Two Channel Pre-Amp ($200-$400)

BabelAudio · Post by **BabelAudio** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:56 pm

I am looking for a good two channel pre-amp in this price range, my requirements are transparent and low noise floor, and it is for use with a portable flash recorder, to upgrade from the built in pre-amps in those and other soundcards in the $250-$500 price range.

Any suggestions?

Paul.

BabelAudio · Post by **BabelAudio** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:59 pm

And I'll be using it with a matched pair of Peluso CEMC-6's, a Shure SM 58, a Rode NT3 and (hopefully soonish) an AKG D112.

Thanks.

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:13 am

Search the board....

.... this is a "should be stickied" topic:

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=30676

E.Bennett · Post by **E.Bennett** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:59 am

i would look into the maudio dmp3 or a used studio technologies mic preeminence. both are pretty clean with oodles of gain. they both have phantom and polarity reverse, but the dmp3 has a low cut. good luck.

pandatone · Post by **pandatone** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:56 am

i'm sure its not super transparent.
but isn't the presonous m20 dual channel? with the burr brown upgrade might get you to what you want. at that price point. then later you can add some trannies for some personality. if you want.

panda

ps. re:sticky: yeah, mono and dual channel pre-amps below 400-500$ should be a sticky. either i am here to to much, or this question has come up a lot recently.

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:55 am

The RNP would be great as well- I've used it for location recording gigs, and it's been working out well. I wouldn't worry about the noise floor unless you're using ribbons or large diaphragm dynamics- and even then, only when the gain is over 60dB (and it's not even that bad).

And, it's a nice portable 1 space half rack.

asmara · Post by **asmara** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:06 am

I 2nd the RNP. The downside is a wall wart power adapter. (no on/off switch too)

beauarts · Post by **beauarts** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:21 pm

I have a Rane DMS22. It's a 2 channel pre/eq unit. The pre is based on the ms1. I use it mostly for live sound but when they're up on ebay, they sell for $100-150.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:23 pm

The ART TPS2 is useable, and also at that price point you might consider a used mixer (I bought an old-school Mackie 1202 for about US$200 a couple years ago.)

BabelAudio · Post by **BabelAudio** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:20 pm

vvv wrote:The ART TPS2 is useable, and also at that price point you might consider a used mixer (I bought an old-school Mackie 1202 for about US$200 a couple years ago.)

Actually, I have here a Tascam M-08, I could use that I suppose.
Funnily, I think the Tascam is modeled on the Mackie 1202 - it looks very similar, just has a few less features - also, according to the specs, it has a higher noise floor - if I was recording tracks/bands/songwriters, the noise floor wouldn't bother me at all, but for sampling acoustic instruments I am trying to absolutely minimize noise at all points in the chain.

Also, the sound card I am getting, the Konnekt 24D from TC Electronics, runs in standalone mode - giving me pretty high quality pres and apparently very high quality A/D conversion - I can then go from its digital out into something like the m-audio microtrack's digital in - gaining the sound quality of the konnekt pres and A/D conversion, but still using the microtrack instead of a laptop for less hassle.

Anyway, I guess with the Tascam M-08 and the Konnekt, I already have a good selection of mid-range pres I can expand on later.

What would be even more interesting is if I could do some simple mods to the M-08 to bring down the noise floor.

Ryan Silva · Post by **Ryan Silva** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:42 am

kayagum wrote:Search the board....

.... this is a "should be stickied" topic:

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=30676

I agree that this question gets asked alot, but there is new gear released and discontinued every day, not to mention price changes. Didn't mean to pick on anyone really, its just a subject that needs revision every so often. So I belive these kinnda posts should never become stickys. I mean I dont want to browse through a list of 2 year old price points.

Anyhow

Focusrite TT are pretty good for the recently lowered price of 400 street.

operator_tape · Post by **operator_tape** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:10 pm

I will sell you my dmp3 for 150$ p.m. if interested.

bantam · Post by **bantam** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 9:51 pm

store bought there are only a few real choices...

rnp and 12ay7 are a couple.

with a little diy spirit and a soldering iron...

yamaha pm1000 rack strips (discrete , no chips)
jlm audio baby animals (cheap and amazing)

ubertar · Post by **ubertar** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 5:02 am

I have an ATI M1000-1 to sell... I have 4 right now and want to sell 2. These things have plenty of clean gain. Transformer balanced I/O, two channels. They go new for $432 at full compass (list price $449).

I like these a lot and use them often. I just don't need four of them. PM me if you're interested.

valverec · Post by **valverec** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:14 am

pandatone wrote:i'm sure its not super transparent.
but isn't the presonous m20 dual channel? with the burr brown upgrade might get you to what you want. at that price point. then later you can add some trannies for some personality. if you want.

I'd give a thumbs up to that choice. The MP20 is fantastic sounding for the price. If you can find a racked pair of PM1000 preamps that would honestly be the best choice. I bet you could find a pair for under 400 racked, and you would be getting some great discrete mic amps and halfway decent inductor based eq as well. It's usually not that easy to find them already racked though. It's certainly worth the effort if you have any interest in DIY to rack them yourself. There's a lot of info out on the net on how to do it.

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Two Channel Pre-Amp ($200-$400)

Two Channel Pre-Amp ($200-$400)

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