yamaha preamps?

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milesmaxwell

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so I know I'm about to be told to spend hundreds (or thousands) on a new board but I guess I just need to hear it.

I'm currently doing one track-at-a-time on my hoontech dsp24 value SC and I poured most of my money into software (Sonar) and mics (Rode NT1 and sm57). The chain goes from one of the mics to my Yamaha ex620 powered mixer and stereo out rca's into the hoontech's analog ins. I've been mixing and eq'ing/compressing in Sonar, then burning to disc using Nero.

the chain looks like this.

Rode NT1 or 57-->
Yamaha powered mixer-->
hoontech dsp24 value-->

What doesn't fit to most people, myself included, is the powered mixer. but I must admit, I've been mostly happy with it. I don't have lots of noise issues and I like that I just had it sitting around from my coffeeshop shows (read:didn't cost me anything more).

Do the yamaha preamps have any particular reputation as the mackie and the behringer's do?

The other main component missing from my chain are decent monitors. You don't even want to know what I'm using now so I'll just keep it to myself. :D

My question has now become a, "what do I buy first?" I'm dreaming of buying:
a mackie 1402,
a set of Tannoy's or Yorkville actives &
a delta 1010.

all around the same price, but what would make sense? and yes, I know my ears are the most important variable so lets just assume I'd like to train my ears on the best possible chain of gear. Thanks for all who consider my q and offer their opinion.

miles maxwell
 
Monitors. I'm using a Boss MX-16 mixer, and it works fine. I haven't missed parametric EQ at all, untill now, after I got my Tannoy Reveal Actives. Before you have good monitors you really don't have an accurate enough idea of the sound you are recording to be able to fully use a good mixer, in my experience.

So go with the monitors first.
 
milesmaxwell said:




Do the yamaha preamps have any particular reputation as the mackie and the behringer's do?

The other main component missing from my chain are decent monitors. You don't even want to know what I'm using now so I'll just keep it to myself. :D

a set of Tannoy's or Yorkville actives &
a delta 1010.
Click to expand...

Greetings MIles :D

To answer the question direclty about the Yamaha preamps is simply yes they do have a reputation. From my own experience as well as some professionals, the Yamaha preamps tend to be a little edgy and nasally. Like the midrange has been sucked out and the bass is a little flabby.
They do have a purpose and they do the job as ong as your not cranking them up to 75% to 80% of maximum. But the thing you should focus on now (IMO) is monitors. Monitors will help you make a better determination of what is being recorded. From there later down stream you can either get a better unpowerd mixer or outboard preamps. PA mixers "typically" aren't very good for "studio" work. Monitors first, always add to remove the missing equipment then replace the weakest link when you can.

SoMm
 
I'd agree with monitors first, but be warned. You will hate all your other stuff once you really hear it.
 
Yamaha does make the best monitors acording to the Industry (the ns10s are in more studios than anything else)

I also have a 8 channel Yamaha MLA7 pre that is clean, flat, and 64db of gain. A real Class clean preamp. But it is different than what you will get in thier mixers.
 
Whatever you are using for monitors, as long as you know their shortcomings and you know them in the room you are using them in I don't see why you shouldn't use them until you can afford better.

If you have listened to your mixes on your car stereo, your friends car and home stero, and your grandmother's home stereo, you already have a pretty good idea of what you should be listening for when you mix using your monitors.

I'm using a pair of Optimus Pro LX7's and have been for over five years. I no longer have to try all of my mixes out on different systems because I know these monitors.

And in case you are wondering, these were some of the flatest and accurate speakers RS ever offered. And yes they did come with a frequency analysis sheet. That even surprised me. I've never heard a set of monitors that sounded as nice as this. They were not advertised as monitors, but a lot of audiophiles purchased these speakers. They were $279 each when RS carried them.

They make very nice mid to near-field monitors.
 
I have some of those on a playback system in the bedroom, very nice sounding, and accoustic instruments shine on them. But I wouldnt mix with them. I would risk my mixes not sounding good on all systems.
 
I appreciate the encouragement Senn. I feel like, despite my lack of gear, I'm a hound for testing my mixes in every possible setting. Now, even though these aren't even nice home audio speakers, I still feel fairly confident of the sound I'll generally get in adverse acoustic environments because of my persistent (read:anal) reference discs.

With that said, I had been leaning towards those monitors as the next step. I don't need to track more than a stereo pair right now so the mackie board and the delta 1010 aren't immediate necessities. But they will be mine in time... oh yes, they will be mine.

(maniacal laughter grows louder)

miles
 
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