Not much choice in a tube pre at that price range. You could try the Toft [="http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Toft-Audio-Designs-ATC2-Dual-Channel-Mic-Pre-EQ-FET-Compressor?sku=187022"]Audio ATC-2 [/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Audio ATC-2 [/]or two [[url=http://="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Grace M101[/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Grace M101[/]. I don't know that these will be a huge improvement over what you have now. The difference will likely be subtle and as it may have been pointed out before, results are usually noticed more over an entire mix rather than individual tracks. Maybe someone with more experience will chime in.

IDK...for 700 Quid...you should be able to do pretty well for a stereo preamp. Granted, it may be 2 mono preamps, but still.
The Grace 101 is actually quite an improvement over the A&H pres. While A&H's stock pres aren't half bad, the Graces are better. Other choices:
UA Solo
True Designs P2
A pair of 500 series (if you either own a 500 rack or can get stuff on ebay).
Summit 2BA221
Langevin Dual Pre

Keep your eyes peeled - there are plenty of options out there. Just don't get sucked in by hype.

Cheers-
J.

thanks for your replies

what about the DAV BG-1?

I think the big question you need to answer for yourself is the "transparent" vs. "colored" issue. I have not tried all of these, so I'm going on reputation. But of the ones mentioned I'd put Grace, True, DAV in the former category and UA, Langevin, and most 500 series in the later.

Now, all of the good preamps in this price range will give you one big thing - more clean headroom. That will make it easier to get a clean sound while pushing the preamps harder. That means a better s/n ratio which (as said above) is subtle on a single track, but makes a bigger difference with dozens.

I go for color. I like my API and Langevin. The API 3124+ is a four channel in about the price per channel you are considering. If you like that style it is a very solid purchase.

I was lucky and paid £1200 a few years back for a new API 3124+, but you can't get them for that price in the UK these days. Mind you, that's 4 channels of classic sound.

I have several DAV pre-amps, and I think the BG1 (or BG1U rack mount) would work well for you. I know it's less than £500 for two channels, but being UK-make, it holds its own against more expensive units, especially at the current exchange rates. The Grace m201 is £2K, for example.

The DAVs are very clean and neutral pre-amps, with the big advantage (at least for my way of working) that they have switched gain positions rather than a variable potentiometer. This means you can accurately re-set a gain and also set both channels to the same gain very easily. If you are serious about the DAVs, send me a PM and we'll see if it's possible to set up a loan of one.

A cautionary question before buying a new pre-amp: have you thought carefully about the route that the pre-amp outputs will take on their way into your computer? If your interface (what is it?) is not up to the job, it will suddenly become the limiting factor in quality, headroom and transient response. You should consider whether it would not be better to invest in a new interface such as the RME FireFace800 now that will give you top-quality conversion and 4 good mic pre-amps. It would have capacity for handling 6 line-level outputs from your MixWizard as well as its own mic inputs, and also give you a building-block for incrementally replacing the MixWizard channels with boutique pre-amps at a later stage. Just a thought.

The way to go these days is jump on the 500 Series band wagon. I like that you have the choice to pick from a wide range of Pre's. Tube, solid state, whatever floods your boat.

The Great River 500-np is kick ass. really nice on allot instruments and transperent on vocals.

Lots of choices out there.

I've been thinking about the lunchbox too.

Vintage king has them the cheapest that I have found.

You could go the DIY route too, depends on what level your soldering skills and ability to learn are.

There is plenty of really great 500 series kits out there too.

Of course, you get what you pay for. Kits are time consuming too.

Great river is made right here in St. Paul, Minnesota.

I've thought about showing up and asking if there is any special deal I can get for one, who knows?

I still like the look of the John Hardy twin servo 990, not a cheap pre! Man, I'm sure there dynamite!