Anyone using a Joe Meek VCQ-1cs w/VC1QD 24bit card?

[picturemaker]

I have been searching for a "nicer" Mic Pre and compressor to use as a front end to the Digi 001. I would like to have a discrete solid state mic pre with very little coloration to be used on a variety of source material. I have been very impressed by the FMR Audio RNC compressor and have heard a Mic Pre is in the works but I have no idea when that might be available. I would like to fit the bill for under $1000. My search has recently led me to look at this Joe Meek unit which when combined with their external digital output card could bypass the entire front end to the Digi 001 for under $1000. That would eliminate the need of buying better converters as well. Anyone out there have any knowledge or experience with this combination. I have read nice things about the VCQ-1cs but I have never gotten my hands on one. If this is a nice sounding Mic Pre, it sounds like an excellent solution to the mediocre front end on the Digi 001.

 

[anonymous]

Transparency is not a word usually associated with Joe Meek products. On the other hand, Grace and transparency are almost synonymous - which means you can pick up a Grace 101 preamp plus the RNC for way under the $1000 you've budgeted and have the transparency you desire with a few hundred left over towards your next purchase.

 

[Kirk Candlish]

I have the VC1Qs and it's a great pre, but coloration is it's forte'. It also has it's own compression amongst other features. You could of course leave it's compression out and use an RNC, it would sound very different from the built in. The digital output is nice.

Contrary to Littledog's opinion, I don't think the entry level Grace lives up to the family sound, it's quite different in my opinion. Of course this is all subjective.

You should definetly listen to both of these pres though, even if they don't fit your immediate needs, they are both very good.

 

[anonymous]

Thanks for the warning about the Grace, Kirk. I admit, I never actually used the 101 - but it looks so much like the 201 and 801, I just assumed it would sound similar as well. I guess I should have known, since it is well less than half the price of a 201, that it was something less than just one channel from a 201.

But I would still guess - given his price range and aversion to coloration - that the Grace 101/RNC combination might still be more suitable than the Meek.

 

[picturemaker]

Thank you for your response. I would like to know what you think of the Digital Output card. Can you compare the converters to something like the RME. I think this might be a good solution for the mediocre Digi 001 front end despite the coloration of the Joe Meek mic pre. Also, I have never used a compressor like the one in the VCQ-1. It may do the job quite nicely from the descriptions I have read. What's is your overall opinion of the unit as a front end for Digi 001. That is really my main goal here. Better mic pre, nice compression, better AD conversion. Thanks in advance.

 

[Kev]

The RNC is great and even better for the money.
The Joe Meek VC1Qcs is great and well worth the money. - I don't have the spdf add on.

I don't have a Grace 101 but have done a surface for some specs. As fas as I can see it does not have an insert point.

So if the object is to get into the 001 and bypass the converters you are planing to use the spdf. You can not use the G 101 and the RNC together and still go spdf.

This is why I think a stand alone converter is a better idea. In years to come the converter with the Joe Meek or the Grace could be obsolete but the analog stages will still be worth using. Also none of these units have WORD CLOCK so it will become harder to use them in digital mode as your studio grows with more digital gear.

Buy some new Mic's and Mic-pre's and put up with the 001's converters and in a few years you will upgrade to better converters anyway.