"Real" Mic Pres - (1-3 grand) - Whats your pleasure?

[wes480]

posted something about this on another thread..but, wanted to get an overall opinion. I figure this is something most everyone on here thinks about, but a few searches didn't yield many results. I am doing research on higher end mic pres right now (my target budget is maybe 1,300-2,300). Looking at Vintech, Neve, Avalon...don't really know where to look exactly.

Pretty much wondering what you guys like. Tube, transy...whatever.

Personally i would like to have something to use mainly with vocals/acoustic instruments....drum overheads and speaker cabs I guess. I do pop/rock music. So..something with 2 channels would be ideal for me. But, I am not buying for probably 8 months...so, just want to hear what anyone likes. thanks! (and, doesn't mean you have to have used it or whatever...turn me onto some other brands..anything I can do more research on would be killer)

 

[Dolemite]

I don't think this is the place...

How many of us have $3k mic pre's?



We may have opinions but with that sort of purchase you want to ask people who have experience.

Search Here

 

[tubedude]

For the money, Vintech...
Spend a little more, look into the Great River MP2-NV.
Api's are nice, and you can get a 4 pack for about $2200, and that would fulfill a nice need I'm sure.
I like the sound of the API's and the Neve's the best, very thick sounding, not transparent, really.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Yeah...

With that money...

For the more color type...
I'd be reaching for a Neve or API variant... Vintech, Brent Averill, Great River MP2-NV, or an actual current API. Maybe a Manley.

For the more transparent type...
I'd be reaching for a Buzz Audio, DaviSound, Earthworks, Grace Design, Great River, or a few others.

Actually, if it were me, I'd probably try to work my budget around trying to go for a single channel of one type and a dual channel the other type.

 

[Meshuggah]

Hi RE.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Yeow

Ey... whaz-up Meshuggah?

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Go to mercenary.com.... look at the mic pre section...

Take your pick!


Bruce

 

[wes480]

Neves are all refurb right? Like, everyone talked about them so much, I figured they were still being produced. But..now getting the idea that they are a thing of the past?

Vintech looks cool as a Neve alternative. They have that X73 that is one channel...that is the 'flagship' for 2 grand. Then there is the 2 channel one, based on another Neve (the 12 something)...didn't see price/info on that on their web site. an X73 and the 2 chan one would be a nice start! hehe. gosh...maybe I should just stick with RNMP

 

[geekgurl]

There is this sound that I have always associated with expensive studios ... I've recently discovered it's the Neve pre (maybe a big "duh!" to some of you, but, hey, there's lots of options out there!). Now, I am pleased to say I am the proud owner of a single channel Neve Class A pre (no EQ, just pre), racked and power-sourced by a gentleman by the name of Dan Alexander. His name may be familiar to you: I guess certain Guitar Centers were selling them up until a few months ago.

Well, in doing research before my purchase, I went to Dan's Web site (www.danalexanderaudio.com). From the Web site, I sent Dan an email about availability of future units, and asked what's the diff between the Neves he sells and the 1272 I've heard about, which is basically the Brent Averill repackaged jobby. He emailed back his phone # and said to call him, so I did (I think I should mention that I live in the San Francisco Bay Area near this guy and told him that in the email, so we both knew it wasn't a long-distance call. If it was maybe he just would've answered via email, I don't know).

He said that in the near future he's going to be selling his Class A racked Neves in 2-channel config ... same circuitry, new IC board, if I remember correctly (for reliability, I guess). He tests his units and claims they have the same freq. response as the Neve channel strips except for some variance at the 40KHz level. I don't think DOGS hear that high.

Right now Dan Alexander is about 6 weeks back-ordered on units, but he is taking orders and I believe the 2-channel unit is priced at $1350. He will only be selling direct; no Guitar Center, etc. Not sure what shipping would be on something like that, but there you have it.

Oh, and he said the difference between the 1073/1066 (Neve Class A pres) and 1272s is that "the 1272 was NEVER a preamp..." he said what Brent Averill does is take that LINE amp and [insert technical shit way over my head here], thereby converting it to a preamp. Hey, what do I know, that's what the guy said.

Anyway, all this rambling is to say you can still get Class A Neves, and if you only need one or two channels I don't think that's expensive at all.

gg

 

[tubedude]

By the way, check out the new Chandler Neve copies at vintageking, too.
Wow, a girl with a Neve.... I'm in love. Call me.

 

[imacgreg]

For transparent think Millennia Media...

 

[jimistone]

if I was going to spend that kind of money on a mic pre....I would get 10 joe meek vc6q channels.....I think the pre sounds great by itself (without the opti compression and eq). They are great to use between the guitar and amp.....its unbelieveable what they can do for guitar. They are great for direct bass too. I only have one...and that sucks. I dunno, I might get 7 or 8 of those and 2 or 3 tube pres....i've been reading threads here about some good tube pres in the 200 to 300 dollar range.

but then again....most of my favorite recordings have been done on Neve boards. It would be hard for meto dish out that kind of money on 1 pre. gotta stretch my dollars.

 

[tubedude]

Good tube pre's for $200 huh? Well, how about that. Are they stolen, 100 years old, or both?
If I was gonna buy JoeMeek, it would AT LEAST be the VC1Qcs dual channels, which are only like $700? Would be a much better buy, I'm sure.
Get a Vintech 1272 for some sexy color, and then wait for the RNMP to come out, and then fill your space with RNMP's. Most bases will probably be covered this way.

 

[wes480]

Yeah thats why I started this thread though...I am tired of the Joe Meek solution. I am *not* saying they are bad pres.
But here is where I am at -

I have 8 pres on my aardvark that in my opinion are fine for drums (at least snare and kick).

I want to get some "timeless" preamps becuase my deal is - I don't automatically think I need 8 "good pres"...I'd much rather have 1 great one. So...if I had 8 VC6Qs...and most of the time only used 2 of them - then I didn't get much of a deal.

I think 1400 dollars for a preamp that most people would agree is "professional..world class" is pretty reasonable. I look at it this way...with 4,000 dollars...you could have 2 RNMPs, a dual channel Neve, and a single channel Vintech neve copy. that would give you 6 pres...for what..800 or so a piece average. A good bit of flavor...and definately a world class setup.

Its all personal though. I mean I am the kind of person who figures in 2-3 years I will probably buy a U87.

I just think you still have to pay for the best. Don't get me wrong though, C1 + VC6Q is the *best thing* that could happen to recording. The high end stuff is covered.

 

[Michael Jones]

If I had 3 grand, I would have bought the DW Fearn dual channel. But since I didn't have 3 grand, I recently bought a pair of Brent Averill's Audix 35102 vintage mic pre's. The pre's themselves are discrete, very flat, but the in-line EQ (which can be switched in or out) allows you to really custom color the sound. So far I like them a lot, but I'm really still trying to learn how to use them.

 

[subspace]

For rock, I think a primary Neve channel might be the most rewarding purchase. I'd lean towards an actual module with EQ, rather than a modified line card ala 1272 or a "re-creation". The Neve EQ is as much a part of it's tone as the gain stage. 1073s are a bit pricey at this point, but the broadcast modules with class AB outputs run about half as much. If you make sure to get one with the discrete 400 series cards, not the 5534 IC 600 series, you can upgrade the output stage and tranny with the Phoenix Audio TF1 kit for $125 and make it class A discrete throughout. Check out the racked 33114 and 33122/A modules at Brent Averill's site:
http://www.brentaverill.com/
and the Phoenix audio TF1 kit at:
http://phoenixaudio.net/
The 33122/A used an external output transformer and is the cheaper of the two, perhaps he'd sell one without the tranny if you were going to replace it anyway. This would give you a nice guitar tracking and gtr/vcl overdubbing channel for around $1600.
After that, I'd go for a stereo pre with a totally different character. The racked pair of API 312 cards at the same site would be great for drums or a different flavor on gtrs/vcls. For acoustic instruments though, I'd go with something on the cleaner side, a pair of John Hardys or original Great Rivers would separate nicely from the more colored Neve. All of these allow you to add more channels at a reduced cost later on, and are classics in their own right. HTH

 

[VOXVENDOR]

F o c u s r i t e I S A - 4 3 0

Nothing more nothing Less....

$3300..... Ok so it's a little more than the Price range allows...

 

[tubedude]

Or, if you prefer a NEW Neve, check out the Amek/Neve Dual 9098 preamp... has MS decoding, very nice meters, looks great, has Ruperts signature on the front, and is only $1500 for 2 channels. Most of what I have read in the last 6 months says it is a very up close and personal sounding preamp, a "like you're there" kind of sound.
Sounds like the best bargain around right now. And since they are distributed by Harmon, you can probably get one at damn near any music store in the world, special ordered, of course.