Anything by Doug is OK in my book. That said....

I run my ribbons off of standard preamps (True Systems). I'm recording classical chamber and orchestra and solo/audition music so nothing particularly loud. I have no problem. My gain range for the Royer passive ribbons is about 50-60 dB. In other words a ribbon preamp isn't strictly necessary provided your existing preamp gives you in the 64 dB range. You'd have to look at your spec's to know for sure.

Man you are really stepping up to the plate here and we're really enjoying all the GAS you are passing!

That Fearn looks so nice, I see what you are getting at. I'm all over you for that. Here's what I have and I'm telling you, it is a smoking combo. I've never been more thrilled.

I have 2 Royer 122 and the http://www.mil-medi… Millennia m-2b. The m-2b is so smooth and velvety. This pre is like a silk cloth over HD. http://www.mil-medi…
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I think what ever you choose at this point, you are on the road to love.

Have you entered the ADL 600 contest! That is one stellar pre that would do it for you.

I'd get the mic before exploring new preamps (though a $100 mod would be perfectly reasonable). For most VO work I would think that gain in the 60+dB range would be fine. I'm planning to get something like the AEA TRP at some point, but for now I use the DVC or the FMR RNP/RNC combo where I have a compressor in line that I can use to add a bit of gain if necessary. Not the quietest or most neutral solution, but it works for now.

I have used passive ribbons with true and daking with no issues, however I did find that the active Royer much more appealing for more sources

60dB is cutting close for quiet sources. 65 to 70dB of gain with a input impedance of 1.2k Ohms or higher is enough for a typical ribbon (assuming a typical mic output impedance of 250-300 Ohms) . Really soft sources will require more gain. An electrical guitar cranked to "eleven" will work just fine with 50dB of gain.....

I recently purchased an AEA RPQ but haven't had time to even plug it in yet. I'll report here once I get to check it out.

Jeff

Last week recorded a string quartet with a pair of R101's at about 53dB and the True P2Analog.

The m-2b is velvet. This pre is like sheer silk over HD. It would be stellar for VO. I would definitely see if Joel from Millennia will send you one to try. Stellar.

(PS, sorry for the double topic notifications as I keep logging in as admin.)

I couldn't find this particular preamp, Millennia H-2b. Is it an older model or ti called something else???

strings1, post: 359715 wrote: I couldn't find this particular preamp, Millennia H-2b. Is it an older model or ti called something else???

That's because I'm a bozo and constantly call it an H-2b instead of an http://www.mil-medi… m-2b . They make a hv-3 that is stellar as well, and where I get the H and M always switched around... The m-2b is their tube beauty.