wesley tanner
New member
what's the best mic pre for right around $500 for use with an AKG 414 for vocals and some acoustic guitar... I have no other pre's except for in my small behringer mixer.
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randyfromde
New member
I'm definitely in the minority, but I use an Aphex 207 preamp for recording singer/songwriter acoustic guitar and vocals. I've rarely heard any discussion about it, good or bad. But it was a huge step up from the Behringer mixer I was using.
It's like $350 for two channels, been giving me very pleasing sounds using lower budget mics (Oktava MK-012, MXL V67, Shure PG57)
It's like $350 for two channels, been giving me very pleasing sounds using lower budget mics (Oktava MK-012, MXL V67, Shure PG57)
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StevenLindsey
New member
rnp That'll do you just right.
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Richard Monroe
Well-known member
My choice- FMR Audio RNP or Grace Design 101. Can't go wrong with either one. The 414 only works well on a minority of vocalists, but it is a bitch'n guitar mic.-Richie
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Bobalou
New member
I have a great river ME-1NV $1000.00 an RNP $450.00, Dmp-3, $149.00, Rane MS-1b $135.00, and a few others.
I think the RNP would work better for you if vocals were your priority and then accoustic guitars. I have some wanna be tube pre's (ART Pro MPA, dbx 376) that are in the same class as the aphex 207 and would reccomend not going that route. (they dont get used for much)
the 2 channel RNp is slightly scooped across the mids and has a nice top end with plenty of lows. other than my Great River, the RNp is a great do it all pre. sounds nice on vocals, bass, accoustics. in your price range. I would pick it over the rane and dmp3 for vocals.
the grace 101 is a single channel pre $500ish and is very clean (transparent) a bit more cleaner than the RNP (though its lack of character would be a set back for vocals unless you had a nice tube mic)
also a real sleeper you dont hear any bad reviews on is the summit 2BA-221. this runs at around $500ish, (look on ebay also) its a single channel pre with either a tube drive or a clean drive (2 in 1 so too speak) it would be great in clean mode for accoustics and have plenty of character in tube mode for vocals (especially when using a 414 that by nature is a cleaner mic...
http://www.summitaudio.com/p-2BA-221.html
I think the RNP would work better for you if vocals were your priority and then accoustic guitars. I have some wanna be tube pre's (ART Pro MPA, dbx 376) that are in the same class as the aphex 207 and would reccomend not going that route. (they dont get used for much)
the 2 channel RNp is slightly scooped across the mids and has a nice top end with plenty of lows. other than my Great River, the RNp is a great do it all pre. sounds nice on vocals, bass, accoustics. in your price range. I would pick it over the rane and dmp3 for vocals.
the grace 101 is a single channel pre $500ish and is very clean (transparent) a bit more cleaner than the RNP (though its lack of character would be a set back for vocals unless you had a nice tube mic)
also a real sleeper you dont hear any bad reviews on is the summit 2BA-221. this runs at around $500ish, (look on ebay also) its a single channel pre with either a tube drive or a clean drive (2 in 1 so too speak) it would be great in clean mode for accoustics and have plenty of character in tube mode for vocals (especially when using a 414 that by nature is a cleaner mic...
http://www.summitaudio.com/p-2BA-221.html
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chessparov
New member
My expectation is that in the long run, the Grace/Rane will be overtaken by the
Safe Sound P1 and the new Joe Meeks in terms of value in the "clean"
type mic pre catagory under $500-600.
Groove Tubes is coming out with "the Brick" pretty soon as a full voltage tube mic pre for around $500. This and a Joe Meek unit (due to the opto-compressor
section) would be alternatives to the RNP for "character" IMHO.
Wes, the truth is there's no generic "best".
Try out some of theses suggestions, and keep what you like the best.
Chris
Safe Sound P1 and the new Joe Meeks in terms of value in the "clean"
type mic pre catagory under $500-600.
Groove Tubes is coming out with "the Brick" pretty soon as a full voltage tube mic pre for around $500. This and a Joe Meek unit (due to the opto-compressor
section) would be alternatives to the RNP for "character" IMHO.
Wes, the truth is there's no generic "best".
Try out some of theses suggestions, and keep what you like the best.
Chris
wesley tanner
New member
yeah, I know there is no best, only situational... What I'm working on is piecing together a project studio (isn't everyone?) that I'm not going to have to upgrade too shortly. A better vocal mic will come soon, but I can't afford a neumann for another 2 months or so... (hence the piecing together) I have a decent understanding of mics, but have just begun my research on mic pre's... thanks for you help guys, it should give me a good starting point.
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Bobalou
New member
chessparov said:
Chris,
I think the brick is already out, but when is the Joe meek model due out? (what is it going to be called?)
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chessparov
New member
How good does your room sound Wes?
As you may know, this is a bigger factor than which pre selected-especially for condensers.
You may also want to consider something like an EV RE20 as an alternative to a Neumann. It works well on a wide variety of vocalists, and is forgiving of those singers or VO talent without strong mic technique.
The Meek website says the 3Q is shipping now.
So it's probably just a matter of finding which dealer is already on board
with inventory.
Chris
As you may know, this is a bigger factor than which pre selected-especially for condensers.
You may also want to consider something like an EV RE20 as an alternative to a Neumann. It works well on a wide variety of vocalists, and is forgiving of those singers or VO talent without strong mic technique.
The Meek website says the 3Q is shipping now.
So it's probably just a matter of finding which dealer is already on board
with inventory.
Chris
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Big Kenny
New member
Your Musicians friend is "now shipping" Keep your receipt in case they drop the price later
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chessrock
Banned
You might have to spend a little more, but I think the Safesound Audio P1 would be by far the best value in that price range. The mic pre is very good, and the compressor and limiter are simply amazing.
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ozraves
New member
alanhyatt
PMI Audio Group
chessparov said:
This is true, dealers have them now. They work much different than the old ones, so anyone who gets one, call me and I will walk you through it until we get the tips on use on the website..
twinQ is now done so maybe six weeks until we get them in. The oneQ and the sixQ is done and debugged, so prototype is next. More like August for them.
I think old C7 is gonna jones after the new sixQ
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chessparov
New member
Alan (and anyone else), how much of a difference in transient sensitivity have you noticed between the 3Q and the higher end Meeks due to wall wart
vs. internal power? I assume it's pretty minor-especially at the project studio level on down, compared to Ocean Way.
I realize that the Grace 101, RNP, etc. all have wall warts.
Just curious, as per usual.
Wesley, let us know how it goes for you BTW.
Chris
vs. internal power? I assume it's pretty minor-especially at the project studio level on down, compared to Ocean Way.
I realize that the Grace 101, RNP, etc. all have wall warts.
Just curious, as per usual.
Wesley, let us know how it goes for you BTW.
Chris
wesley tanner
New member
things are going good for my lil' project studio, thanks for all the help...
the main room is actually pretty decent, not huge, but it's uneven enough that it helps... it looks like a horror room without any hangings, but there are no parrallel walls, not even the floor, which makes for strange placements, but a decent sound... there are even depressions in the walls up to a foot and a half deep, so with some heavy curtains seem to act as traps... pretty balanced sound so far, I'm sure it'll improve with a pre. Ha... I guess the biggest thing is that I'm learning.
still haven't found a pre, but should within a few days... settled on a set up studio projects C4's for my overheads/vox/acoustic work when want faster transient stuff on it... gotta try some combinations... anyone ever try a spaced trio? over the shoulder, bridge and neck? I don't have the mics for it yet, but I'm just curious....
of the pre choices, I'm liking the grace 101 and the rnp, I'm wanting something simple to start with, just the most solid preamp I can get--clean is good, I love my main vocalist, and the projects I'm doing for other people if they want some color, they'll have live with antares tube plugin. ha.
the main room is actually pretty decent, not huge, but it's uneven enough that it helps... it looks like a horror room without any hangings, but there are no parrallel walls, not even the floor, which makes for strange placements, but a decent sound... there are even depressions in the walls up to a foot and a half deep, so with some heavy curtains seem to act as traps... pretty balanced sound so far, I'm sure it'll improve with a pre. Ha... I guess the biggest thing is that I'm learning.
still haven't found a pre, but should within a few days... settled on a set up studio projects C4's for my overheads/vox/acoustic work when want faster transient stuff on it... gotta try some combinations... anyone ever try a spaced trio? over the shoulder, bridge and neck? I don't have the mics for it yet, but I'm just curious....
of the pre choices, I'm liking the grace 101 and the rnp, I'm wanting something simple to start with, just the most solid preamp I can get--clean is good, I love my main vocalist, and the projects I'm doing for other people if they want some color, they'll have live with antares tube plugin. ha.
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NL5
Unpossible!
chessparov said:
Hey Chess,
Do you know when these are coming out? It sounds like a excellent deal, if it's even a halfway decent true tube pre.
Thanks,
NL5
BTW - I also recommend the RNP. I didn't think a pre could make THAT much difference (and it's a relativley inexpensive one). Brought the NTK to life.
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krimson
New member
NL5 said:
What pre were you using before you got the RNP with the NTK?
alanhyatt
PMI Audio Group
chessparov said:Alan (and anyone else), how much of a difference in transient sensitivity have you noticed between the 3Q and the higher end Meeks due to wall wart
vs. internal power? I assume it's pretty minor-especially at the project studio level on down, compared to Ocean Way.
I realize that the Grace 101, RNP, etc. all have wall warts.
Just curious, as per usual.
Wesley, let us know how it goes for you BTW.
Chris
Chris,
Very little. Even on the big units the same voltage to the motherboard is required which is 12VAC. There is more current pull with the larger internal transformers on the new Meek as they have good size toroidial supplies now instead of the cheapo plate ones.
Either way, there is not much difference.
NL5
Unpossible!
krimson said:
I was just using the "el crappo" pre's in my Tascam board. So, they were not too hard to top. It still was suprising that it could make as much difference as it did.
NL5
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mrface2112
Well-known member
<< anyone ever try a spaced trio? over the shoulder, bridge and neck? I don't have the mics for it yet, but I'm just curious....>>
sure have! the neck/over the shoulder placement is one of my favorites and generally gives me great results (a huge sounding acoustic)......but if i need it even bigger, i'll throw a mic about 3-4ft out front--usually, though, in this case the mic in front tends to be the "main" mic with the other two as "seasoning".
acoustic tracks this "huge" sometimes have issues being "believable"....they're just too big sounding. careful with phase issues in this kind of placement.
wade
sure have! the neck/over the shoulder placement is one of my favorites and generally gives me great results (a huge sounding acoustic)......but if i need it even bigger, i'll throw a mic about 3-4ft out front--usually, though, in this case the mic in front tends to be the "main" mic with the other two as "seasoning".
acoustic tracks this "huge" sometimes have issues being "believable"....they're just too big sounding. careful with phase issues in this kind of placement.
wade