which stereo mic pre or channel strip to buy if you can only have one?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JimmyJoe
  • Start date Start date
If you order from Mercenary, you can try out your purchase in your environment to make sure that it completely floats your boat. If you're not completely satisfied, you can return it. You're only out shipping. I recommend getting a few units from them and finding one that works for what you are doing. I'm pretty sure they can send stuff to Canada.

I have a Great River MP2 (not the Neve'ish model) and I'm very happy with it. Like other posters said, you probably want to upgrade your mics too. My main mics are a Soundelux U97 and an Neumann KM184. I do acoustic guitar/folk stuff. Good luck!
 
chessrock said:


I think that's a great idea.

One of these would be great . . .

http://www.mercenary.com/greatrivelmp.html

And a Peavey VMP2 to go with it for color and d.i. (if you absolutely must have something with tubes).
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i doubt a vmp2 would complement the mp-nv as good as something with a faster slew rate would. the mp-nv is a great preamp on cabs, drums...anything with an aggressive rock nature. Not so killer on vox, acoustic ect.. however, a phoenix audio drs-2 would be a fantastic complement to a mp-nv...but that's way over budget.

Check out the pendulum quartet. you'll have a very versatile channel strip that will sound absolutely marvelous on most things and great on others.

if I had a budget of only $1500, i'd forget about channel strips and concentrate on one outstanding preamp. Use your eq and compressor plugins until you can afford something better.

Your signal chain is only as good as your weakest element.
 
I have no business in this high end conversation but I just wanted to say...

Guitar center boasts this 30 day money back guarantee, no questions asked. I just came back from the bank after cashing the refund check they gave me. I had a pre for 28 days. They do carry Avalon, Groove Tubes etc.
 
meriphew said:
I would go for an API 3124+ if I were you. www.mercenary.com and www.pacificproaudio.com are both good places to deal with.

________________
Post indie electronic
Meriphew
www.meriphew.com
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Great pre for so many things, but if it's your only one, note that it almost never ends up being my first choice for lead vocals (YMMV, of course). Only you can say how important it is to you to have a GREAT vocal pre. But for most people, it's usually one of their top priorities.
 
If I could only have one preamp , it would be the

MANLEY VOXBOX
 
:confused:

Scriabin said:
the mp-nv is a great preamp on cabs, drums...anything with an aggressive rock nature. Not so killer on vox, acoustic ect.. however, a phoenix audio drs-2 would be a fantastic complement to a mp-nv...but that's way over budget.
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I'm confused ... Are you saying the Neve is not good on vocals? I've heard others say it's great on vocals, guitars (including acoustic) and snares, and to leave the drum overheads for "quicker" pres.
 
Generally I find that the neve is not a first choice for vox yet absolutely great on drums, electric guitar and other "aggressive" rock instruments. You'll find that if the Neve sound is constantly layered on instruments in your mix, detail and clarity will start to suffer. The Mp-NV and Peavey would not compliment each other so well as one clean gain pre and a colored pre would. Both are round, tubby sounds, very colored in nature.
Likewise you'd find that the original Great river and the Mp-nv would be a great combo covering all bases neatly, giving one clean pre and one colored...

YMMV
 
stay vintage

STAY VINTAGE!! iN MY OPINION, The good old stuff is always going up in price it seems or at least holding. the new high end stuff is real good but whi knows in5 years its value. I like to get return if I choose to sell. Neve, Telefunkin V72..hey good enough for the Beatles, API, Calrec....etc There are a lot of great pre's. Your budget will let you get a real nice one. Talk to some of the big boy retailers like Vintage King,Marquette Audio, Mercenary Audio, Dan Alexander, Brent Averiell(spelling!!) Some make reproduction like copys of the old stuff which are supossed to be good. Any of the guys who sell high end vintage will help you. You will NOT go wrong with a NEVE!!Hey, just my thoughts
 
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