If you're into indi-pop,grunge or rock I'd say ' yeah '..... if that's what your budget allows.The sonic window of this unit suits those styles.
If you're into Jazz , Acoustic , or Classical I'd highly advise against it.
Mostly for the reason that that compressor will do you more harm than good.... probably virtually useless when used in that genre due to the limited dynamic range ( and compression range ) of the circuit....
The gate is unfortunately slow as well.
Extending your budget a bit will put you into a different domain.

My personal experiences with Tony Larking's "hybrid tube" approach were not great. His mic preamp design was based on a now-defunct IC by SSM. When the chip crapped out, it was a pain to get fixed. Their repair center in the States couldn't get them, and the pin-configuration wasn't compatible with any upgrades. TLA never made good on their promise to correct this with a new "mini-PCB" ( at least while I had the unit). I sold it as a compressor only, and the guy who bought it bitched about THAT after he had it a couple of months.
I have 2 friends who have subsequently purchased TLA "tube" mixers, and both are happy with them. I just don't think that in this era of tube gear proliferation, you should chance it with a company that keeps changing their name and distributors.

Sebatron wrote: Extending your budget a bit will put you into a different domain.

What would you suggest?

moonbaby wrote: ... His mic preamp design was based on a now-defunct IC by SSM. When the chip crapped out, it was a pain to get fixed.
... to correct this with a new "mini-PCB"

that sound like we are talking about the 2016 large chip ??
I might have a few

if it is the 2017
there are replacements
2019 from AnalogDevices and a couple of others INA217 and ??? THAT1510
and ....
one more ???

errr

Captjono wrote: [quote=Sebatron]Extending your budget a bit will put you into a different domain.

What would you suggest?

Something that is Class A and flexible with minimal passive EQ and runs a decent High Tension voltage for a wide dynamic range yet is organic and colourful enough so as not to sound like the pre-amps you may already have in your mixing desk or soundcard.
Sebatron vmp-1000e
Email this guy: sebatronSebatron.com
His name is Sebastian. He will do you a good deal.

Kev:
I believe that it WAS the 2017...I was told by their distributor (HHB) that they needed to fabricate a "mini-PCB" that would "piggy-back" where the "old IC" was mounted, as there was no compatible chip with the same configuration at that time. I have a very good friend who worked for Bob Moog at the time and was very familiar with SSM/Analog Devices chips and he thought that was bogus. At that time, there were letters in MIX magazine bitching about that claim, too. It was just too frustrating for me then, so I dumped it. TLA may be a perfectly decent product line, but that whole fiasco left a very bad taste in my mouth. There are simply too many good (better?) products out there these days to fool with them (although PreSonus ain't one of them!).

Sebatron wrote: [quote=Captjono][quote=Sebatron]Extending your budget a bit will put you into a different domain.

What would you suggest?

Something that is Class A and flexible with minimal passive EQ and runs a decent High Tension voltage for a wide dynamic range yet is organic and colourful enough so as not to sound like the pre-amps you may already have in your mixing desk or soundcard.
Sebatron vmp-1000e
Email this guy: sebatronSebatron.com
His name is Sebastian. He will do you a good deal.

Ahem...SLUT... :wink: