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JeffreyMajeau 5 January 2004

As I put my mobile rig together, I'm looking for suggestions about a good 8ch 1RU mic preamp unit. I have pegged the True Audio unit as a high-endoption, but there are a few boxes in the 500-1K range that look like they'll be reasonable quality wise as well.

I'm not looking for color, just clean preamplification to send on down to the Fostex. There's a PreSonus unit that is about 800 - but that seems to have a lot of gimmicks, as well. I don't need a whole lot of buttons, switches or meters. Just a clean gain stage and an output, really. ADAT lightpipe would be cool, but not necessary.

Any suggestions?

Dan Roth
Otitis Media
otitis-media.net

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Davedog Mon, 01/05/2004 - 07:10

Yes to the True Systems.I tracked quite a bit of our latest project with the P2 and the acoustic guitars were very good.As a DI it was extremely accurate and the bass 'sat' very nicely in the mix from this use.BUT, as AG stated, sometimes its good to have different colors in the box.That being said....one thing good about the True Systems 8 channel,because of its very clean and relatively neutral tonality, you can use it many many times in a recording and wont have to EQ or mix around any built-up honk you can get from an overuse of 'colored' preamps.As a 'live' front-end to a digital recorder I would think it to be exceptional.

lorenzo gerace Tue, 01/06/2004 - 12:30

I know I'll fire up some pretty nasty feedback, but if you're looking for an 8ch 1 RU preamp, with not too much controls and a lightpipe out then you should check out the Focusrite Octopre; OK it's not like the other higher end Focusrite units, and it's obviously not like a Millennia or True System, but if you just need a clean and musical 8Ch pre I think it could fit your budget. I have one in my mobile tracking rack and I use it to record every gig I do in conjunction with other pres, and the results are clean and nice, so I think that if that's your budget you really can't get any better than the Octopre; if you can spend more then the fine suggestions by Kurt, Audiogaff and others are what you need.

Hope this helps

L.G. :)

JeffreyMajeau Tue, 01/06/2004 - 12:42

The mod replaces the op-amps with higher performance units as well as some other circuit tweaks. It's done by Pro Audio Design in Rockland, MA. I thought about the Focusrite, and for the price it's not a bad deal, but I'm not convinced about the "Platinum" range products. I'm not a huge fan of even the Red stuff, which I think sounds great, but it's not my first choice. Something had to give for them to put 8 preamps and a lightpipe output in that box for about 1K.

I like the idea that the Presonus can be modded later for better sound, and that it's got a mix bus in it. The mix bus is a plus for doing video/film gigs. I can track 8 mics to discrete tracks while sending the camera a rough 2-mix for reference. I'd need a seperate analog box to do that with the Focusrite (send to the recorder with fiber, use the analog line outs of the pre unit for the camera mix).

I also considered the ATI 8MX2+2, and while it's a sick box in terms of capabilities and I'm sure the quality is excellent, it's a little bit of overkill. I'm prepared to just run the channel less hot while tracking rather than need to break out limiters, etc, in the field.

I appreciate all the replies so far!

KurtFoster Tue, 01/06/2004 - 14:52

The Presonus M80 is a 2 rack space piece while the JLM is only one rack space.

As we speak, an M80 is on it's way to me from Presonus.. however this box retails for around $2150 for which you can pick up a JLM TMP8 and have change left over. I think that is the way to go.. at a $100 per channel for the upgrade to the M80, by the time you get finished your into the thing for near to 3K..

I'm hoping I will get a new JLM in (I had to send the review unit back) before I have to send the Presonus back and I can record some one on on comparisons of the two and we can see what is what. Off the top of my head, I lean towards the JLM..

KurtFoster Wed, 01/07/2004 - 20:18

Originally posted by CaptainMark:
tfPro x16 - 16 channels of very clean mic pre in 2RU for around $1500 (from the guys who used to be JoeMeek).

Holy Cr-aaap! You mean the guy who put Joe meek into receivership? I thought I was going to get sick from all the Presonus speak but now they're bringing up that old thing ....
(Dead Link Removed)

anonymous Sat, 01/10/2004 - 06:25

JoeMeek went bust and PMI now own the name. I heard they were planning to release their own products under this brand.

Ted Fletcher was the original developer at JoeMeek and his designs are now released by tfPro.

Well mate, it might not be your cuppa chai, and they have a characteristic coloured sound, but I love the sound of the compressor and the channel strip. I would be interested to know if any of you have any experience with the units.

Screws Sat, 01/10/2004 - 09:12

I have a C2 stereo opto-comp and a VC3 channel strip.

I find the C2 marginally useful on some guitars, drum parallel compression and bass. But the VC3 preamp/compressor/exciter is great on many bass guitars and crunch guitars. It's actually very nice on my Beyer M260DX ribbon mic as well.

anonymous Wed, 01/14/2004 - 16:32

Originally posted by Kurt Foster:

Originally posted by CaptainMark:
tfPro x16 - 16 channels of very clean mic pre in 2RU for around $1500 (from the guys who used to be JoeMeek).

Holy Cr-aaap! You mean the guy who put Joe meek into receivership? I thought I was going to get sick from all the Presonus speak but now they're bringing up that old thing ....
(Dead Link Removed)

I am beginning to wonder whether it has any basis in experience or whether it may be part of a crusade on your behalf against lower price gear.

Just wondering.

anonymous Fri, 01/16/2004 - 00:19

Originally posted by Kurt Foster:
B3Groover,
Do you think the sound of your M80 needs upgradeing ? Is it not as good as you hoped? I'd like to hear your impressions on it.

Well, supposedly mine is an older unit with Jensen transformers. I haven't gotten in there to look (may do that tomorrow). I guess they changed the trannys on the later batches... at least that's what I read somewhere.

Honestly, I don't have anything else really to compare it to so I don't know how to answer your question. It beats the snot out of my Mackie 1604 that's for sure! :) It has plenty of gain. It is whisper quiet. It seems very accurate. I don't hardly use any EQ when I track with it. I really like how drums sound through it... I'm not too thrilled with my Hammond/Leslie through it... I do usually have to EQ those tracks a bit.

Does it need upgrading? I don't know but I'd like to read an article about what such an upgrade would consist of and what it would supposedly "help" or "fix" in the sound of the unit.

Would I buy another one? If the price was right, sure. I'd really like to get an 8 channel Millennia HV-3D though and I'm saving for that. I record jazz so I need something very clean and accurate. That said, I still want to try a Sebtron on my Hammond/Leslie since I think it needs something a little more colored. Especially the bass rotor. I would love to try a four channel Sebatron... one channel for the bass, two for the upper, and one for the DI.

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