Tube mic preamps

  • Thread starter Thread starter dmbfan1981
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dmbfan1981 said:
thanks for all of the input guys. i guess i should have told you what i plan on recording as well. I MOSTLY want it to warm up my condensor mic ( marshall MXL990) but would also use it probably for acoustic guitars as well. (possibly just mic'd but maybe as a DI as well) the main thing is to warm up the vocals a little. i am not opposed to solid state...just looking for the best bang for the buck.thanks again
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Don't waste your money on budget tube circuits that use transformerless and starve plate voltages. These budget boxes are banged out so that the companies don't have to include expensive transformers in the signal path. It saves money, which is the bottom line.

Instead, look for a box running full plate voltages (250v) with at least an input transformer (or on both ends). Best bang for the buck are the Brick and Bellari's pre rack units.

Tubes with the right transformers = warmt.
 
any recommendations on the best priced solid state preamp?
 
Given your previous pricerange ($50-$100), I would still go for the Studio Projects VTB-1. Tons of gain. Nice and clean without the tube blend engaged. If you could get a used M-Audio DMP3, or a used Rane MS-1b for a similar price, those would also be good options.
 
I like my dmp3 and i'm not using my vtb-1 anymore, i might ebay it, not sure what they go for yet, but let me know if you're interested.
 
I have an Art MP StudioV3, and I read that you could swap the tube for a JJ ECC803s, the swap the op-am and the capacitors, and you will get a nice respected little amp. That's what I will do eventually, step by step.

The V3 option is cool.

It' built pretty rugged.

I don't have much experience here, but sometimes, I feel like people bashes the cheap amps because they didn't bother to swap the cheap tubes. Just my 2 cents.
 
I'd suggest looking at the M-Audio DMP3 as well if you want to get outside the "toob" stuff.

http://www.mojopie.com/dmp3.html

I'm a believer in expensive mic preamps. However, I've used a lot of low end gear in looking at gear to review for my website. I tend to be a lot harder on the low end gear as the guys buying that gear tend to be in a situation where every dollar matters a lot. You will get your money's worth out of the DMP3 or the VTB1. I'd probably pick the DMP3 myself as I find two channel mic pres get a lot more use around here.
 
dmbfan1981 said:
any recommendations on the best priced solid state preamp?
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I'd look for the older line of Symetrix units like the SX 202, which you can pick-up on eBay for a reasonable price.

But if you can swing it, the Grace 101 would be my first choice, especially when it comes time to stack and mix tracks.

Regards.
 
Adobian said:
I have an Art MP StudioV3, and I read that you could swap the tube for a JJ ECC803s, the swap the op-am and the capacitors, and you will get a nice respected little amp. That's what I will do eventually, step by step.

The V3 option is cool.

It' built pretty rugged.

I don't have much experience here, but sometimes, I feel like people bashes the cheap amps because they didn't bother to swap the cheap tubes. Just my 2 cents.
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It won't make a difference what tube you replace, since the box in question uses starved plate voltage and zero transformers. It's like running a 6 cyl on 2 cylinders and being pleased with the horsepower ;)

It's not about bashing cheap boxes, but I've never heard any tube sound from Art or any other maker of the starved plate and transformerless design.
 
CCS said:
It won't make a difference what tube you replace, since the box in question uses starved plate voltage and zero transformers. It's like running a 6 cyl on 2 cylinders and being pleased with the horsepower ;)

It's not about bashing cheap boxes, but I've never heard any tube sound from Art or any other maker of the starved plate and transformerless design.
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I've read about how it really make a difference swapping tube in Art preamp, in many cases. I guess people's opinions differ.
 
It does make a difference, but swapping the tube won't make it a real tube preamp.
 
Toob does not equal crap!

In general, I do care about design and its relation to performance. But the bottom line here is the sound and value for those on a budget with a capital B. The art tube mp, and other tube cheapies could be crazy-glued together internally with smuggled parts from Ex-Russian cosmonauts from the defuncted sputnik-junkie space mission for all I care! Starved plate, full voltage, whatever! Likewise, i dont care how the manufacturer advertises the thing either (i.e. come get yer tubes, tube a plenty over here). What matters is the sound, and for 50 bucks a channel, I think the art box is hard to beat. There is a general consensus to stay away from “toob” units, but rarely present is the accompanying tracks that definitively show how the ‘toob” is detrimental to the audio (i.e. muddy, stacks in a mix badly etc. etc), as compared to your dmp3’s, vtb1’s or what have you.

Every weekend, I try to improvise and record a tune. So tonight, I improvised and put down about 30 tracks, all recorded with the ART MP. Tomorrow morning I’ll mix, and post it up for critique. My guess is that none of the major criticism for this improv can be directed by my exclusive use of the ART tube mp on all the tracks!

It will in the minimum be a good example of the “sound” you get from lots of toob, for better or worse…
 
Everything you said was true. However, getting into the 'which tube will make my $50 preamp sound better' discussion is just silly. First of all, one of the 'magical' NOS 12ax7's will run you more $ than was spent on the mic pre. Hell, just buying and trying all the different manufacturers current versions would cost more than the pre.

Changing the tube will make a difference, but you could find a difference between 3 of the same tube, much less different makes.

I wasn't saying that the art was an unusable pile of crap, I was pointing out that the tube=warm premise didn't apply. (because it really never does) Also I was trying to point out that in general, $ for $, solid state preamps will give you more quality for the money simply because of the circuit requirements.
 
on my Art V3 Studio, the different setting really shows warmth vs flat.
 
32 track of ART!

Ok, here’s the track as promised. 32 tracks of ART tube MP! Geez leweeze…I really don’t love the thing that much….would have liked to mix and match the pre’s to what I was doing..but…

http://www.nowhereradio.com/melody/singles

Details:
This is the ‘vocal up’ mix. 3 or 4 DI sources through the ART, and the rest are microphones preamped a la ART MP. Recorded with a 16 bit Fostex machine, and mixed with an M-audio Dio 2448. Totally ghetto, nes pas? High pass eq, and some compression. Put down drums, then bass, then keys, then vocals, then guitar. Just improvised beats/melodies/vocals.

Results:
There are 3 main factors that prevent this mix from sounding better. I can easily hear the effects of those factors (maybe easier for me to hear, since I have the inside scoop on the tracking). The 32 tracks of ART however…this track should sound a lot crappier given the amount of mud/grunge and loss of high end that this preamp is rumored to impart on mixes. Also according to rumour, those vocals should have no high end, and while this indeed no stellar recording, it should have taken me twice as long to mix them, because the ART does not ‘stack’ right. Anyways, you be the judge.

Disclaimer:
Warning, I am an absolute hack at everything except guitar – which this track is devoid of.
 
Farview said:
Everything you said was true. However, getting into the 'which tube will make my $50 preamp sound better' discussion is just silly. First of all, one of the 'magical' NOS 12ax7's will run you more $ than was spent on the mic pre. Hell, just buying and trying all the different manufacturers current versions would cost more than the pre.

Changing the tube will make a difference, but you could find a difference between 3 of the same tube, much less different makes.

I wasn't saying that the art was an unusable pile of crap, I was pointing out that the tube=warm premise didn't apply. (because it really never does) Also I was trying to point out that in general, $ for $, solid state preamps will give you more quality for the money simply because of the circuit requirements.
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Yup, all good points Fariview. Similarly, I dont see how changing the tube would have made that much of a difference in the track i posted. Other stuff, independent from the ART would have made a significant difference i would think...
 
ha

we should form a band man lol

art preamp crap or not, i really like the song
 
one more thing on this whole starved plate thing...

for the price that 2 art MP's go for, you can get one of the electro harmonix mic tube pres. i think everyone should be aware of that.
 
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