Skip to main content

Hi,

Does anyone on here have any experience with both of these pres?

How do they compare?

  • symetrix_528.png

Comments

dickiefunk Sun, 08/28/2011 - 00:49

Hi Davedog. Thanks for the reply. So would you say the 528 is a better channel strip? Could you give me more details of your experience with how these channel strips compare? Not sure what you mean by pedrestrian?

How does each of the sections of these channel strips compare (preamp, EQ, Compressor, De-Esser etc)?

moonbaby Mon, 08/29/2011 - 09:01

I'm not sure, but what I THINK he means is that the 528 is a bit more "aggressive" in its' sound. I have owned a couple of 528's, but not the Eureka. I can tell you that the mic pre on the 528 is its' winkest link. There are companies (like Audio Upgrades) that will remedy that for you, though, and Symetrix makes one heavy-duty piece of gear. Keep in mind that the 528 was primarily designed to be used in the broadcast/VO world, where it would be barked into by, say, an RE20 or an SM7.
The Eureka - which Dave gushes over, especially for bass and vocals - probably has more musical "finesse" (lighter-handed compression, softer EQ 'q", etc.) for a stylized vocalist. At least that's my take, YMMV. Also, the Eureka uses a transformer front end, which lends it a certain "color" when "pushed". So, is this for a singer or a speaker....?

Davedog Mon, 08/29/2011 - 19:09

Thanks Moon. Thats exactly what I had in mind.

The 528 is kinda like an old pickup truck. Nuthin fancy but you can haul your girlfriends furniture in it. Its a really 'solid' kinda sound. Not much nuance just gain-n-go. The compressor is better as a limiter for peaks going in. I never once needed the desesser.

The Eureka is much more a musical unit. But you already have one of those. Just get a second one and be done with it. Unless you find another MP-20 you wont find much else in that price range that will be an improvement.

The 528 is different. Not better. I did have a Jim Williams upgrade on one of my 528's and it was significantly better in its depth of field and it kinda cleaned up the 'heaviness' of the sound. FYI.....I used the upgrade mostly as the 'special' vocalist channel in my live rig. Sometimes the little divas wanted something more than the old Yamaha could deliver. It was only a PM1000 after all.