Thread: Need a good Mic Pre for a SP C1

Why would he want to lose the C1, it's an excellent mic!! 8)

The SP line of LD mics as a whole, seems to have a pretty bright upper mid / top end. That's fine, it actually reminds me a lot of what the older AKG C12 and C24's sounded like ... I have a C3 that I like a lot. The build quality is excellent.

As mentioned, the Brick might be a good solution, but I cannot speak from direct experience as I have yet to hear it. A pair of them is supposed to be on the way for evaluation prior to (I hope) a review.

Another single channel pre for under $1000 is a Sebatron vmp-1000e. Transformer balanced, and tube based to warm up the C1 a bit but still clean enough to be compared to some pres that might be used in traditional acoustic and classical recordings. Built like a tank, point to point wiring where hi voltages exist and large traces on the PCB. Not as thick or cloudy as the UA tube pres, perhaps a little clearer sounding than a GR/NV type also. Think of an old Fender tube amp ... that's what the Sebatron vmp pres sound like to me.

The SP 828 is supposedly SPs version of the Sytek ... same chips Sytek offers as an upgrade that is supposed to be "warmer" than the standard Sytek chip. The good news on the SP 828 is it's twice as many channels (and it has a stereo summing bus) as the Sytek, at approximately half the price. I haven't heard it.

SP VTB1 ... I have heard it and used it, better than the pres found in many self contained porta studios like the Korg and BOSS units ... but not any better (perhaps different, IMO) as a basic Mackie pre.

I've used the ART Pro pre before and actually it held its ground pretty well in a rack of Neve and APIs ... but still I didn't like the feel or the construction of the unit. Nowhere as dimensional as the Neves and API's IMo but very good tone. A couple of producer/ engineers I know who are very respected in the SF area like the Art as an aux pre, bringing it out when they have run out of channels of the good stuff. That they have it in their racks at all in the fist place, impresses me.

Of course the Sytek is an option, especially if you can find a deal on a used one. I personally don't care for the design approach and I think it's overpriced for what it is but a lot of people seem to be very happy with it. So you might want to take a listen to it just for your own peace of mind.

As was mentioned, it's impossible to go wrong with an API pre.. not too sure about the knock offs like the Seventh Circle stuff. It seems to me that they are almost the same price as a real lunchbox and API modules (on the used market) so I don't really get the concept. But if they are true to the original API design without any modifications, they should rock.

There's a lot of controversy and muddy water surrounding the topic of mic pres. My take is the best pres have very robust power supplies, are usually but not always, class A and transformer balanced (the transformers are a preference, not a requirement) are constructed in a way that lends itself to service in the field instead of needing to be returned to the factory for sub assembly replacement.

My feelings are that their are a lot of budget pres out that are more the same than different. There may be some tone differences but for the most part inadequate power supplies and surface mount technology with small board traces doom these units to less than stellar (and in some opinions) flat, cold, lifeless performance. Of course ymmv and if at all possible, don't take my or any one else's word on it. You should either listen yourself before buying or make sure to deal with someone who will allow you to return a unit should you be disappointed with it.

MY bottom line opinion is if you go with an inexpensive choice, look to features and price as your criteria for choice. Don't worry which choice will sound better because again IMO, they all perform to about the same level. If you want to go the extra mile for the best sound possible, look to Sebatron, The Brick or the JLM TMP8 pres as the best bang for the buck on quality mic pres. These are the best values on "real" pres I have found so far (I will keep looking though).

You might just lose the C1 and spend your $1,000 (plus what you get for the C1 - $150??), on a new mic and pre. Safe and Sound, GT Brick, Grace 101, OSA, etc. for a pre. Perhaps a SP T3, ADK TC or TT, for a mic.

Just a thought.

No Thanks, we just finished recording, and I am quite happy with the C1, certianly worth the money



Kurt, thank you For you great reply I really appreciate it


Davedog, you as well


We did not have the money this time to get ANY pre-amp, but I will be picking one up based on the recommendations from this board

I will not tell you what we used, but it seems to have worked out alright(cough Behringer board pre's cough)

I am working on mixing and I may post them if they turn out alright, It's pretty hard metal anyway, so I'm sure there's not a whole lot of fans of that genre here


Thanks
Chris

Originally Posted by crispytheone88

I am working on mixing and I may post them if they turn out alright, It's pretty hard metal anyway, so I'm sure there's not a whole lot of fans of that genre here

Here's one ;)

with a C1 on the way, so be sure to post it ;)

It would be cool to have all three of that set T#3 C3 and C-1 :lol: all i need is the C3

Well, I am horrible dissapionted with how the guitar tone turned out, we tried something diffrent AND IT FAILED, we used a Peavey Transtube head, and while its sounds alright, when we put our 57 up to it and recorded like we always do, we got his hollowed out muddy guitar tone


There was nothing we could do, mic placement did not make a huge diffrence, oh well, we should have used the marshall, less distortion, but way higher quality sound, there is a reason Tube guitar amps are still #1

Anyway the C-1 was awesome, we used for alot of diffrent things, and we were shocked at how well it took the screaming abuse

anyway, here's a link



http://www.myspace.com/phoenixatsundown

the first song was recorded with the C-1 and to my has some pretty bad guitar tone, the other two songs, we did not have the C-1 and we used, if you can believe it, an ADA MP-1 and a peavey Classic 30 for the guitar, and it was better than the new guitar tone I think

Oh dude, those solid state Peavey amps are terrible to record. Had to record an XXL a while back and it was butt ugly: Lotsa rice crispy fizz; no note definition. I think even the Marshall Valvestates (1st generation anyway) record better than this.


That was a Classic30 on the other songs? Man, I used to play around on one of those and I don't remember it having that much gain. However, it did sound cool running it in stereo with the aforementioned 1st generation Valvestate. Or did you put a stompbox in there? That amp hates the Boss MetalZone.

We used an ADA MP-1, which is a tube distortion rack mount whatever

anyway, it had tons of gain

Next session will either be with the Marshall JCM 900, or we will get a Peavey 5150