toft atc & Great River

  • Thread starter Thread starter Phosphene
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Phosphene

Phosphene

Horse Diaper
I am looking into getting a stereo pre for drum overheads as well as adding a new flavor to my selection. i own a avalon737 and ART TPS stereo pre (whooptee). I auditioned the Toft ATC-2 and Great River NV on my voice and acoustic guitar and I liked the Toft for its EQ, the compressors were alright, and not overly thrilled with the pres (they are ok). The Great river, on the other hand, is pertty versitile with flavors, but no eq and compressor. I didnt get a chance to use them on drums, but thats what im buying them for.

toft atc-2 --$1000 2 channels, eq, comp
Great River NV--$1080 1 channel

does anyone have any experience with either of these pres on drum overheads? I sure would like to get 2 great rivers, but thats alot of money for me to save. I still like the Toft, and it is more reasonable a price.....but to me the GR sounds better. Its all a question of what im trying to accomplish, of course, and only i can really answer this question....BUT what do you think and what experiences have you had with both of these pres?

Oh i also tried the A Designs MP-1 on guitar and voice....it sounded a bit thicker/robust than the toft to me. But on drums can you really tell a difference?

what info did i leave out.
 
on drums there will probably be a bigger difference...since people(at least me) wants their drums to sound big and robust
 
The Great River is not a very good option if you need 2 pre's because it only has 1.

I just bought an RNP and the results have been great. Nice open sound and everything sits better with far less EQ. Do you have one yet? For drums I used it on kick and snare though.

http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=6963&Category=Audio_Processors

You might look into the Sytek MPX-4aii. It is a quality 4 channel unit that many people prefer, even over the RNP. It is pretty neutral though. They can be had for about $850.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2570462650&category=23792&rd=1

Lastly you could go to Seventh Circle Audio and for $1000 get 2 channels assembled of Neve 1272 clone called the N72. It is supposed to have a similar sound to the Great River. The only problem is that there is no DI input. But since you are going to use this for overheads, mic level I/O should be ok. Here is a link:

http://www.seventhcirclestudios.com/SCA/SCA.htm

There are 3 two channel or more options for $1000 or under.
Beez
 
I have heard that the RNP has an airy top ..which translates to me as 'the highs are ... a little more pronounced?' So youve never tried the RNP on overheads? I have 2 Km184s that i have not had the chance to audition on drums (actually this weekend I will be and i guess ill use my ART TPS--baahh). Neutral is good. I use an 1880, so i want pres that are better than those (ha) and better than my ART TPS, and shit, better than my avalon on drums....im sure it can be done.
 
Hey man, if I were you I would snatch up the Sytek that someone is selling in the "Gear for Sale" forum at the bottom of HR. He is selling it for $725 shipped. Thats not too much per channel and many people really speak highly of this pre.

If you don't like it I'll buy it from you in a couple months. Hows that for a deal. That leaves you enough cash for an RNC or something.

Beez
 
sorry for the double post (thought my post disappeared, it just got moved from the mic forum to this one)
 
I like the toft, not only for the Mic preamp thing but it can also be patched in for mixdown...which you cannot do with a one channel.

I think fletcher had an opinoin about the preamp part being not the best pres hes ever used...but when he hates something outright he calls it unuseable...the design is identical to the old trident desks that Bowie sang thru for Space Odity amoung other stuff.
 
darrin_h2000 said:
I like the toft, not only for the Mic preamp thing but it can also be patched in for mixdown...which you cannot do with a one channel.

I think fletcher had an opinoin about the preamp part being not the best pres hes ever used...but when he hates something outright he calls it unuseable...the design is identical to the old trident desks that Bowie sang thru for Space Odity amoung other stuff.
Click to expand...

no the design isn't identical...malcolm who made trident console did design the toft atc but it isn't identical.. they are making an identical trident eq which is going to cost about 2000 bucks double the price of the 2 channel pre compressor and eq of the toft unit
 
I think Fletcher mentioned somewhere he thought the ATC preamp sounded similar to the Grace -- which he's not fond of either -- but many people seem to like.
 
screws said:
I think Fletcher mentioned somewhere he thought the ATC preamp sounded similar to the Grace -- which he's not fond of either -- but many people seem to like.
Click to expand...

I belive that was the inexpensive Focusrite stuff he was talking about..no mention of the Graces..I could be wrong



Don
 
Well it must be highly useable then..LOL
One mans trash and all;)

I guess...you gotta wrap your own ears around something to judge sonics/performance..But if it sounds like the Grace it isn't that bad.IMHO
Screws I couldn't get the link to work..Recpit is a bitch on my comp{AOL}



Don
 
Here's the two pertinent items in the thread.

chessparov
Has No Life
Joined: Oct 22 2001 10:34
Posts: 534
Posted: Oct 28 2003 18:30
Post subject: Question about ATC-2

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Fletcher (and anyone else), do you think the pre's are roughly in the same ballpark as the Sytek and/or Grace?

Not that I'd be expecting a Martech for this price, of course...

Chris

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fletcher
Site Admin
Joined: Sep 07 2001 08:15
Posts: 2343
From: Foxboro, MA
Posted: Oct 28 2003 18:47
Post subject: Question about ATC-2

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Yeah, I'd say they're up there with the Grace... maybe not quite as hard sounding...

_________________
Fletcher
Mercenary Audio
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thats not a good thing cuz fletch doesn't like the grace either....
 
screws said:

Yeah, I'd say they're up there with the Grace... maybe not quite as hard sounding...

_________________
Fletcher
Mercenary Audio
----------------------
Click to expand...



The Grace is a bit "hard"sounding..no argument there..But to me its still pretty good on the acoustics and hand percussion..But anyways..

Thanks Screws for the quote



Don
 
a guy at sweetwater also mentioned the Focusrite ISA 428 ($1699) and a True Systems P2 Analog ($1595). I also have been doing a little research on Syteks 4channel pre. Wish i could hear these mammerjammers. I bought my 737 on a leap of faith and it got me nakked for a few hours. I dont really want to do that again because the aftershock is so naw-zee-ate-ing
 
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