this geezer has dug up three threads from 6 years ago to mention how he changed the tube on a preamp, where changing the tube makes little to no difference!

And I thought I was slow on the uptake! :)


Actually I am. LOL
 
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