Stuffed SCA rack or both hamptones + ???

[0-it-hz]

Hey all, hope this is more "geartalk" than "DIY".

I'm nuts for the whole pre-amp kit thing. Super nuts. I really need some pre-amps, I have a quartet of the fivefish pre-amps which are neutral and simple. Looking for some usable color for recording rock/experimental music and some live recording.

My current favorites:

seventh circle kits
4x API
2x Neve
2x Jensen
$3000

OR OR OR

Hamptone tube
Hamptone JFET
And maybe a used API 3124 but proabably a sytek mp4aii
$2600 - $3800


So, apart from cost constraints which do we think is the most usable/practical combo? I would like to look at kits mostly because I'm just really enjoying the process right now.

Ok.........go!

[hopeless_opus]

I have the Hamptone JFET and love it, but I don't think you can lose any which way you decide to go. The SCA stuff looks sweet.

FWIW, I've heard that the JLM Baby Animal kits are great as well.

[inverseroom]

I have both Hamptones and had 4 baby animals for a while. BA's are clean and nice, but the Hamptones have staying power. All the important things go through them--acoustic guitar, vocals, bass. They're the centerpieces of my home studio. They have A SOUND.

SCA I have not tried, though.

[evilaudio]

I have (4) A12 and (4) N72 and love love love 'em!!! Just like what inverseroom said about the hamptones (which i want to get next!). Very enjoyable builds and very rewarding in use.

[honkyjonk]

Option 1 is cheaper and takes up less space. One thing that bugs me about the Hamptones is that they aren't in a rack case. I did like the tube hamptone that I used to have quite a bit, but I liked my N72's and A12's better. Haven't tried the FET.

[BENDYmusic]

Hamptones all the way. You can screw a pair of them into a racktray if you really need them bolted down, but I like the portability. I have both the Tube and the JFET, and I use the JFET the most, its my go-to and I have lots of choices. You might also consider an API lunchbox, lots of options plus you can expand it as you go.

&e

[kayagum]

You may want to consider the API lunchbox option- there seems to be an explosion of modules by third party builders- just look at the current issue of TapeOp for starters. Also Mercenary and Atlas Pro Audio sell a bunch of these models.

[Recycled_Brains]

I'm debating the SCA v. Hamptone thing for my next purchase as well.

I already own the tube Hamptone (pre-assembled) and love it, so I'm really considering the JFET to compliment it. Like Inverseroom said, all my critical tracks go through it (along with my TAB V78).

2 things that keep me considering the SCA kits, is that (1) it's 8 channels in 2 rack spaces, and (2) that you can mix and match for a killer mix of different sounding preamps. I feel like I could have a 6 space rack w/ my 002 rack, some SCA pres, my TAB V78 and my Distressor, to take anywhere and record.

Then again, I'm also considering just getting a Sytek and using the extra scratch to keep saving for that elusive 4038 that I hope to own someday. .

[llmonty]

I don't think you can really go wrong here. Maybe you can consider a hybrid approach and get at least the 2 channel JFET and then the other kit route. I love my JFET and is has gobs of color to it. It is really big sounding with lots of gain -- can be pretty clean, but can also be crazy distorted if needed.

For portable stuff, which I have been doing alot of lately, I can bring this for overdubs and that's really all I need. Depending on what is recording, and how many channels I need, I might also bring an Ampex 601, and a LA-4 (covers vocals, stereo, instrument DIs). super compact with a laptop and mboxpro2.

The JFET is just so versatile. The other pres might be able to give you other flavors more on the clean side that will be compact for lots of channels.

[ulriggribbons]

Check out the JLM audio offerings as well. I've got a two channel 99V that I really dig.

jon

[segaface]

I don't think you can really go wrong here.

[fiddler59]

I have the Hamptone tube and the jfet as well...in combo with a sebatron VMP-4000e. I love them all !!! I have bought and sold a lot of gear but these three units are keepers for me ...

David B

[TV Lenny]

I think both are a great option too. I have several of the SCA's and totally love them all!! I hope to build a Hamptone too at some point as I've heard their excellent as well.

Personally, I would go with the SCA only because it gives you a larger variety of color to choose from.

Tom

[David_Kessler]

I have an SCA rack w/2xJ99's, 2xN72's, and 4A12's. Really great sounding versatile pre's. Just picked up a Neotek and these need to go. All built by Tim at SCA. Looking for $3500 plus shipping.

[losthighway]

Every time someone gets me excited about getting a lunchbox and starting a 500 series collection, I crunch the numbers and feel like I should just get and API 3124. It's a little more cost effective, but then you don't have the infrastructure to add awesome stuff by Empirical Labs, Great River, Shinybox etc.

At least it will be a long time before I have the $2,000 or so, necessary for the project so I have a long time to think about it.

The way I think of it now- a solid project studio can make really pro sounding stuff with a 4xpre unit or two (sytek, api 3124, SCA) and one real 'character pre'. Hamptone tube, JFET, or Great River, or Chandler Germanium.