What's your budget, and what is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Ang,

budget is up to $2,500. favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla.

i think that thing that i miss most now is a good rich vocal sound. i find that using the 4033 thru the digimax sounds ok at normal singing levels but when our singer starts to increase in volume the sound becomes rather thin. i'm not sure it's entirely the mic pre here (could be the mic, could be the singer's technique as well).

(p.s. vocals I like: pj harvey on latest album, bjork on homogenic and vespertine.)

does that help?
- neil

The Avalon AD2022 happens to be going for around $2500. Does vanilla very well.

There are at least 6 other manufacturers with suitable vanilla pre's in your range. Some have sprinkles, others have m&m's and whipped cream. Try before you buy.

Good luck. :)

Do check out the Buzz MA2.2 before you buy...

http://www.buzzaudio.co.nz

It's about half your stated budget, and is a Class A solid state pre with an open, clear character to its sound that I find very appealing. It's a little sweeter than a "neutral" pre and a little more transparent than a "warm" pre, if that helps. I don't know if I'd call the flavor "vanilla"--maybe more like "kiwi sorbet"--but it definitely ain't Forbidden Chocolate. Seriously, I love mine, and the Buzz guy (Tim Farrant) is great to do business with.

Good luck.

I'll second the Buzz - it continues to astound me the more I use it. Also, if considering it, I would get the Sowter XFRMR's - then you have 2 choices of flavours - chocolate (bal/XFRMR out) or vanilla (ubal/XFRMRless out).

Ditto on Tim - great fella, and he'll honour a 21 day return policy: can't beat that (except for the shipping costs, but I don't think you'll return it!).

YMMV,

Jay
PlugHead Productions

back when the flamingo was cheaper, i was lookin for something versitile, so i called fletcher up and said "hey..."

final recomendation, my purchase, and my deep pleasure to work with:

pendulum MDP 1. it also makes an incredible fuzz box if you wire the out of one pre into the in of another, and crank em.

unlike the flamingo: line and DI in.

it's cool anyway. not that anything crane song isn't.

--o

I looked at both the MDP-1 and the Flamingo also. I opted for the Pendulum (Jensen version) and couldn't be more pleased with it, and my choice. Eventually I'd like to have a Flamingo, it's a serious piece of kit, but the MDP-1 has been awesome for me. I don't think this unit gets talked about nearly enough.

Tim L

I looked at both the MDP-1 and the Flamingo .....

Not sure why this posted twice but please delete this one.

Thanks

Tim L