Sage vs Hamptone Pre's, Need Help

supersockmonkey · Post by **supersockmonkey** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:37 am

I know this topic was just going on but everytime it gets to the nitty griitty it ends. Anyways i think im leaning towards the Sage pre's right now but would like to hear what people have to say about them, maybe somebody that owned both for comparison. I hear that Sage sounds better but has no DI and i would need to buy two pre's. But i will be willing to pay more for better sound. Right now im running Protool LE though a Digi002r, (borrowed) Ampex 351 i cant get my friend to sell and Tabfunkenwerks DI.

dirty · Post by **dirty** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:01 pm

I'm not much help, because I don't own a Sage.

But...

HAMPTONE RULES!!!!!! Seriously, the JFET is SO awesome. I love this thing. I honestly didn't give a shit about my TO ribbons until I heard em through this. Now they sound sweet!

PT · Post by PT » Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:59 pm

dirty wrote:I'm not much help, because I don't own a Sage.

But...

HAMPTONE RULES!!!!!! Seriously, the JFET is SO awesome. I love this thing. I honestly didn't give a shit about my TO ribbons until I heard em through this. Now they sound sweet!

Hey, did you wire your input transformers to 4:1 or 8:1? I have the TO ribbons, too, and I'm building the JFET now.

It would be awesome if there was a switch for this.

dirty · Post by **dirty** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:16 pm

I went for 8:1 (higher gain). It's not only the hottest preamp I have, it's also still REALLY quiet. Everything else in my chain is noisier. I'd love to have a switch too, but you'll be happy with the 8:1.

Just to be clear, the Hamptone is my only decent outboard pre, so it's not like I'm an expert. But it is cool to spend the money, build the thing, and actually hear a major improvement in the sound of my mics. It's not subtle.

PT · Post by PT » Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:34 pm

dirty wrote:I went for 8:1 (higher gain). It's not only the hottest preamp I have, it's also still REALLY quiet. Everything else in my chain is noisier. I'd love to have a switch too, but you'll be happy with the 8:1.

Just to be clear, the Hamptone is my only decent outboard pre, so it's not like I'm an expert. But it is cool to spend the money, build the thing, and actually hear a major improvement in the sound of my mics. It's not subtle.

I have mine wired 4:1 right now. I seem to remember someone here saying that 4:1 still gives plenty of gain/headroom for ribbon mics. If it doesn't work out, at least I know how to hook it up 8:1.

More on topic...I neither have a Sage pre, nor, technically, a Hamptone yet. But I just could not ignore the millions of positive endorsements on this board or the price. Less than $350 per pre if you build the Hamptone JFET kit.

supersockmonkey · Post by **supersockmonkey** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:58 pm

Man, this is going to be tough. I wish i could hear one. So what made you guys pick the JFET over the Tube, was it the price or sound?

supersockmonkey · Post by **supersockmonkey** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:26 pm

This is a question for Joel if your out there,

I saw that in a past that Phil from Sage posted "We also offer a special order version of the SE-Pre1 with 60 db [or more] gain". Did you do these on yours and do you recomend this?

PT · Post by PT » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:27 pm

supersockmonkey wrote:Man, this is going to be tough. I wish i could hear one. So what made you guys pick the JFET over the Tube, was it the price or sound?

I already have a tube pre, so I wanted to go for something different. I was sold on the JFET because it's supposed to distort in a musical way. The tube pre I currently have, a UA610, is pretty clean-sounding. So I'm looking for a different flavor.

The tube Hamptone kit is only $100 more than the JFET kit, so price is not really a factor between the two for me.

I'm still building this thing, so everything I say has to be taken with a grain of salt. But by the looks of the quality of the components, and just how dialed the Hamptone kit is, I can't imagine this thing is going to sound bad.

Marc Alan Goodman · Post by **Marc Alan Goodman** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:56 pm

Hey Ryan

Joel's mixing right now, but I know the answer to your question so I figured I'd throw it out there. We haven't gotten any of the Sage Pres with the high-gain mod yet, so we have no clue. I'm thinking about ordering a pair this week and I plan on asking Janet about the mod when I speak to her. When I have the skinny I'll post everything i learn.

What I can tell you is that, as listed on their site, the Sage pres seem to be "unclipable by any known source". I'd have to figure that the high gain mod probably changes that part of their structure. What it does to the signal in the lower range I have no idea. Plus, I don't design pres so I could be totally off the mark with that one.

As of right now I've used the sage Pres into my 002R's converters a ton, and I've yet to run into a situation where they had way too little gain. Sometimes (like distant room mics) it can seem a bit low, but recording at 24 bit I had plenty of room to bring it up with a compressor with no noticeable signal loss.

I hope that answers your question! Good luck making the decision. I've yet to try out the Hamptone stuff (everything I try to build seems to end up broken in a pile in my basement....) but I've only heard good things about them as well.

-marc goodman

dirty · Post by **dirty** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:29 pm

I picked the JFET by putting two coins in a hat, shaking it thoroughly, then asking my dog, who rolled his eyes and dozed off.

Anyway, the JFET Hamptone is my first decent pre, so my endorsement of it should NOT be seen as a negative vote for the Sage. I just know I'm really happy with the sound and kind of amazed I didn't fuck up building it.

Also, Marcocet makes a good point about recording in 24 bit and raising levels later. There are other threads on here about that, but it's a very true.

tonebass11211 · Post by **tonebass11211** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:05 pm

Just wanted to say that after using Joel's sages I had to get a pair of my own for when he and Marc are off in distant lands making records.They seriously rule!
Tony Maimone
Studio G Brooklyn

Huntlabs · Post by **Huntlabs** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:20 am

I've got the Hamptone tube pre and I love it. I don't have a ton of pres to compare it too and have never been in the same room as a sage pre.

Does no one own both? Can't someone, for the love of God, tell us how they compare. Oh the Humanity!!!!

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:12 am

C'mon, there is exactly zero chance this guy is going to be disappointed in any of these products...

4:1 is indeed fine for ribbons BTW...

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:33 am

Huntlabs wrote:I've got the Hamptone tube pre and I love it. I don't have a ton of pres to compare it too and have never been in the same room as a sage pre.

Does no one own both? Can't someone, for the love of God, tell us how they compare. Oh the Humanity!!!!

Why would owning both make an opinion MORE valid?

I chose the Sage's rather than the hamptones... I love the Sage mic pre's. That is all.

Either of them would be a great step up from having no mic pre, or low end mic pre's. When I am working in a Neve room, I still bring my Sage's. Everybody that has heard the sage's (including the people that run those aforementioned Neve rooms) always freak out about how good the Sage's sound.

Tony Bought a pair, Marc is buying a pair.... We have a ton of great stuff, and work on a ton more great stuff at other studios.... the sage's are good enough to make Tony and Marc step up and get a pair!!!

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:34 am

Huntlabs wrote:I've got the Hamptone tube pre and I love it. I don't have a ton of pres to compare it too and have never been in the same room as a sage pre.

Does no one own both? Can't someone, for the love of God, tell us how they compare. Oh the Humanity!!!!

Why would owning both make an opinion MORE valid?

I chose the Sage's rather than the hamptones... I love the Sage mic pre's. That is all.

Either of them would be a great step up from having no mic pre, or low end mic pre's. When I am working in a Neve room, I still bring my Sage's. Everybody that has heard the sage's (including the people that run those aforementioned Neve rooms) always freak out about how good the Sage's sound.

Tony Bought a pair, Marc is buying a pair.... We have a ton of great stuff, and work on a ton more great stuff at other studios.... the sage's are good enough to make Tony and Marc step up and get a pair!!!

Message Board