crap

Just like everything else does compared to a Peavey.
Most if not all of their gear is what I would call budget gear.
Low line electronics, budget gear oriented ideas, and not really taken seriously by too many people.
It will at best sound like a Peavey.

VMP2

Thanks for the reply, "its that guy again", but I beg to differ on this one. I don't care for Peavey Products in general either but, have you actually heard a VMP2? I have a VMP2, a Groove Tube Vipre, Api 512s, Langevin DVC, Great River 1nv,, and this thing sounds very decent. Its just that I've never heard a Sebatron and I've heard Kurt mention it, and I was curious if someone had heard BOTH and what their opinion might be. Again, thanks for your reply. Anyone else care to chime in?

peavey

O.k.

the VMP-2 is actually a really nice prem, Peavey or not.
i've only had a chance to use the Sebatron 2000. i liked it. it has a thick rich sound when using it with a rode k2 for vocals. i never used it for anything but vocals though.
same with the peacey. i was actually gonna get a vmp2 with a shure ksm44. when i tracked with that ombo i loved the final produt at mixdown.
take a look at a-designs too.. i love there pres and the new eq

"I have not "actually heard a VMP2". Only because I don't really demo any gear by Peavey any more at this point, nor do I own any."

I actually have both (2 Seb 4 channel pres in fact) - and for those that have not used the Peavey - don't knock what you don't know! - I would say the Seb has a lot more sound options - the eq switches on the Seb seem to have more ability to provide "different" sound than the eq dials do on the Peavey. Having 2 pad settings on the Seb offers more choices than the single pad switch on the Peavey.

However - for some vocalists the Peavey is the better choice (over the Seb) - The Peavey can be warmer and smoother.

I find I use the Seb more for bass di and kick drum mic - the Peavey seems darker to me while the Seb opens up already dark or low sound sources.

All in all - I would not get rid of either.

Dan

While I understand the knee-jerk reaction to the Peavey brand name, the VMP-2 is actually a great sounding preamp - airy with a little tube sparkle on top. Very nice on overhead mics, acoustic guitar and some vocals that are a bit too midrange dense. I use it right alongside Twin Servos and 1272's with great success.

The thing is, yes ... most Peavey gear is at best, marginal in both build quality and sonic performance. But on the other hand, there is still a lot of very old Peavey gear out there still being used. I like their stage speaker systems and power amps .. they perform well and are "roadable". Even the small Peavey PA mixers and processors perform well for small band applications.

But the VMP-2 by "Peavey" is a different story altogether! It, and the Peavey recording boards were built by a totally different company, (AMR) sub contracted by Peavey to design and construct them for sale under the Peavey name. Both these products have gained a very good reputation in the audio community by those who have heard / used them.

I have heard that the overall design of the Peavey VMP-2 and the Sebatron VMP's, have more in common with each other than not ... but I can't say this is the absolute truth.

It would be interesting for some tech type to take a look at them and let us all know what's up ...

Can't say that I'm familiar with the Peavey, never having seen one in the flesh or had the chance to see a schematic, but after a bit of reading around on the web it seems that the Peavey and the Sebatron are VERY different animals in the way they work, (but then again, compared to a mackie pre or an RNP they are quite similar...)
It seems that the Peavey has 3 12AX7 valves per channel, I would guess 2 as the gain stage and one in the active EQ section, plus a 12AT7 as the output driver, pushing signal through an output transformer...
Sebatron has recently put up a page explaining a bit more about the VMP's, and it appears that there is 1 12AT7 providing the gain, passive EQ and a discrete solid state output stage, rather than a tube driving a transformer, which would account for the cleaner sounding signal path...
So basically it seems that the Peavey is more of a classic, old school design, a lot more complicated and hence coloured than the Sebatron. The Sebatron is a much more modern design, using some silicon to give a more open signal path, it seems it is more of a minimal, purist design, where the peavey is quite heavy, in circuitry, weight and colouring of the audio...

I have used the Sebatrons quite a bit, and would have to disagree with people saying they are simply heavily coloured. Any real valve pre is going to have some colour to it, otherwise why would you use it over a solid state pre?
It is about the colour variations possible and the types of colours. I like deep, rich colours, I hate pastels, sometimes I'm partial to flourescents, sometimes black is scary, sometimes it's beautiful.. Some preamps have only one strong colour, or do varying shades of a colour, some are like crystal glass, some just have tints.... Then there are some magical pres that are like good acid... You get lots of colours around the reality that make everything pretty, and even some things you didn't expect, but are grateful for... :D :?
I've had some good trips with sebatrons.... :P