8CH 1RU Preamps

[JeffreyMajeau]

As I put my mobile rig together, I'm looking for suggestions about a good 8ch 1RU mic pre unit. I have pegged the True Audio unit as a high end option, 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

 

[henryrobinett]

I don't know about the low end of the scale but I think you can't do much better than Millennia's 8 channel HV-3.

 

[AudioGaff]

The True Systems 8-ch is a pretty good unit, and there is the ATI 1-RU 8-Ch pre with limiters & mixer. But I would also prefer the Millennia which is a 2-RU or 8-Ch of John Hardy in 2-RU. Don't limit yourself to options just to squeeze into one rack space.

 

[Davedog]

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.

 

[AudioGaff]

I don't know this first hand, but the consistant scuttle-butt is that the Trues Systems 8-Ch unit is not nearly as good as the P2.

 

[Hawaii]

Maybe you can check the Audient ASP 008

No really expensive

Hope it's help

 

[Kurt Foster]

If you are serious about staying under $1000 I can't really come up with anything... If you want to go a little less than 2K then I like the
[="http://www.jlmaudio.com/8packoftrans.htm"] JLM TMP8[/].

 

[JeffreyMajeau]

I'm leaning heavily towards the Presonus M80. Comes pretty well recommended, and it can be modified later for about $100/channel to sound even better.

Any thoughts?

 

[B3GrooverTheShill]

I have one. I like it. Very clean. What mod are you talking about? Changing the transformers?

 

[lorenzo gerace]

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]

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!

 

[Kurt Foster]

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..

 

[JeffreyMajeau]

$1700 street price for the M80. With the mod on all 8 channels (can do them one at a time if you want) it comes to about $2400.

 

[buddhaman]

2 M80's on ebay right now with BUY IT NOW's of $1300 and $1150........

Buddhaman

 

[CaptainMark]

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

http://www.tfpro.com/products/index.php

 

[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)

 

[JeffreyMajeau]

Isn't Joe Meek now distributed in the US by PMI/Alan Hyatt?

Their stuff's kinda higher end MI-gear, right? You walk into GC and see Joe Meek next to the ART "Tube Pre" with a sign that says "professional equipment" Ha!

 

[CaptainMark]

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]

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.

 

[B3GrooverTheShill]

I got my Presonus M-80 for $900 on ebay. I'll have to look into that mod... that sounds interesting.