What mic preamp @ $500, would you say has the best all around qualities?

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frank_1

frank_1

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If you have $500 laying around and suddenly decided to take a trip at Sam Ash or what ever other store you get your stuff from, what mic preamp would you pick up. PreSonus MP20? Art Pro MPA? dbx 376? Any others?

I don't need a channel strip, I'd rather buy an RNC, and some other EQ. I am wondering about the PREAmps!
 
Truthfully?

If it were ME? I'd buy a DaviSound TB-6 for just a little more... And that's for 4 pres! OK, you have to wait for it to be made, but I'd most definitely say you're not gonna find the quality of the TB-6 in any of those pres listed.

Best bet are Mackie VLZ PROs, but if you already have that and aren't satisfied with those for clean, natural, transparent pres, the TB-6 would be the way to go!

Of course, if you are satisfied with the Mackie VLZ PROs and are you're looking for color, I'd hold-out for a DaviSound TB-1.

BUT, ALL that's just ME and MY opinion! You asked!
 
Wow, you say the VLZ Pro preamps are better then, let's say the PreSonus MP20. I can't agree or disagree because I have not heard any of the two, but I would think that the PreSonus or any other mic preamp in the $500 range would sound better then the Mackies just because of the price. Remember I never heard these preamps but for a $500 Mackie 10 channel mixer you get like, what 4 or 6 preamps. With the stand along preamps you get only 2.

I never heard of the DaviSound TB-1. Where can I get them?
 
Well...

In my opinion, he's the deal:

The Presonus MAY be a micro better than the Mackie, but when you consider the cost of a Presonus to a small Mackie mixer, it's not NEARLY worth it... In fact, I doubt I could tell the difference MOST of the time!

The Mackie compared the dbx 376? Yeah, I'll say the 376 MAY be a little better pre and I could PROBABLY tell the difference MOST of the time, BUT, I think that's really a "difference" thing rather than a "better" thing!

Mackie vs. MPA PRO? Definitely won't get a clean sound out of the MPA PRO. I think a Mackie is VERY clean compared to that. I consider the ART pres more of an FX pre... DEFINITELY NOT a pre I'd want as an "all-around" pre!

The DaviSound website is: www.davisound.com

I own the TB-1, TB-3, and the TB-8 and have a matched-pair of DS-1950s on the way along with a custom console with pres in the TB-6 and TB-3, and the TB-4 for the EQ sections.
 
Grace Design. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. If its your only good pre, and $500 or so is the best you'll ever do, then get the Grace Design.
 
Where did you find the Grace 101 for $500 ??

?? That's interesting !

Thanks,
Rick
 
101 is $569 at wind over the earth, Grace's #1 dealer.
 
Thanks Wallycleaver.
I am in the process of deciding between 2 x Grace 101 or a Earthworks LAB102. Both are about $550/Channel. The LAB102 has the edge right now, just because I am mating with E-Wks mikes. But I could consider other options.

Rick
 
The Grace 101 was 525.00 at magic audio in Orlando Fl.
dont know what there website is I will try and find out though


Don
 
RE, now you've got me going. I have been eyeing the Grace for a clean pre for vocals and acoustic instruments. But if you swear by the Davisound, I'm very interested. A lot of us are looking for that ONE pre in the $500 - $700 range--and this has four?!!. I use software effects and EQ, so I don't need a channel strip--just the best pres I can afford.
 
tdukex

I've got you going? Well, THAT'S a GOOD thing then!

Hell yeah I swear by it! You WON'T be disappointed by Davisound in general OR in the TB-6 as "a clean pre for vocals and acoustic instruments"! I'd say it'd definitely hold its own next to ANY "transparent" pre! Unfortunetly, I don't have the Grace Design or Great River to compare it to... BUT, I REALLY WISH someone would give me a chance to! Best I've been able to do so far is offer my TB-1 and TB-3 for the next 3D Audio Pre CD; it's up to Lynn to accept them.

I was going to go down to Torrance, CA to do a "pre comparison" in a studio with Alan Hyatt, but he and I both decided for him not be at all involved with comparision that has any of his products at all involved.

So, if ANY wants to somehow get together and do a COMPARISON
 
RE, what pre's HAVE you tried them against? Any really good ones? I'd be willing to check em out if you thought they were really better or as good as "good stuff". Better than a mackie just doesnt get it, though... ya know? :)
 
Against?

NOTHING!!! That is NO "next to each other in the same room" comparisons! I can ONLY compare to what I remember when using other pres currently and in the past! And I DO think they're "as good as "good stuff""! THAT is the ONLY thing I can say...

So, it's NOTHING. THAT is why I've been asking people to do a comaparison with me... Bring your Grace Designs. Bring your Great Rivers. Hell, bring you Millennia Media! I'll host it or I'll drive if it's reasonably close... I was even about to ride over 6 hours for it! And I DO think they're "as good as "good stuff""!

"Better than a mackie just doesnt get it, though... ya know?" Well yeah I know... Sorry that people only walk through my door with their ART and SM57 in their hands instead of their Great River and U87!

You know... It makes me laugh... People won't think twice or even once in buying a dbx, ART, Meek, Presonus, or even a Bellari; and if it's tube, forget! Funny thing is, most of those really aren't any "better" than Mackie VLZ PROs, they're simply "different"! And THAT is where I feel DaviSound comes in... They DO take it to the next level... I'm sure as hell certain at least to the Grace Design, Great River, and Earthworks level... Millenia is probably consider a "higher-step" so I won't comment there, but I sure as hell would like to find-out!

You know, the truth is that you're taking a risk when you buy a Meek or dbx or any of the others; just as with DaviSound. Yeah, I suppose you could return a dbx if you didn't like it, BUT, you better find quite a lengthy return policy for it to REALLY get a taste! With DaviSound, you have to wait for it to be built... THEN you might not even like it when it arrives and a few months later after use... Under usual custom circumstances, you couldn't return it, but I'd be willing to bet that DaviSound feels confident enough to say they'll take it back under some bizzare circumstance that you don't like it! By the way, the warranty on these things are lifetime!...

Remember, ALL of this is simply MY opinion, so please just take it as that.

Weston Ray aka Recording Engineer
 
Hi RE,
I have checked out the Davissound site also. You may and probably are right that they are great preamps. Here are the things that stand out in my mind though when looking at the website:
1. Having to wait for everything to be built is a real negative for most buyers. It seems as though they could have at least one of each model in stock.
2. In spite of the fact that they claim superlative performance, there just isn't really much corroborative data available. Take a look at some of the other high-end mike-pre data pages for comparison.
3. Wooden boxes just really doesn't seem like a very good idea. A wood-grain front panel would be ok, but most electronic boxes rely on the conductive grounded enclosure for noise suppression. How does DS compensate ? Maybe they have it all worked out, I am just pointing out that they make no mention of noise shielding at the site.
4. The site is so disorganizered and sprawling with loosely connected information that maybe the answers to my concerns are there, and I just never found them.

These are just my reactions. Maybe some feedback to DS would help them.

Thanks,
Rick
 
You Know...

1. The Axis, you're sure right that waiting is a big negative for a lot of people... But that's the way it is with ANY custom shop; which iS what DaviSound is... They simply have some bases to start at if you'd like. You could have them mod one of their models for your more specific use or you could start from the ground-up if you wanted; or simply give them the idea, and the'll design it!

Heck, I NEVER thought it was going to take nearly over a year for Stephen Paul Audio to mod my 797 CR998, but I've not one single complaint about it; that's the price you pay for custom work! As I've metioned, I'm having a console built by DaviSound and it's going to take roughly a year! That's the price I have to pay. I suppose it separates the people who are really interested in high quality or just gtting something out there. They both have their right times; whether it be money or just getting something out there for exposure or simply for fun!

Yeah, they COULD have at least one of eachmodel, but I can tell you they get enough business that their gear isn't going to sit there as long as it takes them to build another one!

2. Ahhh, that's where daviSound stands alone... They DO have some specs. up after some feedback comments, but, I encourage you to contact them if you want more. Thing is, they give you enough such as Combined Noise and Distortion, Typical Maximum Signal Levels, Normal Input and Output Impedances, and the types of capacitors and resistors used as much as anyone else. Most of the time, much more specs. and you'll be judging it's quailty from them...

Most people agree that specs. can be made into whatever the manufacturer wants them to be. Heck, even Stephen Paul the mad scientist agrees specs. don't tell you shit! It's ALL what you ears tell you... Yeah, the noise floor may be WAY too damn high even for consumer use... BUT, is most the noise where the ear is most sensitive or in the range the ear can hear? Only way to find-out is listen!

3. "Also, please note that where necessary for shielding purposes, wooden panels and cabinet coverings interiors are copper ground-plane shielded ...and inter-connected with copper braid ground strap." Let me tell you... NO grounding problems with my ALL wood TB-1!

4. Of course I agree with you there... It's improved with some of my suggestions, but it's still very scattered. Most of the stuff you want to know is SOMEWHERE in there though... The thing with their website is tht it's laid-out to be read from beginning to end! It's not really made to be browsed. On one hand, that's proably not a good thing for the new comers who had their ears perked, but not enough to read ALL that as with the net now days, it's have all the info in a list that I can print out and I'm on to the next...

And yeah, feedback to DaviSound would be a good thing! In fact, a Feedback/Questions Page IS in the works so if you anyone has asked the same question you're interested in, you can read the answer there. If your question has not already been asked not, you could ask and have the answer posted there for all to see.

BUT, I'm glad you've at least looked! That's all I've really suggested (though my opinion is the reason why) and hoped people here would do!
 
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