What are you comparing it to? I have one before the "Q" (the VC1). I like it on bass direct, don't really like on guitar (but many do), and vocals. I the one I have as a Noise generator called an "enhancer" generating harmonics up above the music it is recording. I used it on Cabasa to great effect, bringing it right up and out where I want it, but it sounds fake and bad on vocals to me. It is "highly colored", especially the compressor section-- maybe the latter is why I didn't like it on guitar.

I have the VC1Qcs and it is a decent unit with the classic Joe Meek compressor which has more value than any other feaure. It is better than the Mackie, but not really worth braggin about. I like using all the features on it dedicated to the snare, but bass and guitar can often fair well with it and hard rock vocals are ok too.

It's not too bad. I like the EQ section and the compressor, although the comp is a little bit tricky to set. It likes to overshoot. I've never found a practical use for the enhancer/de-esser. I think the pre and DI sound descent but lack headroom compared to some of my other pres. I get around the low headroom problem by adjusting the input gain within protools.

Thanks guys!

cheers,

Sammyg

Hello Sammy,

I saw your post on PSX-100 and if that's were you're going, a JoeMeek VC1Q is not gonna do your PSX-100 justice. It's a noisy (needs a lot of gain) unit with it's own character. The enhancer/deesser is really bad. I've had 2 and sold them. Check out TC's Goldchannel!

blp

..pay more, cry once..

the booklet that comes with that preamp boast about its headroom guys.You can really push the meters way over zero.but im kinda a rookie at this so maybe i dont know much

thanks again guys!

sammyg

I have a VC3 (the VC1's little brother) and it's not exceptionally noisy. It sounds great on bass guitar, my Beyer M260DX ribbon mic on many things and a 57 in front of a 4x12.

I also have a Gold Channel and it sounds bland on everything. Never awful and never wonderful, just eh.

Steve, I've the same one (VC3v2)...do you leave the enhancer alone like me, or do you use it?

regards,
Bob

I used the enhancer on a bass track a couple of times. It helped the definition. But usually I find it too noisy and unusable. The VC3q has a 3 band eq, I wish I got that one instead.

Got one, used to be my go to pre/channel until I bought something else :) ...seriously, it is okay but not special, occasionally works great with certain singers on certain mics....I used it on a bass for some live off the floor demo recently and it sounded fine (usually use an Avalon U5, not this time though)...My go to is now a Toft ATC-2 and , to draw a comparison, I recently re-cut a singer I'd previously used the VC1Q on...no contest..I'm buying another ATC-2...and yes, I know there's better pre's, just really like the EQ section on the Toft, and the comp is pretty fair.
Botttom line...there's worse than the Meek, there's better...what a revelation...usually get what you pay for, but in this case Toft isn't much more.

Best of luck with your choice,

BW

you can acess the compressor and eq onlyon the vc1q with another preamp going thru the insert

I found the mic amp not very verstile good for some things like an aggresive vocal (used with the comp) the EQ and the comp is great almost worth the cost of the unit.If I wanted a channel strip with everything Id get The TLA 5052 or save save save and get an Amek

Originally posted by bwindsor:
Got one, used to be my go to pre/channel until I bought something else :) ...seriously, it is okay but not special, occasionally works great with certain singers on certain mics....I used it on a bass for some live off the floor demo recently and it sounded fine (usually use an Avalon U5, not this time though)...My go to is now a Toft ATC-2 and , to draw a comparison, I recently re-cut a singer I'd previously used the VC1Q on...no contest..I'm buying another ATC-2...and yes, I know there's better pre's, just really like the EQ section on the Toft, and the comp is pretty fair.
Botttom line...there's worse than the Meek, there's better...what a revelation...usually get what you pay for, but in this case Toft isn't much more.

Best of luck with your choice,

BW

I also have a VC1Q and am pretty satisfied with it but I've been thinking about getting a Toft ATC-2 as well.I'm really interested in hearing more about the Toft pres.How would you place them in a wide spectrum of pres? How would they compare directly to the pre on the VC1Q?

Thanks
Johnny

I saw your post on PSX-100 and if that's were you're going, a JoeMeek VC1Q is not gonna do your PSX-100 justice. It's a noisy (needs a lot of gain) unit with it's own character.

yes i'd agree
most of my dealings have just about been the same
you have to be careful with input levels and calibration

:p:

Thanks everyone!

On the subject...I just recieved an email from Avalon distributers in Australia, they have come down a fair bit in retail so its more within reach for me now. (but we still get ripped off over here!just not as much now! who said living on a island is fun!

cheers,

sammyg

Fletcher once said the Toft preamps sounded a little like the Grace. But he also said the eq alone was "worth the price of admission".

johnnyrock,

Can only compare the Toft ATC-2 pre's to the VC1Q, TL Audio EQ1 (pre) and the TL Audio 2 Ivory Series (5001) quad tube pre, as that's what I use...something about the Toft just "lifts" the vocals, makes them clearer, stand out more..I've also used it with keys (direct) and it's okay, but as a vocal mic pre it shines compared to everything else I currently have...wouldn't necessarily use it for dirty percussion, but I did use it for toms, and if clarity and punch is what you're after, it's there...I kind of prefer the TLA 5001 in that app, can dial in a little dirt (or overdrive, if you prefer)...anyway, I still use my VC1Q and wouldn't sell it, but the fact I'm buying another ATC-2 should say something (hold the smart comments!)...still going to go for a Drawmer 1969 to round things out, don't know about the pre's, but not really buying it for those (end of year) although I'm convinced they'll be as good or better, and likely very different (which is always good) from what I currently have.

Best luck with your choices,

BW

bwindsor, have you tried the ATC on overhead mics? That's an application I'm looking at it for.

Steve,

I racked my brain this afternoon and honestly can't remember using it on OH's....pretty sure I haven't, but I will over the next couple of days and get back to you...if you don't hear from me next week, stick a friendly reminder here...I can be absent-minded...I normally use a pair of Rode NT5's up top, so that'll probably be the case here...gut feeling is it "should" be great, as the comp is pretty subtle unless you try and drive it hard, and no kidding, the EQ is "all that"...I'd say sweet, but I'm not into "buzz" words :)
Anyway, this is all speculation on my part at this point, I'll check it out and let you know...

BW

Originally posted by sammyg:
Hey all,

Just after an opinion on the Joe Meek VC-1Q,

Cheers

Sammyg

pretty much all said already, I own a VC1Q. I find the preamp pretty good, the DI pretty good as well. Noticably better on solo tracks than your slew of 100$ pres and mackie/roland board pres. The preamp is a motorola low noise opamp pretty much. The EQ I found unusable unless I want to adjust the low frequency shelf a little. The EQ is a standard looking active filter with TL084's I believe, but it's been a while. The Deesser/enhancer I also found unusable.

The compressor I found pretty cool, but not for everything. Note that they don't use conventional control names for their controls and the manual urges the user to tweak things and that all the controls interact with each other. (make up for sloppy design?) It's supposed to be and optocompressor, and I noted the optical element inside the unit. the character of compression is notably different from comparable VCA compressors I have used.

Another note: i think it has like 22dBu of headroom, which is comparable to most cheap mixers. Also note that this bad boy distorts in a horrible way when it runs out of headroom. The VU is nice, but sometimes it's hard to track things with this unit because for things with a lot of dynamic range and fast transients (bass guitar) it might be hard to detect if the thing is peaking or not.

Also note that this bad boy distorts in a horrible way when it runs out of headroom.

Amen to that.