hi everybody ! (i hope my english is understandable ! :p )
for now i am running my synths' outputs (waldorf microwave II, Korg prophecy, roland mks-50 and kurzweil micropiano) through a Mackie 1402 mixer to record them in Pro Tools (888/24 as a/d).
in order to improve the overall quality of my sound, i am looking for a new way to get my synths' sounds.
i also need to record voices, acoustic guitars or noises, so i need a mic-line preamp.
i am ready to test every kind of preamp, but would need some starting advices... (the primary reason is that certain devices are available only in the USA, i will so have to pay big postal charges for every "exotic preamp" -i live in france- that i will want to test )
as an example, i have been told the brent averill's 1272 and 1073 neve-like are very good, as well as the Vintech audio 1272-like... but i don't know where to start as there are so many different preamps !
as i have a non-stretchable budget, i prefer to have a hi-quality 2 channel preamp instead of a mid-quality 8 channel one.
as for my tastes, i am certainly very impressed by some old recordings (like the Miles Davis Kind Of Blue's last re-issue for example) and their unbelievable sound but i am also (and especially as i have a computer-oriented setup) into extensive sound processing mixed with real sounds. what impresses me most is Nine Inch Nails and its highly-contrasted audio landscapes (and i think that the last Dr Dre is huge ! ).
voila...
(i am planning to test about 5 different preamps,i hope this will be enough)
Any help would be appreciated !
Comments
If you're looking for an all around package- I'd suggest the Ava
If you're looking for an all around package- I'd suggest the Avalon vt737sp. You get Mic, Line, & Hi-Z (instrument) inputs. You also get an EQ, 48v, Compressor, Filter, etc. They are very versatile & you can achieve a warm, 'Kind of Blue' sound. A cheaper alternative is the Behringer Ultragain (tube version), which I endorse. The eq on it kinda sucks, put I a/b'ed the preamp on it against several others (1073, Board ssl 9k, 8k, 4k, Neve Vr, Focusrite) & it held up very good. For pro tools, my fav is the studer valve which has a dig output.
E-cue
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thank you for your replies ! i have only the 888/24 as a conver
thank you for your replies !
i have only the 888/24 as a converter, no ext better clock...but i am on the point to try the RME ADI8 or ADI8-S, as i have read good things about it. maybe it's the other 50 % ! i have heard good things about cranesong's products too.
i didn't know the 1272 were talkback mic preamps, but since there seem to be a lot of people using it, i think i will still have to listen to them.
anyway, i should listen both to preamps and converters.
again, thank you all for your replies !
Hi ex-bo, Before you go plunking down 41.000 Franks on pre's, I
Hi ex-bo,
Before you go plunking down 41.000 Franks on pre's, I'd like to ask you about your converter. Do you have it slaved to an external (better) clock? Or have access to a better ADC? If not, then you will not be getting the full benefit from whichever pre you pick. You might even be happier with the sound of your keyboards thru the makee pre's, if they're not slurred by the relatively sloppy sound of the 888.
I'm not saying that getting an excellent set of pre's isn't a great idea. I'm actually delighted to see someone figuring out the wisdom in this path on their own. But I have to let you know that it may only be 50% of the picture.
With that in mind, perhaps some 2 channel mic pre+ADC combinations are worth a look. Using an external clock to slave everyone together, and still feeding the 888, but via AES instead of analog.
Hope that helps,