Wes...

First off, I have no experience with the A&H mic pres, so sorry I cannot be of more direct help, but here are few suggestions that you might try to use to locate the problem:

Is there any way you can *borrow* a different mic pre from someone? Rent one? Steal one? Some stores will let you take home gear to test it out, etc. If you can, try taking the outs from the new mic pre into the line-ins on the A&H and see if that dark sound goes away. It doesn't even have to be a high-end mic pre, just anything that will give a *different* sound than the A&H mic pres.

This way you will begin to narrow down to problem...is it the mic pres, the microphone itself, the A&H circuitry, your monitors, etc.?

Also, you might try taking a line feed from another instrument's direct out and going direct into the A&H...does it sound dark compared to your expectations?

I have a MixWizard as well and use it as a front end for most of my mikes going straight out into a MOTU 1296. I usually record flat and I find the pre's dark as well. I am adding high end on just about everything! I compared my Earthworks on my piano to a TL Audio tube pre and there was definitely more high end. I guess you could call that mixer warm! Well, the EQ is quite nice.

OK, so I'm not crazy.

Anyone have any fairly simple mods that might help this? (Other than using something else!)

Thanks,

-Wes

Is this darkness you guys are speaking of accompanied with a closed in muffled sound (especially in comparison to the Earthworks)? I have an old Yamaha MLA7 8 channel mic pre and I have experienced this. I spoke with Jim Williams jwilliams3@earthlink.net(818)780-1222 at "Jim Williams Audio Upgrades" regarding this and he told me this was caused by a slow slew rate in the op amps. If your experiencing this closed in like blanket is draped over it sound, replacing the op amps in the board may be the solution. Fats

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Tannoy, Dynaudio, Blue Sky, JBL, Earthworks, Westlake, NS 10's :D ,
Genelec, Hafler, KRK, and PMC
Those are good. …………………….. Pick one.
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Could be. I guess you could call is muffled. I don't have much to compare it to, I have a m*ckie
mixer (with the hypes up XDR pres) that does seem more "open", but not magical by any means.

Any idea what op amps are good to use for replacement in this class of mixer?

In what stages is this most beneficial? (pre, eq, summing, etc...)

I don't know what kind of op amps would do that for you. This is a question some of tthe folks over in the Tech Talk forum.. good luck Fats :w: