The ULTIMATE Entry-Level Mic Pre Poll... :op

[chessrock]

Did you see Harvey's Review???

PNP? He called it a PNP. Now I'm normally not the type to read too far in to things, but "pretty good" isn't necessarily a glowing review . . . any more than saying a girl looks "pretty good." Or that she "has a nice personality." But anyhoooooo . . .

 

[alanhyatt]

PNP? He called it a PNP. Now I'm normally not the type to read too far in to things, but "pretty good" isn't necessarily a glowing review . . . any more than saying a girl looks "pretty good." Or that she "has a nice personality." But anyhoooooo . . .

Well, you can read into it how you choose to...

In either case, Harvey called this morning to tell us how much he really liked it and that he is going to be posting more in depth reports. So, more will pan out later as we get them to more people. I don't blame you for being cautious, but I am sure in the end, the VTB-1 will be judged fairly.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Ok, lemme see if I can clarify my remarks. The RNP is in fact an excellent preamp with a frequency response that goes from a few Hertz on the low end to a forced roll off at 250kHz. It's full class A operation with a tone that will stack up well against other preamps in the $2500 price class.

The VTB-1 is also a damn nice preamp with a nice neutral tone, less impressive frequency response, more features, and it will also hold up well to many preamps that cost significantly more money. I haven't finished checking out the VTB-1, but at $179, it's pretty much a no-brainer decision so far, if you have a small home studio.

Medium size professional studios with a wider range of microphones are going to want to look at the RNP as a main mic pre, although the VTB-1 ain't too shabby either. As I've said before, I'm getting both.

Since the Really Nice Preamp name was already taken, I said the VTB-1 was a Pretty Nice Preamp. In fact, it's a very nice preamp, too, especially at $179. The fact that Alan just billed me $236.61 for mine doesn't change my opinion of the unit. He just better be willing to let me make payments.

 

[Middleman]

Harvey, would you be willing to comment on how the RNP stacks up against the Grace 101? Perhaps you have not had time to do a comparison but I am curious as to which is a more versatile device.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

I wish I had the time, equipment, and energy to test everything on the market. Unfortunately, I don't, plus my ears aren't as trustworthy as they used to be, so I need my son to help out on some portions of these tests. He's not always available, so that slows things down.

Right now, I'm operating with only one good eye for the next few months, so I can't even read manuals very well. I don't care what anyone says; it's all downhill when you reach 65.

I haven't heard the Grace, so I can't comment on it, except that it looks like a solid design.

 

[chessrock]

Wow. Sounds like another impressive option in the lower price range to go along with others like Mackie, M-audio, etc.

S-U-M-M-I-T S-U-M-M-I-T

Did I just say that?

 

[alanhyatt]

Wow. Sounds like another impressive option in the lower price range to go along with others like Mackie, M-audio, etc.

S-U-M-M-I-T S-U-M-M-I-T

Did I just say that?

Your such a Chessrock...

 

[TexRoadkill]

Your such a Chessrock...

Damn, Alan, that was cold.

Sorry if I missed it another post but is the other preamp your coming out with an 8 channel version of the same thing? Will it have the toob drive on all channels?

 

[chessrock]

. . . I have a Grace 101, and yes, it is a fine product, but the VTB-1 hangs with it all day long, so I just question your entire set up as what your hearing.

You're such a Hyatt.

Or should I say a "P.T. Barnum?"

 

[jeap]

I haven't tested very many of the preamps in the poll, but I can say this:

The Art Tube MP sucks monkey butt.

It has a serious hi end roll off. And although this often can be beneficial to a sound, you don't want to have it there if it's the only mic-preamp you have. So the Tube MP may be a nice *second* preamp. But not the first one you get. That it doesn't have any good metering, but has a design that requires it doesn't make it any better.

its very true about the tube mp that i have. it has less high freq content which is part of the very definition of "warmth".

this makes it a perfect match for keyboards and very bright mics like the rode nt1.

i love my tube mp!

 

[jeap]

forced rolloff at 250k?

not 25k?

250k???

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Yeah, jeap.

An 18dB per octave Butterworth filter, with the -3dB point at 250 kiloHertz (250,000 cycles per second).

 

[chessrock]

its very true about the tube mp that i have. it has less high freq content which is part of the very definition of "warmth". this makes it a perfect match for keyboards and very bright mics like the rode nt1.

It's an excellent d.i. for the bass. It's picky about what mics you use with it. It does have a pretty low impedence (2Kohms) compared to most all other pres in it's price range, so the right mic just might sound great with it. Believe it or not, it's the best match I have, by far, for my Shure sm7 (which likes to see higher loading). Very quiet and smooth. Much moreso than the Mackie, Mindprint, or the Joemeek, even. That's not to say it's better than those pres, but with that particular mic it is.

If you don't like it, try it with another mic, and you may be surprized.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Wow. Sounds like another impressive option in the lower price range to go along with others like Mackie, M-audio, etc.

I haven't heard the M-audio stuff so I can't comment about that, but the VTB-1 is several notches above the Mackie pres. I think you might be doing yourself and others a disservice by lumping it in with all the bottom feeder products out there.

 

[alanhyatt]

You're such a Hyatt.

Or should I say a "P.T. Barnum?"

Now why did you call me PT Barnum. I put a big smile after your name, which meant it was not a dig! There was nothing about it that was offensive. It meant perhaps that you were the only one who took Harvey's words in the manner you did. Did you not see that smile??? So now you call me a name in response to that post.

What the hell is your problem dude, man your cold.

 

[alanhyatt]

Damn, Alan, that was cold.

Sorry if I missed it another post but is the other preamp your coming out with an 8 channel version of the same thing? Will it have the toob drive on all channels?

That was not cold. That had a big ole smile at the end my friend. It was not meant to be sarcastic. His reply to it was cold. He could have stopped at my last name with a smile, but no... that was not enough.

He will never change.

 

[chessrock]

Now why did you call me PT Barnum. What the hell is your problem dude, man your cold.

Relax, AH. Everybody loved PT Barnum. He was the guy who put on the Greatest Show on Earth. He was a legendary business person, a bigger-than-life personality, and very popular with the ladies, too. I'll be sure to remember the smiley in the future. Try switching to decaf in the meantime. With Jitteringjim's new tube coffee maker and tube filter, of course.

 

[chessrock]

I haven't heard the M-audio stuff so I can't comment about that, but the VTB-1 is several notches above the Mackie pres. I think you might be doing yourself and others a disservice by lumping it in with all the bottom feeder products out there.

I thought I was paying it a compliment to say it in the same sentence as the M-audio. If you haven't gotten a chance to listen to the DMP3 yet, then you're in for a treat. I'll send you mine for a few weeks if you'd like. Your ribbon mics will like it, I'm sure, as will the Audix and ecm8000.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Thank you for the generous offer. I'd love to try it, but let me hold off till my eye gets back to normal. This not seeing well is getting to be a real drag.

 

[TexRoadkill]

Alright you guys knock it off. I thought I was throwing more of a sideways insult back at chess . Let's clean the sand out of our vaginas and move on.

So what's the scoop on the 8 channel?