never used it or any other art gear. If thats significantly cheaper than the going rate on ebay buy it have some fun with it and then sell it (probably) before the market changes. Make sure you aint paying over the odds coz it wont hold its value, guarantee.

For me the rule is to remember that money spent on cheap gear could have got you half way to great gear that you'll love to the end of your days. You'll sound better, and if you don't it won't be the gear's fault. Plus you'll educate your ears. Perhaps you aint as fussy as me.

You'll always be able to crank the gain and distort thru it, not hi fi but fun as hell.

I think the Art stuff and all budget tube gear (slightly less so the dbx silver series i think) gets cussed to hell round hear. personally for my needs right now i'd rather have a couple of SM57s for that cash or RAM. Or put it towards some high end stuff or speakers. You could get an instrument for that money etc etc.

In case you hadn't worked it out i'm on the NO side of the fence. If its just a decent cheap preamp you want maybe look into stuff like the Really Nice Preamp. What mic(s) you got? What preamps you got?

laters

The "high end" ART stuff can do very well if you put some good quality NOS tubes in it. I have two Pro MPA's, one with 40 year old NOS Westinghouse 12DF7's, the other has Mullard 12AT7's. Last year I retracked vocals for a female singer after tracking originally with an API 2600 channel strip. The vocals done through the ART with the 12DF7's sounded better, go figure. The budget ART stuff, I'd pass on. The other components in the circuits will be the limiting factor.

I use the ART Pro VLA alot and love it. I recently rolled in a pair of NOS Philips 12AT7WC's that sound absolutely amazing.

Can't vouch for the EQ section of the strip you're looking at the but the pre and compression should sound sweet.

Stock tubes with that unit may be ElectroHarmonix which aren't bad. Buy a few different tubes to have on hand for different color variations and you'll have a nice handy tool.

Hey guys! Thanks a million for all the advice, it's really appreciated. Jahtao, I've a few 57s, a few 58s, a M-audio Solaris and a MXL V69. I only have a M-audio octane so as you can see I have to get a little variety in terms of preamps. Can you recommend another pre in that price bracket?
Thanks again,
Eoin