Tube Pres

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Deng

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I've been looking into Tube Pres for my Motu for recording, any ideas on what I should get? Nothing too expensive working with a pretty tight budget. ;)

-Deng
 
Could you be more specific about the budget? Is there a reason you want a tube preamp rather than a solid state pre? Generally, in the budget category, solid state pres are cleaner and you'd probably be better off getting different mics for more 'color' and 'warmth.'

Be aware that the inexpensive pres with tubes in them do not run the tube at full voltage and generally sound crummy when pushed hard. The only one of these "starved plate" tube pres that I would recommend is the Studio Projects VTB-1 ($100), which allows you to turn the tube completely off for a cleaner signal.

For real tube pres, you might want to check out the Groove Tubes Brick ($400) on the budget end. The new Electro-Harmonix tube pre ($190) has been getting some decent press and might be worth a look, too.
 
the brick is just about the bottom of the line of decent tube pres, anything cheaper honestly won't do much for you as far as adding tube warmth is concerned. If the brick isn't in your price range and you need a pre try the maudio dmp3, it is not a tube pre nor does it color the sound but from what i've read all over this and many other forums it way outperforms the price.
 
At first, I was convinced that I NEEDED a tube pre to warm up my signal chain, and went through the usual suspects of entry level, starved plate tube preamps thinking I'd find something that sounded warm, fat, etc, etc, etc.
If you want warmth, go for something old that is transistor based. An old Altec may be the same price as a brand new starved plate tube preamp, and will probably come closer to that elusive "warmth" we all talk about.
 
Thanks guys, my solution is probably solid state seeing that I can't at all afford tubes right now that are even half worth it. I posted this just to get a better understanding of pre-amps before I go out and buy anything.

-Deng
 
I just read somewhere that behringer actually had leds behind the tubes to get the glowwwww. Pretty sure other brands use that trick to.

Funny thing is how your ears work related to your brain. I've had numerous situation in my studio were i made a certain signal chain to let people hear something. Let's say in your case a tube preamp compared to a normal preamp. You hear two totally different combinations and really can compare. With just your ears and the information i'm giving you, you wil be tended to trust your decision and prefer the 'known better choice'. Only to discover later that it was actually the other way around.

The only proper way would be for me not to tell you which is which, and let you compare for yourself. Must people from that point on go just something like..uuuh..uhh....oohh...aah..... :)

So instead of thinking I need a preamp, start thinking..ok, my present equipment doesn't give it to me, what would. Take a day of, have a budget and go to a decent store and try. You'll encounter numerous sounds you've never thought of before. Better yet, record it and decide later at home.
 
ANything that uses transformers in the path especially Jensen and Lundahl transformers will have a nice sound. The Aerco pres sound good as well...the shure fp-24, sound devices mixpre...
 
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