Tampa, VMP, TwinTrak?

  • Thread starter Thread starter boze
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boze

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I'm looking to get one of the following preamp/voice channels unless somebody has a better idea:

TwinTrak Pro - $599
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--FOCMH443

VoiceMaster Pro - $639
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--FOCMH440

P6 TrakMaster - $399
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--FOCP6

M-Audio Tampa = $399
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--MDOTAMPA

I'm not sure what the real haggle price is on any of these at GuitarCenter so any info about what you wiggled the price down to would be greatly appreciated.

one funny thing: I'd like a pre with a digital out so that I can use the spdif of my MOTU 2408mkI or my Firewire410.

I will mainly be recording nylon string guitar and voice through a pair of AT4033's - some congas or bass too.

Is there a best bet value of the ones I mentioned or any I missing something?

The TwinTrak seems handy for the simple reason that I could mic both the vocal and guitar and not have to overdub or use an analog mixer for the guitar mic or something... I dunno though.
 
The VM Pro is the most versatile of the bunch but you may not need all of its features. Also, its only one channel.

The Twintrak has the same sound as the VM Pro because it uses the same preamp stage. It lacks the tube sat and harmonics. So, unless you want to record something a little more agressive than nylon guitar and voice, it would work fine and has two channels which is nice.

The Tampa has very neutral sounding preamps but you can color it up a bit with the compressor. Not as detailed as either of the Focusrite products.

P6 - can't comment, never heard one.
 
Don't forget Safe Sound P1, It has a great expander, limiter, and compressor as well as a sweet pre amp. Very clean but can be "pushed" to nice sounding extemes. I have a VMP, an HHB radius, a toft atc-2 and the safe sound. I would replace the toft and the safe sound if they were gone
 
thanks!

hey guys..

thanks for the input.

kenny - hadn't considered the safesound because i wanted something with a spdif so i could use that to get it to my soundcards. looks like a great piece of kit though..

middleman- so i'm leaning towards the TwinTrak now. correct me if you feel differently, but i'm guessing the extra control and finesse of the VMP would be less something i'd take advantage of compared to a whole 'nother channel to mic the guitar and voice separately. sometimes i track one at a time but sometimes it's just nice to have both mics and go.

i wonder what the best price at GuitarCenter is for that - it's crazy how far they can move on some stuff and how little on other stuff...
 
single channel on the eureka. Wouldn't a CO2 get you into the optical realm?
 
what's a CO2?

yeah, figured Focusrite was a cut above so didn't look at the Prosonus stuff all that closely.

seems like folks who've heard/used both mainly prefer the Focusrite where pricepoint is about the same.
 
middleman- so i'm leaning towards the TwinTrak now. correct me if you feel differently said:
It's a tough call.

I use the tube sat and harmonics on the VMP to dial in that in yer face intimate vocal sound for ballads. Not sure I could live without that feature. However, when I want it clean for background vocals I don't use either of these. So for a primary vocal channel this has a really good sound. If you generally record one thing at a time this is probably the way to go.

If your style is guitar and vocal recorded at once, then the Twintrak should be your choice. Also with a good tube mic you can make up some of the harmonics and tube sat ground.

Depends on how you like to record.
Click to expand...
 
ahhh..

yeah, i'm _so all about the intimate ballad feel - so I guess using the fancy stuff on the VMP might be the better choice even if it limits me to tracking voice and guitar on separate takes or using mic inputs from something other than the VMP itself.

thanks for coming back with the extra info.

i'm really not good enough to sing well and play well at the same time anyway - but getting the subtlties together when they're separate is also impossible for me. it's a lose lose!

it seems a bit lame to use the whole spdif in my soundcard for a mono unit, but the best sound is what matters as my process is by no means refined or set in stone... and i understand what you're saying in general.

thanks again.
 
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Trakmaster is mono - with optional SP/DIF output card is really nice, and you can use the second channel via the optional A/D input on the back of the unit.

So one channel for guitar (raw) and one for voice (with channel strip processing - EQ and compression) recording simultaneously.

Try it before you buy - I'd be surprised if you didn't think it offered good value.

The digital card goes for about $225 last time I looked. If your budget doesn't stretch this far, then as a mono pre it is pretty good. I've seen them as low as US $300.
 
I've got some stuff I done through a tampa here, acoustic guitar and vox using a Studio Projects B1. Was a good mic when I bought it. Turned into a GREAT mic when I got the tampa

Penny & Star

The Tampa has one of the best compressors I've ever heard. Have a listen and be your own judge.

Alec
 
I the Tampa is great and has an outstanding compressor. For the money you cant go wrong. You can buy them all day for around $325.00 on the web.
 
I'm not sure what the real haggle price is on any of these at GuitarCenter so any info about what you wiggled the price down to would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Go to Froogle.com

Enter your preamp and model number and you will find a current list of the lowest published prices on line.

Print out the lowest one of the preamp you choose and take it with you to your local GC.

You may be able to haggle a little lower but this is a quick easy method to get your gear at a good price. I never go into GC to buy anything new without visiting froogle.com first.
 
Scooter B said:
Go to Froogle.com

Enter your preamp and model number and you will find a current list of the lowest published prices on line.

Print out the lowest one of the preamp you choose and take it with you to your local GC.

You may be able to haggle a little lower but this is a quick easy method to get your gear at a good price. I never go into GC to buy anything new without visiting froogle.com first.
Click to expand...


Thanks, that's good advice.
 
yeah Lemontree- i listened to both those tracks a few days ago, sounds great.

too bad about the twintrak - i'm not trying to spend that extra $225 just to give it a spdif out.

i'm going to head to GC today and see what the proverbial deal is.

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not a big fan of the froogle thing because the sites are so unavoidably sketchy.

__plus it doesn't really give you the information you need:

perfect example - this link is a froogle seach for the m-audio fw410
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=firewire+410+m-audio&btnG=Search+Froogle

and while all the prices for that are around $399 GC sold me mine for $280 new in box! even pricegrabber only goes down to $340 on this unit - and that includes the sketchy places.
 
The AD card for the twintrak, VMP etc is the same card. I read a review on it somewhere and it got a major thumbs up for clarity and precision.
 
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sweet. that's good to know about the A/D, although at least with the VMP it's already in there - the twintrak seems like less of a good value now that i factor in another >$200 slot thing for the back.

i just got back from GC and i didn't see any of my more familiar ppl working there. the guy i did find didn't exactly floor me with the deal on the VMP. first he tapped at his screen for a while and said $622 or something and then i when i just made an "ack" face he said "oh wait a minute [tap tap tap].. i'm so spaced today" and after a bit more typing he said $610.

as i was leaving he came out the front door and said $580-out-the-door, which is starting to sound more reasonable but i still didn't pull the trigger. i guess that's $542 pretax which isn't that bad, but that's a number i put in his head when i told him other places i'd seen it for that were scuzzy online joints - so maybe he only went down that far because he thought it would get it done.

we should have a separate subforum for "Best GC Price Had" so that everybody can know how hard to push.
 
Actually, used VMPs go for around $500 on ebay so $542 is not bad. Also, it does not come with the AD card, that's extra.
 
god damn it - even the VMP needs the frickin $225 option A/D card?!

you're right.. i just checked. what a load of crap. i put the list together _because of the digital connectivity and i thought those focusrite units were at the top of the class and here they come with an empty option slot in the back.

thanks again for the info, but that's very disappointing that even if i buy the most expensive unit on my shopping list it doesn't have a simple spdif output.

The street price of $325 for the Tampa as a whole unit doesn't cost much more than dippy little option A/D card for the Focusrite pre's.

my fw410 has spdif i/oi - heck, my damn Genesis3 amp modeler has spdif out and it cost me $160 new.

that quick we're right up to like $800 now to buy this and also get it into the the spdif of my 2408.

wonder why i didn't notice the "optional" about that feature earlier..... wishful thinking i guess - plus the focusrite blurbs always mention "seamless integration into your DAW".

grrrrr....
 
I have seen the used VMPs with the card go for $550 on ebay. That is the best deal going.
 
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