what's the best pre-amp for under $150?

  • Thread starter Thread starter wjgypsy
  • Start date Start date

what's the best pre-amp for under $150 bucks?

  • art

    Votes: 2 10.0%

  • "blue tube" by presonus

    Votes: 5 25.0%

  • dbx

    Votes: 1 5.0%

  • other?

    Votes: 12 60.0%
  • Total voters
    20
W

wjgypsy

New member
i want to buy 4 channels worth of pre-amps. i've been look at the "blue tube" made by "presonus" or something like that. i've also looked at art. they have the tps for $179 and i cound maby afford that but i want to know if the blue tube is better at a lower price. i've also looked at dbx. are they any good?


thanks for your help.



zeke
 
If you need four inexpensive preamps-

ART TPS and M-Audio DMP3 would give you some variety for about $380. One has tubes and the other is very clean, solid state.

Mackie 1202vlz mixer has 4 good preamps, $350-400. A mixer can often come in handy in a studio.
 
so the mackie has good pres? does it have a phase in and out switch like the blue tube? which do you think would be the best?

mackie?

blue tube?
 
I have a couple Blue Tubes. I like them. I'm not a master like the others on this board but I'm happy with them for the money and two of them rack mount together for a nice 4-channel set.

They have the nice dule use plugs on the front that you can plug in a XLR Mic cable or even an instrument.

I use them for vocals and bass.

I got one used for $120 and the other one was a demo for $140 (I think).

I bought the demo because it came with the $40 rack I wanted to mount one with a Blue Max Compressor.

Mark
 
The best advice might be to buy one of each from a place that understands you will return the ones you don't like and buy asecond one of the one you do. Use your credit card and do the return before you have to pay for them. Then you get back to us and let us know what you chose and why.
 
are you looking for under $150 per channel?....

in other words, whats the budget for the whole 4 channels?....
 
Zeke, are you sure you need FOUR pre's at once?
One idea could be to get a used Mackie board and two separate
pre's (or a dual mic pre) if you have to use 4 at once.

Chris
 
In answer to an earlier question, mackie has been historically allergic to polarity reversal switches. I've been told the Digital 8-Bus has them, but I've never seen them on other models, unless it's something that has recently changed. I always found the lack of that feature somewhat annoying, but not insurmountable. You can always wire up a polarity reversed patch cable. (Just switch the connections on pins 2 and 3 at one end of the cable).
 
Save up $30 and get yourself an M-Audio DMP-3 (or a VTB-1 for that matter, according to Harvey's review and Ozraves' samples)
 
Didnt Harvey Gerst totally trash the Makie vlz pres in another thread recently, personally I dont think they are near as good as the soundcraft M series.

My blue tube hasnt let me down.
 
No, I didn't trash the Mackie VLZ series preamps or any other Mackie Preamps. I simply said that they weren't as good or flexible as a stand-alone outboard pre. They are pretty quiet and relatively low noise, and if you have nothing else, they can give you a pretty clean output for dirt cheap. But you don't have phantom power switchable for each mic, polarity invert, or the other amenities that stand-alone pres offer.

I'm not down on the Mackie pre - they're quite good for what they are - an absolutely low budget bunch of preamps, that comes with an ok mixer for free.
 
Exactly, and that's why so many pros will recomend the small Mackie to people just getting started. Get a Mackie 1202 and just use the pres in it - it's cheap and effective.
 
Yeah but how does it compare to the cheaper still M series by soundcraft, with the Ghoast pres?

As long as we are at it how about the Hoontech 8 channel pre for 175.00.
 
Or simply buy a coupla' ART MP's and call it a day.
 
Harvey Gerst said:
I'm not down on the Mackie pre - they're quite good for what they are - an absolutely low budget bunch of preamps, that comes with an ok mixer for free.
Click to expand...
Harvey....

What did you think of how the Mackie performed in Lynn's (Fuston) Mic Pre Comparison CD? (It was the 1604XDR pres, if I'm not mistaken...)

I did the listening comparisons "blind" (without looking at the chart to see which pre I was hearing) and at the end of the first test was shocked to find that the clip thru the Mackie was on my list of samples I'd preferred (at least for female vocals)!

Bruce
 
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