What would be considered a good Preamp for a reasonable price?

  • Thread starter Thread starter anppilot
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anppilot

anppilot

Never Act Like U Know All
Thanks to all who replied to my thread "What is the purpose of a preamp" With that, is why im writting this one.

Lots of good info from 'yall.

But what is considered "good" for the home studio w/o breaking the piggy-bank?

Thanks,
Mike
 
Hmmm... it kinda depends on the size of the piggy-bank!!

(How long is a piece of string??)

:)

Bruce Valeriani
Blue Bear Sound
 
Good Enough: ART Tube MP (one channel) $100

Presonus Blue Tube (two channels) $160

Great Gear: dbx 386 (two channels, plus EQ) $440

The terms 'good' and 'great' here are pretty valid for most home recordists on this board.
 
While I am plugging Meek on the other board... ;)

May as well chime in here too. http://www.joemeek.com is selling some older models of a few inexpensive pre's from their US supplier. I know they only have one VC6 left at $200, but I think they have some VC3's left for $150. These also have a decent compressor and semi-usable enhancer in them. Go to their page and click on "scratch and dent" on the left frame.
 
If you are after more than one channel (four to be exact) don't overlook the VLZ preamps on the Mackie 1202 mixing board. Four very high-quality preamps for only $330
[think of the rest of the mixer as a freebie]
(price at http://www.performanceaudio.com )

Peace,
Rick
 
Keep in mind, that's just MY opinion about the two pre's - the Mackie and the Meek. I still use the Mackie for some stuff. I think for pop/rock, the Meek is a really good choice. The Mackie might be more transparant.

Honestly, I don't have a lot of experience with any other pre's. I bought the Meek on a whim when it was on clearance, unsure of what kind of improvement/differences I was going to hear. I can honestly say that it was a great investment, as I use it on at least a part of about everything I do though. Add in the compressor, which is useful, and the enhancer (or eq on the newer units) and it's a nice channel.

[Edited by KaBudokan on 09-18-2000 at 16:45]
 
MEEK RULES!!! ;-) I am the green box freak. You will never be sorry buying one, well you might be sorry you didnt buy it sooner!

Shakes,


Have you hugged your JoeMeek today?
 
I am not hard-over about Mackie being the best or anything, I haven't really heard that many. But I did hear the Meek, and, while there was nothing wrong with it, it does give a characteristic coloration, that people report they either love or hate. I think that's why we have the phenomenon of "Meek Fanatics."
My goal always seems to be transparency; and the Mackie is very satisfactory on that regard. In fact, I take the direct outs directly to an AD converter, and then go digital direct to a Roland VS1680, with no EQ whatsoever (I don't even use the "low-cut" because i can hear it reduce the bass response of my guitar (tuned to Eb). The VLZ PREs do have top-notch noise and linearity specs, and it is 4 channels for only $330 ! So, it is just worthy of keeping in mind for those whose goals are similar to mine.
Peace, (note the big GREEN Smiley !)
Rick
 
Good thread. Here's two people with ears, both of which have heard both units, each of which has a different preference. Reading what you two have to say, I think I'd rank the Mackie and the Joemeek at about the same level of quality, only with a different sound.

As for Shakes, well, he's just all excited, isn't he? :)
 
Yeah Dobro, you may be right. The Meek and the Mack :) are both decent pre's. The Meek definitely has a "sound," ESPECIALLY if you use the compressor. I would think it is a matter of preference. The Meek can really warm things up, and it is more forgiving than the Mackie I think.

The two main tunes I've recorded since getting it are both acoustic tunes. I used it on the acoustic and vocals for both tunes, and was VERY happy with the sound. The last vocal track I used the Mackie on, since getting the Meek, was on a tune with a little more "modern" vibe, where the Mackie was a very good choice.

For me, I Was going to pick up a Tube MP at some point, when I came across the VC3. I picked it up. Like Shakes, I am now a convert. (Though not quite the fanatic he is.) ;)

Yes, I have hugged my Meek today. I also ordered a new one. :D
 
doc - if the dbx 386 has no EQ (my mistake) then I'm even more impressed by it for that price.
 
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