ScienceOne said:
Ok, but there isn't one huge thing? Like Class A operation, is that the big divider between a cheap pre and a quality pre?
Well, the real "divider," . . .
if there even is such a thing . . .
isn't necessarily in any one component or the build or whatever, but in the end result. Both are made to produce certain types of distortions, or harmonics. The biggest difference is in the
types of harmonics each will tend to induce:
In other words, the cheap stuff will tend to produce the wrong kind of distortions . . . forgive me my ignorance on the matter, but I believe they are called "odd order" harmonics, while the good stuff generally tends to produce more of the even order kind.
I'm not going to get in to the specifics of how it all works, because it would likely take up a few chapter's worth of textbook info that I have neither the time nor the desire to research and type in a single thread . . .
. . . but just understand that there is a difference, and it has a cumulative effect over several tracks. The good kind will mix better, and generally work and play better with other tracks, while the bad kind will just kind of cloud matters up.
Now for the next biggest difference:
Consider audio toy A and audio toy B. Let's assume both use the same opamp and the same tube. Model A is mass-produced in such a manner that X amount of units have to pumped out in X amount of time at X cost in order to ship to Guitar Center on X date to sell at a very low cost for a small profit margin to schlups like us.
Obviously, to mass-produce this stuff, costs have to be watched as closely as possible -- therefore, the need to produce as many units as possible in a short timeframe take top priority, while quality control takes a back seat.
When it comes time to insert the opamp and tube in to audio toy A, the assembler grabs a tube and an opamp out of a bin, sticks them in there, and moves it along.
Audio toy B, on the other hand, is made with a different idea in mind. It has a much higher price point, and quality of the unit becomes the top priority, as opposed to kicking out as many units as possible. Their strategy is not to sell
en masse.
Now when it comes to inserting the same model of opamp and tube in audio toy B, the assembler will first go through a very large batch of opamps and tubes, and run them through some tests. After testing is complete, toy B assembler throws out half of the opamps and 2/3 of the tubes, and only works with the ones that pass his/her rigorous standards.
Perhaps toy company A even has a deal to buy company B's rejects.
Given the two different manufacturing techniques, one would have to conclude that company B clearly uses the superior components, even though, technically, they're the same part number.
Case Study II: The Oktava MC012 :
One of the best deals in audio is the Oktava mc012 small diaphragm microphone. By taking a good, solid, design, and utilizing relatively god components, this Russion microphone manufacturer is somehow able to keep costs down. They achieve this by utilizing economies of scale : mass producing the units in such a manner as to keep the per-unit cost down . . . then shipping to the major audio outlets of the world -- the Guitar Centers, Sam Ash (I think), etc. etc. Moving them out a rapid pace by aggressive discounts and promotional pricing.
Another way they are able to keep costs so low is by skinping on quality control. In other words, stuff goes straight from the assembly line to the truck and to the Guitar Center with very minimal attempts to actually test the mics out to see if they even work or sound good. Subsequently, guys like you and I walk in to GC, and roll the dice on whether we get a good one or a crappy one. Cuz' the Guitar Center guys certainly ain't going to do it.
They're too busy putzin' around pretending they're smart.
Now some guys have even found a way to make a living as sort of an outsourced Quality Control Center for Oktava. His name is Taylor Johnson, and he is the proprietor of the Sound Room. That is his job. He sells the same product, only he sorts out the good ones from the bad, marks them up, and sells you only the good ones.
On one last final note, it's interesting that you bring up Avalon, because they fall in to a rather unusual category -- they're kind of a tweener, in that they do sell their product at the major retailer, so they are close to being a mass producer . . . yet they still enjoy sort of "boutique" status at the same time. BLUE microphones are sort of the same way, and now Grace Design mic pres are starting to enter the same "tweener" category.
). No matter if you're looking for a pre with lots of color or a straight wire with gain, ya have to get the tube thing out of your head and just use your ears
