Advice on buying consensor + pre

[Corey Y]

Hey guys, been reading TapeOp and browsing the board for a long time, first time posting.

I'm just getting ready to upgrade my home studio setup. I've primarily been using Shure dynamic mics for my recording for years. Apart from a small budget stereo pair of condensers for drum overheads. I've been using onboard preamps from the digital multitracks I've owned, which I have never really cared for. I have some money set aside for new gear and I'd like to get one or two condenser (or ribbon?) mics and a preamp or two, for electric guitar and vocals. I'll be using these with an AKAI DPS24 MkII digital recorder.

My budget is around $2,000. I've been reading a lot of reviews and it seems like everyone just loves everything, so it's not giving me much guidance. I record with a lot of non master volume tube heads tuned up very loud or high gain amps, loud drummers, etc. Even though I may want to record soft acoustic guitar and violins later, I'm more concerned with stuff that will compliment high volume, high gain sounds.

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

[fossiltooth]

I record with a lot of non master volume tube heads tuned up very loud or high gain amps...

...I'm more concerned with stuff that will compliment high volume, high gain sounds.

Try a dynamic mic.

Seriously though, the AT 4047 is a good, affordable LDC that is well-suited to high-gain guitar sounds. I find it best when used in conjunction with a dynamic mic. I usually choose something with quite a bit of bite, like a 57 to compliment it, as it has tons body.

The 4047 would leave a good amount of budget leftover for a LDC and/or pre that would be better suited for more general purpose recording needs.

The AKG 414 is a good all-purpose mic that does well on electric guitar for certain sounds. I'm not a huge fan of any LDC as the primary mic for saturated guitars, but YMMV. Personally, I wouldn't blow a wad on a condenser if its sole purpose was for recording high-gain guitars. It'll usually end up supporting another mic for me.

Alternately, if you already have a reasonable mic collection you can breathe some life into it by picking up a pair of api 512's or vintech 273's or something. Either would be well within your budget. I tend to prefer cleaner pre's on very saturated guitar tones, and more colored pre's on clean and/or earthy tones... but that's just one man's tastes.

[Corey Y]

The LDC would primarily be for vocals, but i want to add it to the SM57 I use now for some added color with guitar also. I just don't want to get something that's really nice for vocals and destroy it recording high gain guitar tones.

I feel the same about clean preamps for dirty sounds and vice versa, just haven't had a good preamp to get what I desired.

[Corey Y]

To clarify, my budget is $2000 and this is what I'm looking for:

- A good condenser or ribbon mic for recording high gain guitar (probably in conjunction with a dynamic mic)

- A LDC for recording vocals

- A nice clean preamp for warming things up when I record drums and guitar on my digital recorder.

- A preamp for putting some gain/grit on vocals.


If I can do that with one mic and one preamp I will definitely do it, I'd just like to get the most for my money. I know there's a lot of subjective taste involved, but since I have no experience with outboard preamps or condenser mics I figured this would be the best place ask.

[wardshorsehead]

For $2000, given that the DPS has quite usable pres, I would consider the following list:

Great River ME-1NV (single channel) or the Hamptone Jfet (two channels)

That's the first grand spent...and you can go from a hefty clean, to a harmonically saturated thick.

Then an AT 4047 for a LDC - really hard to beat for the money.

And a pair of the Cascade Fat Head II ribbon mics

You should have enough left for enough cables to hook it all up as well.

That's how I'd spend the money, and you'd have some nice stuff that would meet your needs for a long time.

[Corey Y]

Thanks for the suggestions, I've been digging through other threads and other sites/boards as well. I think I've got it narrowed down to:

AT4047

and either the Great River ME-1NV or two of those API 512Cs.

The Universal Audio Solo/610 or 110 sound cool too, so hard to choose.

I may also spring for a stereo pair of those Cascade Fat Head IIs. For that price and all the good things I'm ready about them it seems like too good a deal to pass up.

So basically I've settled on a mic so far, heh. Choices on pres are melting my brain.