1. How is the UA 2610?
2. What about Sebatron, DW Fern, Neve, API
3. How often do you really need a stereo pre?
4. Am I better served by getting two or three mono pres instead of stereo?

The UA pres are top line. They have been in use for decades and many of the best (IMO) recordings ever produced used them. The new ones are very good replications of the vintage ones.

Sebatrons are (IMO) the best value in the tube pre market in terms of price vs. quality. It just doesn't get any better for less. They sound fhabouloussss!

Neve and API's are both solid state pres ...

How often a stereo pre is needed depends on your work approach .. it's really up to you to decide this one.. How often do you work in stereo? There really is no difference if you get a stereo pre or two individuall channels of alike types. Mic pres are not like compressors where you need to link two together to achive stereo opeation..

Thou the Neve and API are not tube designs, they still are great sounding and have more tube like sound (as in thick and full sounding)that many tube based designs. The UA tube mic pre is very colored and heavy vintage tube sounding which may or not may be a good thing.

To me, the DW Fearn is the holy grail of what a great tube mic pre should be and is what I judge all others too. Presonus shouldn't even be mentioned in the same paragraph as those mentioned above. I have not hear the sebatron and I'm dying to hear the REDD47.

Am I better served by getting two or three mono pres instead of stereo?

As far as a stereo mic pre, I find I do less true stereo recording that needs two of the exact same mic pre as I do just having two often used mic pre's in the same space as one takes. If I didn't have any mic pre's, in most cases I'd rather have 2-mono mic pre's for flavor then one stereo of the same.

Audio Gaff haven't you heard Kurts demo made on the Sebatron preamp

mikE@THECAVE wrote: Audio Gaff haven't you heard Kurts demo made on the Sebatron preamp

No, I have not. I don't listen to MP3 files and I would never bother to do any kind of serious judgement of sonic character with that format. Even if it was in a quality format, it would not serve me as a vaild reference as I need to hear and use it in my own applications and environment. It seems like it is a quality unit sonic and build wise, but that doesn't mean it would be something I would need or want to use since I already own a lot of gear, tube and otherwise.

Looks like the DW Fearn is over your budget at $2400 for a single channel and $3800 for two. It would be sweet, though.

(dead link removed)