EH's 12AY7

Girl Toes · Post by **Girl Toes** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:01 pm

So, I was using it as a DI, with my bass plugged through in with a quarter inch to xlr, and a straight xlr on the output to my amp. Of similar tube gear I've used, it makes the most obvious difference in tone that I've heard yet. I'm not sure if that makes it better. Also, it is noisy. So, over all, I'd give it a "meh." I returned it.

Skipwave · Post by **Skipwave** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:21 pm

What DI circuit? Something custom or off-the-shelf product?

Also, what other manufacturers' 12AY7s have you tried in this DI?

Girl Toes · Post by **Girl Toes** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:48 pm

I'm sorry, I don't mean the tube itself. I mean their new pre, which they confusingly call 12AY7, making it hard to ustssf.

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:36 pm

The 1/4" out is an IC buffered TRS output for use with host based recording rigs to get around latency problems. Nothing you want to record should ever go through the 1/4" jack. Unless you are using the XLR's only, you are not hearing this pre. There is NO DI function implied for this pre either. This little thing kicks total ass.
It would be like recording the headphone out of a studer 1/2" machine into protools and saying: "meh, the studer was alright, but kind of lofi and shitty."

Misuse of this pre seems to be running rampant. I told them they were gonna have problems with the 1/4" thingy. It has caused more bad reviews of the pre than anything. EVERY time someone uses it properly they are like, "oh, okay... this thing does kind of rock..."

Girl Toes · Post by **Girl Toes** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:40 pm

joel hamilton wrote:The 1/4" out is an IC buffered TRS output for use with host based recording rigs to get around latency problems. Nothing you want to record should ever go through the 1/4" jack. Unless you are using the XLR's only, you are not hearing this pre. There is NO DI function implied for this pre either. This little thing kicks total ass.
It would be like recording the headphone out of a studer 1/2" machine into protools and saying: "meh, the studer was alright, but kind of lofi and shitty."

Misuse of this pre seems to be running rampant. I told them they were gonna have problems with the 1/4" thingy. It has caused more bad reviews of the pre than anything. EVERY time someone uses it properly they are like, "oh, okay... this thing does kind of rock..."

No, I didn't use the quarter inch on the unit. Both input and output were XLR. Wasn't recording with it, playing with it live.

darjama · Post by **darjama** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 7:19 pm

Girl Toes wrote:No, I didn't use the quarter inch on the unit. Both input and output were XLR. Wasn't recording with it, playing with it live.

Yes, but you had a definite impedance mismatch unless you were using a direct box to go into it. a 1/4 to xlr cable isn't enough.

I like mine on most everything I've tried it on, electric guitar cabs, kick & snare (it says it's overdriving, but it still sounds good to me) and vocals.

JohnDavisNYC · Post by **JohnDavisNYC** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:35 pm

the problem is definately not in the produce, it's in completely wrong use of the unit. how is a 1/4" to XLR cable converting your instrument level and impedence to mic level and impedence? this is a MIC PRE AMP. not a Sans Amp bass driver. In order to get an instrument into the 12AY7 pre, you would have to use a DI and use the EH for gain up to line level. If you plugged a mic with an XLR to 1/4" cable into the HI-Z input of an API pre, you probably think it sucked, too. You should try the EH pre as a pre, and then i think your opinion of the unit would change quite a great deal. i've found it to be a pretty amazing preamp for vocals, acoustic guitar, overheads, and room mics. not a fan of tube pres on electric guitar. gets to splatty for me most of the time.

john

darjama · Post by **darjama** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 3:10 am

toaster3000 wrote:not a fan of tube pres on electric guitar. gets to splatty for me most of the time.

john

If you haven't tried it with this pre, it might be worth a shot. Most tube pres throw some transformer iron in the signal, since this one doesn't I don't find it quite as overwarmed.

JohnDavisNYC · Post by **JohnDavisNYC** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 7:27 am

I've tried it, but it just wasn't quite my thing... maybe it was the wrong amp/mic/guitar, but it just seemed 'spitty'... i much prefer the syteks with BBs. but that might just be me.

chris harris · Post by **chris harris** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 7:42 pm

I'd bet that the second biggest cause of confusion re: this pre (behind the 1/4" output) is the fact that it looks like a guitar pedal and comes from a guitar pedal company.

Sounds like that's what caused the confusion here.

I'm dying to try one out.

cashed checks · Post by **cashed checks** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 8:03 pm

enough gain in this puppy for a ribbon mic?

Family Hoof · Post by **Family Hoof** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:00 pm

For most ribbons on most (not so incredibly loud) sources, I would say absolutely not.

JASIII · Post by **JASIII** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:04 am

I have a hard time using it on my TO ribbons. i have the gain cranked and still have to crank the output on the comp to get enough signal to make the needle move much on my tape machine.

sonicanger · Post by **sonicanger** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:13 pm

Just a quick question guys....I was thinking of picking up one of these for use with home recording setup, which i use a MOTU 828MKII in order to record to Cubase. I was thinking that I would use a and XLR to 1/4 inch in order to bring the mic in via one of MKII's inputs. Would this cause the same issue as using the 1/4 output, or would the same unwanted result be occuring? Any input/feedback is greatly appreciated.

darjama · Post by **darjama** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:20 pm

sonicanger wrote:Just a quick question guys....I was thinking of picking up one of these for use with home recording setup, which i use a MOTU 828MKII in order to record to Cubase. I was thinking that I would use a and XLR to 1/4 inch in order to bring the mic in via one of MKII's inputs. Would this cause the same issue as using the 1/4 output, or would the same unwanted result be occuring? Any input/feedback is greatly appreciated.

Yep, that's the way to go, just make sure the cable is balanced XLR to 1/4" trs.

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EH's 12AY7

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