Single mic choice preamp vs. stereo mics average preamp

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Mattbob

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My entry preamp/recorder got fried in the storm, so here we go. I have two set ups planned. One is two Nady or MXL ribbon mics, dual channel solid state preamp/compressor. The other, out of necessity, might be a single ribbon with a single channel solid state preamp and a compressor.

I am having trouble finding dual channel preamps with two XLR In/Out in the beginning price range. Even in the not so beginning price range. Single channel units opened up options. I also really like the idea of having a compressor. I would also use this set up for playing live, small coffee shops.

Is the stereo set up more bang for the buck or single channel? I figured I wasn't going to be able to hear the difference by reading, so I'm looking for some experience. :)
 
In theory, dual channel should be more cost effective as you only have to buy the power supply and case once (those are the most expensive parts). But if you want combined pre/compressors, most of those are single-channel.
 
Like msh said, you'll have a hard time finding anything in the way of two-channel combined pre and comp, especially for anything below maybe about a grad per channel, which it sounds like you're not wanting to pay since you mention "beginner" and "not so beginner" as you price ranges ;).

A model I might recommend in that price range that has both 1/4" and XLR ins, emough preamp gain to handle most ribbon mics OK, has a decent quality compressor, and a 4-band EQ in one box at a pretty good price wold be the ART Pro Channel. It's only a single channel unit, but you can find them on sale for only $199 each. At that price, for $400 you can get two channels of not necessarily top shelf quality, but a whole hell of a lot better than most entry-level boxes for a real bargain.

G.
 
Any more options for a compressor -less set up?

I really want to go stereo, the depth is what my ear really wants to hear. If I can spend $100 on each mic, (MXL ribbons) and $200 on the pre that would be swell.
 
Glen mentioned the ART Pro Channel...the ART MPA is the 2-channel tube preamp-only version and can also be had for $200 used...just check eBay.

I use to have one (sold it for $200 on eBay)...only reason was 'cuz I got a relatively higher-end pre/comp/EQ 2-channel box and I needed the rack space, so I pulled the MPA as it was getting the least use (mainly 'cuz I have a couple of much higher-end pres)....but I used the MPA a lot in the past.

Dropped a couple of decent 12AX7 tubes into it in place of the Sovtek tubes...and that puppy was pretty good for the price!

Not sure how much better you can score for $200 bucks (for a 2-channel pre)
 
hmmm... I like that one a lot. I assume by ' each channel selectable phantom power' one channel could be my condenser (MXL 990). Then I would only have to buy the ribbon mic to get stereo. What's the difference with the 'ART MPA -GOLD-' Model? They look like the have the same features.
 
Ha ha, you beat me to it.... I am seeing the Gold ones as well... are there any differences between the two?
 
The Gold was just the next generation...maybe has additional options...but it's basically the same thing.
 
As I understand it - by 2nd hand info only, so it's not gospel, but - the main difference is one of age: the Pro MPA came first, followed by the MPA Gold, which itself in turn was followed by the Pro MPA II. Features and specs are more or less the same, but there have been small refinements in construction along the way. One feature change from the Gold to the MPAII I believe was that the II has an M/S decoding option built in that the original MPA and the Gold did/do not have. This might come in handy for you ribbon use if you're so inclined.

G.
 
The ART options that everyone is talking about are quite good for the money. I've had lots of time to play with some of these offerings at a local audio shop that has a studio that they use for testing their products (they're nice enough to let me come and play there).

Another option for a dual channel that's at a slightly higher price point than most of the other lower end dual mic preamps is the FMR Audio "Really Nice Mic Preamp". It retails new at $499 usually but, the best new price for it is $475 at Front End Audio.

http://www.fmraudio.com/rnp.htm

It's not pretty but it's quite nice. Very slightly colored from what I can tell, though I wouldn't call it a "character" preamp by any means. It'll run your ribbons and dynamics well also. (The best new price for it is $475 at Front End Audio.) It's also got inserts so you can hook up a compressor to it if you like (I haven't tried the FMR Really Nice Compressor, but it gets rave reviews).

Another option in that same range is the Black Lion Audio "Auteur". It retails new at $495.

http://www.blacklionaudio.com/content.php?p=1

The difference here is that there's no Hi-Z input on it (DI for guitars or the like). But also quite nice.

I've had the opportunity to test out and play with both, and I like the Really Nice Pre slightly better. Very subjective though. I think in order to get significantly higher quality you'd need to start looking in the over $1k range.

A third option for stereo which is just another thought would be to get two of the Golden Age Projects "Pre-73" amps.

These are also nice, and are much more of a character preamp, so it can make some microphones sound amazing, and others don't shine quite so much. They change the sound a bit, but not in a bad way. They're $299 so two of them would be around $600 total. And if you're into modifying your equipment at all there's a lot of discussion about upgrading some of the components to better quality parts. The only problem with this is that you're buying two different units, so they may have slight differences in sound or their gain knobs might not always match up perfectly. Quality control issues at lower prices like that tend to cause that sort of stuff to happen, so you have to be careful to look out for some of the weirdness that can happen when using two units that aren't necessarily designed to work together for stereo microphone use.
 
I purchased the MPA gold that was on Ebay. After a while of trying different settings I 1). really like the tone. 2). Still have a stupid amount of hiss. Any tips with this particular unit is appreciated. I have a MXL 990, MXL ribbon, the mpa gold going into a tascam dp 02. I am recording just my vocals and guitar. This is my first dive into semi-quality recording, so ther emight be something obvious I am missing. Thanks guys.
 
You may not like hearing this...but the hiss is probably coming from the mics.
Those MXL mics are not very pristine.

I have some decent mics, but awhile back I was buying a few odds-n-ends from Musician's Friend, and needed to hit their $199 total to get the free shipping...I was about $40 short and couldn't think of anything else I needed, when I saw they had a $59 sale price on the MXL 990...so I figured, it's not much of a gamble...if it sucks, no big deal.

As soon as I tried it out...the first thing I noticed was the high noise/hiss level when compared to my better mics..and I wasn't crazy about its overall sound...had a bit of harshness to it.
Anyway...for something like cranked guitar, it might be fine, but I honestly have not used it once on anything since I got it because I had better mics to pick from...it's been sitting in its case in my mic locker for a few years now.

One way around some of the hiss is to increase you source level...as in - play louder! :D
That way, the S/N will be increased and the hiss becomes less of an issue.

That Gold MPA is not a noisy preamp...it's actually pretty decent for the price, especially with some decent 12AX7 tubes in there. My MPA had Sovtek tubes which were kinda harsh...but after I dropped a couple of NOS Sylvanias...it was really smooth sounding. Not sure what type of tubes they were putting in their Gold versions.

You should spring for one decent quality mic now that you have a decent preamp. :)
Is there any hiss level difference between the MXL 990 and the MXL Ribbon?
Put a decent mic into that Gold MPA and I'm sure you will really like the sound. There are a lot of decent mics in the $200-$300 range that would be good for vocals and more critical stuff....though sometimes a $100 SM57 does the trick too.
I keep telling people to check out the ADK mics...great sound for the price. You can find good deals on eBay.
 
Ha ha... there sure is. The I get more hiss from the 990 than the ribbon. I also got hiss from my little art preamp, common denominator was: the 990. And me of course. Good to know it's not me :). Damn it. I do like having the stereo options of two mics. But I like simplicity better, and I have seen plenty of bluegrass bands all huddled around one microphone and get by alright. You think the one good mic is the way to go? Good advice man. Which mics from ADK are you liking?
 
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