Vintech Dual 72 or Universal Audio 2108 or something else.

[dictaphone]

Here it goes...So I've got an Allen Heath CMC24 console, but no outboard preamps. I can only afford one for now and I want a really good one, with an interesting sound NOT neutral. I'd like two channels. Does anyone have experience with the above models or something else I should look into that I can get for around $1000. Thanks.

[Leopold]

What about the Seventh Cirlcle Audio pres? They make clones of Neve 1272 Api 312 (or is it 512) and even a Jensen based pre. You can start with two of one flavor but then add on others as you see fit, or can afford it.

L

[tactics]

The UA 2108 is pretty sweet. I got one a couple of years ago and just love it.
Drums, bass, guitars all are great through it. I like it on drum overheads with
some AKG 451's

If your doing rock stuff you really cant go wrong with one of these suckers.

[joel hamilton]

The vintech is my favorite 1272-esque pre. I really like it. It is actually just "made with neve 1272 components" and not just a 1272 cranked up to produce a decent amount of gain. It feels like a cross between a 1073 and a "traditional" 1272.

The vintech is much more solid, and snappy than the regular neve 1272, which is just a line amp that people have modded to be mic pre's. I like the vintech, obviously.

[nicksense15]

I like the Vintech as well. Great for chuncky guitars and snares. It has what I would call a thick sound and is built like a tank.

Nick

[Seventh Wave Studio]

I have a Vintech as well. I use it everyday. Kick, snare, guitar, vocals, name it. It sounds great. Turn the output down, great for vocals. Turn it up all the way, it makes kicks and snares sound like they are jumping out of the speakers!

www.seventhwavestudio.com <----looky

[thearnicasync]

I gotta say I love my seventh circle pres.

I've got the 1272 clone and just got the api clone. They're both pretty magical. The API thing just slays on electric guitar snare. The 1272 thng works on just about anything else that I don't prefer "neutral". I can't imagine vocals without it. I mean, sure I can, but it's nice to have around.

kb

[MusicMan]

I have both and I use them both every tiem I record. The 2108 is an amazing pre that is very versatile (IMO - more so than then the Vintech)

so if you are going to only have 1 pre I would vote for the UA 2108 - but you really can't go wrong with either....



Mark.

[Rodgre]

I've been curious about the 2108 as well, ever since I read Larry's review of it in Tape Op.

How would one compare it's tone to a 1073-style pre? If one was looking for a different flavor than, say a Great River MP2-NV, is the 2108 along those lines, or it's own thing?

Roger

[dictaphone]

I've been curious about the 2108 as well, ever since I read Larry's review of it in Tape Op.Roger

I want to shit myself just like Larry.

[Coco]

I liked the 2108 so much I bought two. It rocks on kick, snare, bass amps, ect. It is very good and has a punchy tone perfect for rock. It is no one trick pony though. It sounds great on everything. I have not tried it on vox yet. I have not heard the Vintech but I bet it sounds good too, although I heard it is a bit dark sounding.

[honkyjonk]

I can't speak for the Vintech, but I pretty much adore my 2108.
If you have the tapeop comp, which I still haven't fucking received!!!,every track of the three songs I have on there was the 2108 (All I had at the time)

It's really cool because in addition to the DI's which are nice to have, it has this thing called Z in or Z out or whatever. (I guess it changes the Ohm load on the output, I don't know what it really does) but it changes the tone in a big way. Z in is a brighter sound Z out a darker one.

Definately a good all around choice. It's amazing the amount of things this will work on. It's kind of like a Sytek, in that it works on everything, but in addition to working on everything, it makes everything fucking rock and roll.

By the way, the reason I got this preamp is because it popped up as an alternative when I was looking for my first high quality colored pre. Seventh Circel Audio stopped replying to my emails, and I seriousley emailed like 5 or 6 times after I last heard from them, which was once, after my first email.

Totally not cool. Don't know what was really going on there, but I got kind of an elitist impression of them , and I certainly don't feel too good about getting any kind of help if I were to order a kit, that is if I ever could.

The Hamptone tube pre on the other hand would be another option. That's my other preamp not counting my PM1000 board pres. And it's always kind of a toss up between it and the 2108 for me. I just pick one and go, and it almost always works for the mics I have.

Let's put the hamptone on the snare this time. It always gets me a good sound, it seems like no matter what I put it on. Albiet a different sound than the 2108 (of course) but geeze, most times, for me, it's whatever has the mic cable plugged into it that I'll use. Except I do prefer the hamptone most times for my Vocals. Not that the 2108 wouldn't be good for Vox. It is too.
But anyway, those are two or the most usable pres imo.

Can't comment on the VIntech though.

[honkyjonk]

Hey how many DB's do those Vintechs go up to?

I had heard that is was only 50 or something.
True?

[joel hamilton]

I think it is 50 unless you get the option to make it 70(?). We had a 70 db one, and it fucking got stolen (dont ask) and so now we have a 50 db one or whatever, and it totally kicks ass except with ribbons on quiet sources, but whatever.

[J.B.Horns]

I love my 2108. I have an old 1108 that I had racked up, and I like the 2108 a little better (more detail in the upper mids).

Hey Joel, did you use the Vintech at all on Danny's stuff?

Juan