Speck Micpre 5.0
FMR Audio RNP
Grace Design 101
Studio Projects VTB-1 (in deference to Mr. Hyatt)
M Audio Tampa
Presonus MP-20
Symetrix 528E

I was very unimpressed with the original VoiceMaster. Perhaps the new unit is vastly better. As usual, YMMV.

I'd super highly suggest an A design's MP-1 mic pre. New on the market, but the MP line has become my 1st choice for mic pre's in a very short amount of time. However, I do suggest a couple XLR pads with this unit, even though I love over driving the unit in certain apps (esspecially for vocals!) The direct input into this unit is worth the price of admission on it's own. If you get one, try to squeeze a little more and spring for the MP-2, the stereo unit.
The FMR Audio RNP and Studio Projects VTB-1 both seemed nice but I haven't had a crapload of time on either units.

While $150 for than your $800 price, I'd go for the DaviSound TB-6 for sure; a 4-ch. preamp. My TB-3 (same preamps as in the TB-6) is a work-horse in combination with my pair of 103s!

The overheads and all vocals on this cover song were recorded with my TB-3/103 combination:
http://home.attbi.com/~jwbros/A_Song.mp3

Wow. The DaviSound stuff LOOKS bitchin, but how does it "sound".

The MP-1 and MP-2 from A Designs is the cleanest sounding tube mic pre I've even heard. You MUST try this one if you are going into a DAW. You can get a crapload of sounds out of it: everything from the Aretha Franklin WB distortion to a good sounding "The Stokes" (I know, it was an overdriven mackie into an LA2A, I saw it 1st hand at the Village), to a clean Mariey Carrey or Dave Mathews kind of sound.

The Speck is much more transparent, and not one that I would prefer to overdrive. The RNP I haven't spent enough time on other than to know I want one.

Ouch. I hate doing this but:

I listened to your MP3 cover of the sweater song. The vocals don't sound "suckey", although the performance, specifically the wack messed up notes (in a non-cool way), the OH's are NOT what I look for in OH's. If memory serves, TLA mixed this, and overcompressed the donkeyapemonkeycamelshit out of it. I'm NOT a TLA fan, but I respect his overcompression method. Now, I base most of this opinion about your MP3 of the sound of the cymbal to drum ratio. Listen to the cymbal crashes into the hooks and the hi hat. Yuck. The snare is almost GONE in the hooks. If you are only using OH's to pick up the "others" of the kit, I guess that's okay but... I dunno, maybe I'm spoiled with my Royer 122's.

e-cue,

Thanks for the listen.

I suppose I should have mentioned the recording was done simply "for fun" by 3 guys; 2 of them (the dummer and bassist) really aren't "musicians", nor do they consider themselves to be. This is the first and only song they've learned and ever played. The guitar player taught them the parts. This was their first and probably only "studio" experience ever. The guitar player sang the song and he doesn't consider himself a "singer" what-so-ever. I left in all the extra "commentary" so it could be heard how much fun they had doing this. I had fun too!

This was a very quick, 2 short-days production. I recorded the drums with 4 mics. The mix you hear is a result of about a half-hour mix of a full 24-tracks.

I like the cymbals, but yeah, they don't mix to well with the rest of the drums. That's a result of this song not really being mixed. The snare really didn't get any work either. Just quickly slapped it lightly with a compressor and gate.

While running the entire mix through an L2 for dithering and noise-shaping, it didn't help the snare audibility by going overboard with the limiting.

But anyhow, my point with that posting wasn't the production. It was just an example of what can be had with that mic/preamp combo. By the way, all tracks (other than the kick, snare, and bass guitar) were tracked with my DaviSound TB-3.

If you care to, you can try this one. It's a work in progress and some tracks will probably be redone and new tracks added, but here's a "quick mix" (probably about a half-hour too) of what's down (24-tracks). All tracks other than toms, kick, and snare were done through my DaviSound TB-3. I only resampled down to 44.1k and dithered and noise-shaped down to 16-bit. No other processing was done to the mix, so the song may be a little quiet.

http://home.attbi.com/~pjandcompany/Quit.mp3

Message deleted per RO rules against Spam. [="http://www.recording.org/newbies.html"]Recording.org Rules to posters.[/]="http://www.recordin…"]Recording.org Rules to posters.[/]

A better way to introduce your product is to do it more as a comparison to other products.

To blatently suggest your product without stating comparisons is a faux pas in RO.

Imagine this:

I have a mastering facility and build damn good speakers. IF I posted after each monitor request that mine are what you want..that is spamming.

I do not offer my speakers for sale anyway. I share the design so you can build your own. No Profit.

Look at getting a banner from RO to your company. It is the most prudent way to advertise and we moderators will let you link to it. Look at this as not a warning..but an education. We all want to have a real good time and promote our wares but do it by the rules please.

Hey, Send me one and I will do a professional review in our emag and send it back!

This is do-able here.

RO MODERATION TEAM

You may look at his craftsmanship here....

[[url=http://="http://www.sebatron…"]Hand Made Mic Pres[/]="http://www.sebatron…"]Hand Made Mic Pres[/]

[ December 22, 2002, 01:38 PM: Message edited by: Bill Roberts ]

Sebastian,
This is the forth spam you have posted in 30 minutes in spite of 3 requests to cease.

Readers,
Please don't respond to SPAM! Don't go to their links. SPAM can ruin a website.
How would you like to log on and have to wade through tons of posts from individuals trying to peddle their products just to find a piece of information or to read something that might entertain you? If you respond to SPAM you will be supporting it!

Fats moderator / Small Steps
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It's my opinion, I'll play with it if I want to!

Talk about spreading yourself around :( .

I looked at his website and was immediately turned off by the sales pitch nature of it. It reminded me all to much of another Melb based site for MANN microphones.......all sleeze and BS, and guess what, those mics are made in Asia.

:cool:

He did this twice on Stephen Pauls thread! Talk about nerve. He also posted one on the Mastering thread. Bill is such a nice guy to even leave the website address up. I really liked Stephen Pauls response. He just deleted the whole thing, telling this guy how uncool the whole thing was. I am afraid I lost my temper with this guy and gave him "what for". Luckily, Bill caught it and threw it in the bin. Good thing.. it was a bit extreme! :D hee hee ... Oh well, I have a hard time with this kind of nonsense. ..... I'm just glad I don't have to do any business with these types.. Fats

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It's my opinion, I'll play with it if I want to

I agree that it was no way for a new member to introduce theirself.

The ONLY reason I left the site up (outside of kindness) was to let others at least see what this was all about.

I do like everyone to see both sides and I also feel SP's response to be the correct one.

You know...before I started driving, I had to pass the test of rules. I would hate to think that the rules are meaningless to some.

I want to welcome the fellow..all the while, I feel the slap to him quite warranted.

I am certain he has a very fine product. I feel that anything Wayne Gardner says is valid as well. I simply want to keep the profile of the rules and the RO goal and mission statement intact.

He stands corrected and I do welcome his involvement. We can learn a few things from everyone

Bill,
You're just a nice guy. Perhaps you would have lost your temper if that guy had ignored 3 of your posts. That's what happened in my case... he just continued. It made me feel like he didn't care about anything except his own agenda. Oh well, it takes all kinds.. Your "niceness" counterbalanced my "assholieness"... Hee hee :s: That's what my wife calls me when I go off on one of these... "Yes, your assholiness" Fats
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It's my opinion, I'll play with it if I want to!

You were not being an asshole...but my term is "assholitity"

Definition of "Moderation" To be Moderate.

Bill,
Thanks, but …. Oh yes I was!!! But in the words of Pee Wee Herman, when he fell off the bicycle "I meant to do that." In view of the egregious violation I felt my responses were moderate. :D The first three were more moderate than the last one but they all were well deserved. (in my not so humble opinion) Man, you're just a nice guy! Thanks again ….. Fats
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It's my opinion, I'll play with it if I want to!

LOL! All is coposetic

I don't really understand exactly what happened to this thread, but I bought a Studio Projects vtb-1 a couple of months ago and it sounds great. I have been using it along side a Universal audio 2-610 and the vtb-1 holds up well. I won't say that it is as good as the 2-610, but for 1/10th the price I would say the vtb-1 is a great deal. Doc.

We had what would be called a blatant Spam post...things are normal now.

Looks funky though eh??

You are right, VBT-1 is a great piece for the $$$