Stereo Tube Mic-pre during Mixdown???

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kennycarvajal

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Is using a stereo tube mic-pre a normal practice during mixdown in an attempt to (hopefully) enhance the overall digital mix?

Just curious since this was brought up on a conversation.

Kenny
 
No, it's not normal practice. There's no need to run a mix through a microphone preamp (it's already been amplified to appropriate levels). That being said, there are other effects processors (compressors, eqs, etc.) that may add a favorable sound to a mix, even if you're not doing much/any active processing with them. Also, if you try the preamp thing and like it, there's nothing inherently wrong with doing it, as long as you aren't clipping anything.
 
Actually, it is very common to do that, just maybe not around these parts because many people here are set up in different ways and do not do that sort of thing.
 
You really have to experiment with which preamp to put on the final mix. There is no technical reason for doing so, it's purely a tone thing, or how it makes the mix feel to you. So if you think that just slapping a tube preamp across the mix is going to add instant magic you may be surprised.

I do put a preamp across the mix sometimes, but I use my DAV BG-1 preamp, which is solid state. I've tried tube gear before, and I much prefer the BG-1 for this purpose. But it really depends on the music and the sound you are going for. You will most likely have to try out a number of preamps to find the sound you want.
 
Thanks for the responses guys! Just thought this was kind of interesting.

Kenny
 
it's done, but i wouldn't bother unless you really like the pre.
 
Done it. . .like it sometimes

I do it sometimes using the Brick. . .sounds alright in many circumstances relating to radio
 
Well, if degrading the sound by putting it through frivolous extensions of the signal chain, thus decreasing the dynamic range and introducing distortions and other negative artifacts through impedence conversions is somehow your secret weapon, making for a slammin' mix ... then by all means go for it.

I personally find it to be a perfectly useless and pretty damn stupid thing to do, but to each his own. It ain't my mix.

.
 
But, when Mastering Engineers pass an entire mix through analog gear (not mic pre,ok, but hardware eq,comp), that´s not an "analog" situation?
 
CIRO said:
But, when Mastering Engineers pass an entire mix through analog gear (not mic pre,ok, but hardware eq,comp), that´s not an "analog" situation?
Click to expand...

but wait, let's get one thing straight, there is a pretty massive difference between the gear found in a home studio and the gear found in a pro mastering studio.


whilst you wouldn't want to pass your finished product through your run-of-the-mill consumer audio pre, a high quality tube pre could add a certain desirable colour.
 
But our colleague don´t talk what´s the pre he "own" (or pretend) to uses.
Maybe an expensive one can give good results (even without change nothing on frequencies or compress). I have the same doubt than him, never try (myself) pass my mixes on an "excellent" analog gear (which I don´t have).

Ciro
 
MessianicDreams said:
whilst you wouldn't want to pass your finished product through your run-of-the-mill consumer audio pre, a high quality tube pre could add a certain desirable colour.
Click to expand...

Or not. It really depends on the sound you are going for. A high quality solid state pre could work better, or none at all. It's really one of those trial and error things, and I don't think that filling in the blank with "tube pre" is necessarily going to be the solution.

I only say this because you so often see the words "tube pre" used as an almost preset assumption when talking about post mix preamping. The question of whether to use a preamp at all, and should it be tube or not, is all open for consideration.
 
CIRO said:
But, when Mastering Engineers pass an entire mix through analog gear (not mic pre,ok, but hardware eq,comp), that´s not an "analog" situation?
Click to expand...

Playing music out of your monitors is an analog situation. When it's passing through a 1/4" cable or even a patch cord, it's an analog situation. :D

We're talking about the use of outboard gear for a function and a purpose; i.e. an outboard compressor who's intent is to manipulate the dynamic range, or an EQ or multiband comp with the purpose of bringing out certain elements and polishing the sound of a mix, and specifically designed to perform these functions on a line-level signal. That is what this type of gear is designed for. Go ahead and try and plug a mic in to it, and I think you'll be disappointed. :D

The function of a mic pre is to bring a mic-level signal up to a usable line-level. I can appreciate a sense of experimentation and wating to think outside the box and all that ... but ... It's a mic pre. They're not designed to sprinkle magic pixie dust on a mix. Not anymore than my hair dryer ... if I actually had a hair dryer. Alright, my coffee maker then. It does what it does. Makes a slammin' cup of joe, but I wouldn't want to run my mixes though it.

If you just want to run your mix through something to see if you can get anything interesting out of it, then what you probably want is a line amplifier. As it's name suggest, it's optimized for line-level signals.
.
 
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CIRO said:
But, when Mastering Engineers pass an entire mix through analog gear (not mic pre,ok, but hardware eq,comp), that´s not an "analog" situation?
Click to expand...

Absolutely.

There are also units like the Crane Song HEDD (which cost around $4K) that are used to simulate tube (and tape) and are used by a great number of MEs.

The answer really depends on the quality of your tube pre, the style of music, and what the mix sounds like.

Like so much in this industry, there is no stock answer or one size fits all.
 
SonicAlbert said:
I don't think that filling in the blank with "tube pre" is necessarily going to be the solution.
Click to expand...


indeed. the reference to tube pre's was more of an "for example" than a "you should use this" ;)
 
Yes, and I did just notice that the original question was specifically about using tube preamps this way.

So my point is only that tubes are not necessarily the way to go. I generally prefer the sound of "iron" to tubes, but I do use tube gear a bit as well. It's just important to have the sound of each in your "ear memory", as that helps choose which is best for any given situation.
 
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