suggest a mic pre in the $600 range

[the brill bedroom]

As much as i'd love something like the Universal Audio beastie or a Neve portico, I got this here baby on the way and can't really spend that much dough. Right now I've got a Joe Meek British Channel with an EQ and a compressor and i do like it quite a lot. Are there any mic pres in the 5- $600 range that you all would recommed as a step up or am I pretty much going to stay in the same quality range of the Joe Meek unless I spend over a grand? I borrowed this Drawmer 1960 for a while and I could really notice the difference in fidelity.

What do you think, wise people of tape op? I'd appreciate your advice.

[the brill bedroom]

Oh yeah, perhaps I should mention that this is for my home studio where I only do overdubs and almost never more than one instrument at a time so i really just need one channel. i keep looking at the UA m-610 (only a few hundred dollars more than i want to spend if I can find one used), but I have to wonder if the pount of buying a UA mic pre is to use it in combinaton with their compressors and that to just get the simplified pre section is rather missing the point.

[MikeCzech]

OK, I'm sure a lot of people will disagree, but the first preamp I spent $600 was my focusrite twin trak. It's not my favorite pre, but I still use it all the time. There's no character to it - well, unless you use the compressor which actually does quite a nice job for what it is.. Oh, but never clip the pre, it's an ugly sucker when it max's out..

Lately I've been enjoying the seventh circle kits, and they freaking rock, but they're not a plug and play kind of purchase, and there's no bells or whistles, just kick ass pre's.

Oh.. Come to think of it, I have a recording of a dude I did almost entirely on that focustite if you wanna hear it, it's not too bad.. Let me know if you want to hear it.

Only think I was unhappy with was the the compressor on the vocals.

[theenvycorps]

I can not say enough good things about the Safe Sound P1. It is really netural, but does so many things so well. I use mine everywhere, love it for bass especially.

I got mine from Front End Audio and couldn't be happier.

[meblumen]

Syteks.

I know u only want to spend $600 but for maybe $100 more you could get one used. Get's you 4 channels, probably have burr browns on 3 and 4 which will give u 2 different flavors.Ultimately its the best bang for you buck for pres under a grand IMHO.

[MikeCzech]

Although if you're thinking about the 610, scratch that post about the focusrites, I've been wanting a 610 for a while.

I own the syteks as well, and I'll second that, but they're about $900..

I can't tell you about the 610 personally, but I picked up the 2-1176 and HOLY CRAP!!! I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I have a friend who swears by the UA 2108 pre's and he uses them without a UA compressor. I understand they are a preamp based on the makeup gain of the 1176, not sure though.. Oh well, I'm sure if you bought a 610 you wouldn't be disapointed, even if it weren't what you expected..

[TapeOpLarry]

Hamptone kits. www.hamptone.com Learn while you build and save dough. Seventh Circle too. Too lazy (unskilled?) to buid? FMR RNP. $500, 2 ch.

The 610 is damn nice too though, but for the same price you could have 2 channels of Hamptone...

[heylow]

Count me in on the Hamptone suggestion....awesome units all the way around and you're supporting a great guy/company in the process.

When I had about the same to spend, that's what I bought.....twice.


heylow

[thearnicasync]

I just put together the hamptone jfet, and it was easiest kit I've ever built. A decent soldering iron, and your good to go. Single sided boards, so pulling components is easy if you make a mistake. Easy construction and integration into box. Cripes, Scott even gives you all the hookup wire!!!

It sounds fantastic. If you can somehow spring for the tube kit, it sounds incredible. It IS high voltage though, so it's hard to recommend that to a newbie...you can die (or at least get thrown across the room like me) building it. Such a big, even, yet somehow colored sound!

Seriously, if you put together any plastic models when you were a kid...

And there are people online to help you if you get into a pinch. Ya know, the people who have already built it. Heck, I live in Portland and I'd be happy to build it for you and send it to you. Seriously. It's fun building these kits, and you can do the jfet in a weekend easy.

do it!

[darjama]

speck micpre 5.0. Nice big 3d sound, lots of gain, and switchable transformer out. I've picked up 2 used for under $600 each, but they're selling a demo on their site now for $670:

http://www.speck.com/used_2.shtml

[the brill bedroom]

Keep 'em coming. These are all suggestions I hadn't considered (although i've heard enough good things about the RNP over the years). Here's a super open ended question: what's the big difference between a $400- 800 mic pre and the $1,500 range? does it all come down to transformers and tubes or what? I kind of fear that I already have a decent cheapo mic pre with the Joe Meek and if i get something that's in the same area, I'll be dissapointed. Like I said, when I borrowed that Drawmer, i completely understood why I need a better pre for vocals.

[lobstman]

I was going to suggest the Sytek, but a 4 banger sounds like overkill for your needs. However, I would recommend getting at least two channels because even tracking one source at a time you'll still want to multimic from time to time (guitar amps especially). I've never heard the RNP or most of the other pres mentioned in this thread, unfortunately.

[JES]

I'm real happy with my RNP, which comes in under $500. You could also probably score a used Peavey VMP-2 for about $650, which is a nice tube option if you're looking for tube and transformer color. You haven't said that much about application, though so it's a guess.

The difference between a the $400-$800 and the $1500 is of course a lot about taste, though more "industry standards" come in the higher range.

--JES

[joel hamilton]

Keep 'em coming. These are all suggestions I hadn't considered (although i've heard enough good things about the RNP over the years). Here's a super open ended question: what's the big difference between a $400- 800 mic pre and the $1,500 range? does it all come down to transformers and tubes or what? I kind of fear that I already have a decent cheapo mic pre with the Joe Meek and if i get something that's in the same area, I'll be dissapointed. Like I said, when I borrowed that Drawmer, i completely understood why I need a better pre for vocals.

Ready for an unpopular suggestion?

An Electro Harmonix EH12AY7 mic pre.

the 600 dollar range is dangerous.

There are a ton of classic, great, popular, great SOUNDING mic pre's in the 850 and up range.

I personally would get the EH pre, and then put the rest of the money in a shoebox.

I know this is going to be "popular."

ACTUALLY,
The only pre in that range that I have really loved, and own two of, is the sage electronics SE-1 Class A mic pre. Check THAT out. 679 CDN, so I dunno what the exchange rate is right now... but it gets close to 600 i think...
TOTALLY amazing mic pre's, I use them on every session, and the company might seriously be the nicest people EVER.

Check them out.

[Dot]

I think the $500-$700 mid-level range is a good place to waste your money on mic preamps - and especially channel strips in that price range.

I wrote a rant, Don't waste your $ on "mid-level" mic pres and channel strips.