N
Newbie dude
New member
I'm thinking of purchasing a Tube preamp to warm up my sound. How much would I have to spend on one until it was as good as or better quality than one of the preamps in my firebox?
scrubs
Not of sound mind
What is your max budget and how many channels do you need?
The Groove Tubes "The Brick" preamp is an excellent, inexpensive, full-voltage tube pre and DI. It goes for about $400 new, but can sometimes be found on e-bay for $275-300. I've heard some good things about the ElectroHarmonix tube pre, but I haven't used it personally. It runs about $200 new. All the other inexpensive "tube" preamps use a "starved plate" voltage design, which can add some distortion/grit/warmth, but they are not true tube circuits.
OTOH, you may not need a tube in the signal. There are a lot of good solid state pres that would probably be a noticeable improvement from your firebox.
The Groove Tubes "The Brick" preamp is an excellent, inexpensive, full-voltage tube pre and DI. It goes for about $400 new, but can sometimes be found on e-bay for $275-300. I've heard some good things about the ElectroHarmonix tube pre, but I haven't used it personally. It runs about $200 new. All the other inexpensive "tube" preamps use a "starved plate" voltage design, which can add some distortion/grit/warmth, but they are not true tube circuits.
OTOH, you may not need a tube in the signal. There are a lot of good solid state pres that would probably be a noticeable improvement from your firebox.
S
soundchaser59
Reluctant Commander
That's interesting.....
I hear a ton of great feedback on the Groove Tubes stuff, and on high voltage stuff in general.
My local music gear dealer recommended their Presonus preamps to me today, but I wasn't biting. I know it's just because that's what they sell......they have a nasty habit of selling the best profit margin, not necessarily the best gear!
But they also mentioned Electro Harmonix preamps.......any thoughts on that brand? Should I look into an EH Preamp? Or just buy their 12AX7 tubes and walk away??
I hear a ton of great feedback on the Groove Tubes stuff, and on high voltage stuff in general.
My local music gear dealer recommended their Presonus preamps to me today, but I wasn't biting. I know it's just because that's what they sell......they have a nasty habit of selling the best profit margin, not necessarily the best gear!
But they also mentioned Electro Harmonix preamps.......any thoughts on that brand? Should I look into an EH Preamp? Or just buy their 12AX7 tubes and walk away??
P
PATRIOT2006
New member
Not sure why all the negativity about Presonus. A friend of mine has a single channel tube mic/preamp, the Eureka I believe, and is very happy with it. I was considering the mp20 for my home studio. Any specific reasons why I shouldn't get it?
N
Newbie dude
New member
Thanks, but no one's really answered my main question yet. Say, If I spent 150 dollars on a tube pre amp, would the pre be as good or better quality than one of the pres in my firebox? I wanna get a tube amp to use and plug in the line in on my firebox, but I don't wanna get a tube amp to use thats worse quality than the one in my firebox.
scrubs
Not of sound mind
Newbie dude said:
I did answer your question. The tube pres under $150 are not true tube pres at all. While I suspect the VTB-1 would sound better than your firebox (I have no experience with the firebox), it is still a solid-state pre with a "toob" gain running at low voltage. Of the cheapies, it's still the one I would recommend. None of the other inexpensive toob pres (ART, Presonus, Behringer, etc.) are going to be a major improvement, imo. The next step up would be The Brick.
mshilarious
Banned
PATRIOT2006 said:
The Eureka/MP20 use a different design than the Presonus tube stuff, of course they are not tube amps, but they also feature transformer-balanced input with better quality solid state components. There is no reason to avoid the MP20, it's a solid unit. Especially when you swap the stock opamps for Burr-Browns
.
W
Walter Tore
New member
soundchaser59 said:
I use 5 EH pre amps to record my completely live, 1 man band. I think they work great. You can hear examples at this site. Tape Op forum has been raving about them for awhile. Walter
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=157137
punkin
Univalve & Avatar Speaks
What someone already said...for $150 you're not very likely getting a tube pre amp...you're probably getting a pre with a very mild distortion side chain. The tubes in these things are running low plate voltage and don't work as a true tube mic-pre. You do get a nifty effect when you crank them up but nothing like the "real" thing. I not too proud to say it, I've got a few in my collection. They add a little sumthin' but I rarely use them on vocals. Kinda cool for DI's on keyboards and bass or what ever for an added effect. Think of them that way...mic pre's with a variable "effect" circuit.
W
Walter Tore
New member
punkin said:
what about the EH pre amp? I understand that to be a true tube powered pre amp. Walter
S
soundchaser59
Reluctant Commander
punkin said:
So true..... Which is why scrubs suggested the Groove Tube. You wont get one for $150, but you will get a "real" tube preamp that works the way the old style tube preamps were intended to work..... I'm saving my $$$$ for one!
punkin
Univalve & Avatar Speaks
Walter Tore said:
Could be...I haven't used this unit.
My suggestion...for flavoured sounds, which btw...came from a limited budget past...would be to get a nice tube mic backed by the cleanest mic pre you can afford. Your recordings are going to be more characterized by the recording environment and the mic than you realize.
Myself, I would focus on getting the cleanest, most silent recording possible and then later...re-amp or apply a plug-in for the desired effect. When in doubt, I always for the the RNP or the DMP3 and juggle mics.
A
adclark
New member
I would really like to have "the Brick" myself. But, money has been an object this last year. The Presonus Tubepre does add some good charactor especially when it is really warmed up. It's a great DI for bass. I will always hang on it just for variety. Click here to here Tubepre sample The acoustic guitar and electric bass was thru Tubepre. Everything else was thru Firebox.
pohaku
New member
Your choices are limited for real tube preamps in the low budget category:
Electro Harmonix - is the cheapest. I haven't used it but some others on this board have spoken well of it. You will have to research this one and see what you think.
GT Brick - @$399 - sometimes less on e-bay. Nice single channel pre/DI. Best bargain for a single channel unit. Very nice DI as well. I've used this one as well as the related Ditto DI and they are great.
GT MP-1. Discontinued single channel DT pre/DI. Half rackspace unit. Very hi-fi in sound. These go for between $250 and $400 each on e-bay, but aren't real common. I own a couple of these and they are very clean. Great for acoustic instruments and vocals. They made a matching tube compressor and eq unit as well. If you get one of these, make sure you get the GT power supply as well.
Peavey VMP-2. Discontinued Peavey 2 channel pre/DI. Very nice well built pre. Even better if you swap out the tubes for better one although the stock 12AX7 Sovtek model in the pre is one of the better, quieter Sovtek tubes. These go for @ $600-700 on e-bay. The price has come down some since the Brick came out. A bargain for 2 channels and pretty available. I have one that I retubed and it's great for most things. The related VC/L-2 compressor is nice too.
Sebatron VMP1000e. Single channel well built unit from Australia. @$800 on e-bay (for new units) although a used one sold recently for @$450. The 2 channel version runs about $1200 on e-bay. Haven't used one of these but people speak well of them and they are increasingly available.
Universal Audio M-610. Single channel UA pre. @$1100 new. There's one up on e-bay now at @$700 or so. I've not used one, but many like them.
A-Designs MP1. Really nice USA built single channel pre/DI. New for @$1250. Used for @$800-900. A two channel unit just went on e-bay for $1100 which was a real deal. I have other A-Designs gear and the build quality is absolutely first rate. Peter Montessi who owns/runs A-Designs is a stand up guy.
After this, you are talking real money - Pendulum, Millennia, Manley, etc.
Electro Harmonix - is the cheapest. I haven't used it but some others on this board have spoken well of it. You will have to research this one and see what you think.
GT Brick - @$399 - sometimes less on e-bay. Nice single channel pre/DI. Best bargain for a single channel unit. Very nice DI as well. I've used this one as well as the related Ditto DI and they are great.
GT MP-1. Discontinued single channel DT pre/DI. Half rackspace unit. Very hi-fi in sound. These go for between $250 and $400 each on e-bay, but aren't real common. I own a couple of these and they are very clean. Great for acoustic instruments and vocals. They made a matching tube compressor and eq unit as well. If you get one of these, make sure you get the GT power supply as well.
Peavey VMP-2. Discontinued Peavey 2 channel pre/DI. Very nice well built pre. Even better if you swap out the tubes for better one although the stock 12AX7 Sovtek model in the pre is one of the better, quieter Sovtek tubes. These go for @ $600-700 on e-bay. The price has come down some since the Brick came out. A bargain for 2 channels and pretty available. I have one that I retubed and it's great for most things. The related VC/L-2 compressor is nice too.
Sebatron VMP1000e. Single channel well built unit from Australia. @$800 on e-bay (for new units) although a used one sold recently for @$450. The 2 channel version runs about $1200 on e-bay. Haven't used one of these but people speak well of them and they are increasingly available.
Universal Audio M-610. Single channel UA pre. @$1100 new. There's one up on e-bay now at @$700 or so. I've not used one, but many like them.
A-Designs MP1. Really nice USA built single channel pre/DI. New for @$1250. Used for @$800-900. A two channel unit just went on e-bay for $1100 which was a real deal. I have other A-Designs gear and the build quality is absolutely first rate. Peter Montessi who owns/runs A-Designs is a stand up guy.
After this, you are talking real money - Pendulum, Millennia, Manley, etc.
R
ryanlikestorock
New member
Nobody has mentioned my favourite mid-range tube gear - TL Audio / HHB. I've got 5-6 different TL Audio or HHB (same gear, different name) units and I love them all, especially on drums and bass.
I've only used the EH preamp once. It's really hot, so make sure you have an adapter to use as a pad if you plan on using the pre on any loud source. Still, it sounds amazing. Much different from the TL Audio stuff.
I've only used the EH preamp once. It's really hot, so make sure you have an adapter to use as a pad if you plan on using the pre on any loud source. Still, it sounds amazing. Much different from the TL Audio stuff.