The Grace is a LOT more expensive but, IMO worth every friggin penny. Personally, I did not like my P8 (that I had for about a year and a half). I found it brittle and ugly in the higher registers (with Schoeps CMC6 and any capsule as well as Gefells and Neumanns).

Plus, the gain is near impossible to match between two channels on the True.

The Graces sound significantly more open and clean (and much more "liquid" sounding.)

FWIW, you can pick up the original 801 for about $1000 less than their original prices as the new m801 just came out.

Thanks Cucco! For future replies, I should also let people know what my mic locker is, in case that helps...

Earthworks QTC1 x2 (matched)
Earthworks SRO
Earthworks SR71 x2
Neumann U87 x2
Neumann SM69 FET
Neumann 84
Neumann 184
AKG 414TLII x2
...plus some other popular "lesser" mics (SM57, AT4041, etc)

Ill agree with Cucco, Ive had both, and the Grace is a superclean, open pre.

But, Cucco, do you think yours (P8) was a "lemon"???
Mine might not be as great as a Grace, but its far from being brittle and ugly!! :roll:

TVPostSound wrote: Ill agree with Cucco, Ive had both, and the Grace is a superclean, open pre.

But, Cucco, do you think yours (P8) was a "lemon"???
Mine might not be as great as a Grace, but its far from being brittle and ugly!! :roll:

I'd considered that until I heard another that sounded virtually identical. Again, for certain applications, they work great! But....for strings with very neutral (not warm) mics, they got strident fast...hence my use of the term "ugly." I used them with mild (or pretty good) success in studio with tube mics and warmer FETs with no issues. However, because they were so "etched" in the upper register which made strings and voices (choral) sound scratchy/etchy, I just couldn't keep it (afterall, this is my bread and butter versus the "in-studio" which I just do for fun.)

No A/B, but also I can't say enough about the Grace Pre's. I have rented a set of eight for every session in the last year and it always impresses me. In one situation I was recording my sister (guitar & vox) with a pair of figure 8's 10 feet directly behind the mix position. The phone rang upstairs just at the end which we decided to ignore because it was such a good take. While mixing it I heard the phone ring upstairs and ran to get it, but found it not to be ringing. This happened a couple of times before we realized that it was on the recording. Thing is, the Grace pre's are SO accurate that the sound of the phone appeared to originate from the kitchen upstairs even though it was playing back through speakers in the basement. We are not stupid, it was just hard to believe that the stereo imaging could be THAT good.

That's all I know.

Coincidently, I'm about to plunk down some serious $$ for the m802 with the remote unit. (I figure I've come THAT far with the basic unit, why not go all the way and get the remote as well?) I reviewed it for Mix back in Sept., 06, and loved it. Unfortunately, they made me return it almost immediately. (Talk about separationg anxiety!)

Then I find out there's now an A/D available for it, too....sigh.......it's only money, right? ;-)