Submitted by studio33 on Tue, 11/10/2009 - 23:44

So Im going to start gearing up in the next few years and with some good mic preamps. I havent researched these as much as I have mics probably cause they arent as sexy to look at. What I have used lately is the octopre with all the goodies on it which I love. Ive also used the ISA 428 which was good but seemed noisy if I remember right. What are some your favorite mic preamps and what have you used them on. I am probably going to by rack units but am open to a console if it would make sense. Lets make money no object since I want the best{but they dont have to be expensive}.

Comments

There is a lot of discussion of this in the archives, of course. In particular, there are a couple of good threads about 500 series units that you would probably be interested in.

My standard recommendation is the API 3124+. Four great channels at a good price. Sounds excellent on just about everything. I really need to get another one so I have eight channels of 312 for drums. I'd start with that as a "foundation" preamp and add others from there.

Would you like a bottle of red? A bottle of white? Or perhaps a bottle of Rose' instead? In other words, do you want a classic & colored sounding preamp? An inexpensive neutral sounding Mackie type. Or perhaps a state-of-the-art Georgia Massenburg GML or, Millennia like device? I personally don't like those modern thingies. I am all fully colored with discrete Neve & API with a couple of ol' tube jobs with cobwebs on them. They're all in the $500 US each or somewhere there about per channel. Like Bob said, API 3124 or just 4 old API 312 cards for a DIY project. With those, you'll definitely appreciate the SM57/58 microphones for just about everything.

Altschuler
Mx. Remy Ann David

I am going to be a full color kind of guy I think with maybe some clean focusright stuff on the side. I really like their transparency. API is good stuff im hearing. That is one that i have never heard up close and personal. I have worked on a neve vr console and have also used the Brent Avrill 1073 pres but it was so long ago i dont remember the characteristics. How do they compare to the AMS stuff. I remember using a shotgun mic and cranking one of those neve vr pres in that board and being able to hear conversations 2 rooms away.

How does the Univeral Audio 610 solo compare to the API lunchbox preamps?

It seems like the 610 would be the best overall preamp for the money if you could only afford one really good standalone channel preamp. I have never used it but read good things about it. Especially since it can be used as an instrument DI also. And having a tube would be nice also.

Does anybody have experience with both of these that can tell me how they compare? (Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, maybe snare drum, etc.)

No one has mentioned one of our family members gear, Sebatron. I have had a chance to dink about on one of the 2 channel units a bit and I gotta say this is very high-end stuff and very very versatile.

He has his own forum a few clicks down this page. Ask him questions about what you want to know.

Especially good for those who like color in their preamps but certainly not exclusive to this!

studio33 wrote: So Im going to start gearing up in the next few years and with some good mic pres. I havent researched these as much as I have mics probably cause they arent as sexy to look at. What I have used lately is the octopre with all the goodies on it which I love. Ive also used the ISA 428 which was good but seemed noisy if I remember right. What are some your favorite mic pres and what have you used them on. I am probably going to by rack units but am open to a console if it would make sense. Lets make money no object since I want the best{but they dont have to be expensive}.

I'll give my standard plug to [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.seventhc…"]Seventh Circle Audio preamp kits[/]="http://www.seventhc…"]Seventh Circle Audio preamp kits[/]. For amazingly little money, you can get up to eight channels of preamps sounding a lot like Neve , API, John Hardy and Millennia preamps. And you can mix and match. Kits use fantastic components, great instructions, phat transformers and once you have the chassis/power supply (about $300 with a kit), each channel is about $300 a pop. Google their gear, it's very highly regarded.

BDM wrote: if you can spend a little more, the LA-610 gets you a compressor and nice eq.
great for DI, vocals and more.

I personally own the LA-610 and although it is my only high-end channel strip I LOVE the thing. Seriously it just sounds great on so many things especially vocals and acoustic guitar.

If you like the LA-610, the 6176 has the same 610 preamp but has an 1176 compressor which is a bit more versatile considering you have control over the attack, release, etc.

I don't think you can go wrong with UA products unless you don't like coloration at all...just my two cents.