Can anyone recommend a made-in-usa mic-pre?

subbots · Post by **subbots** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 12:06 pm

I've been using Firepod over the years. Thought it might be good to add a solid tube mic-pre before the firepod... but not sure if it's doable... Is there a good us/europe-made product? Please share your thoughts! Thanx.

HeavyHand · Post by **HeavyHand** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 3:00 pm

a hamptone tube pre should do it. you can save cash if you build it. http://www.hamptone.com/hvtp2_info.html

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:40 pm

Edit: Whoops. missed the "toob" part.

accordion squeezist · Post by **accordion squeezist** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:49 pm

Grace m101

eh91311 · Post by **eh91311** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 8:06 pm

New: Hamptone HVTP2
Used: Peavey VMP-2
Affordable: ElectroHarmonix 12AY7 mic pre

Freakmagnet451 · Post by **Freakmagnet451** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 1:08 am

I really like my HHB Radius 40, made in England. It has a mic pre, compressor and EQ in a 2 rack space box, sounds great since I replaced the Sovtek tubes with some premium NOS tubes. Should be able to pick one up for around $400 on fleabay.

E.Bennett · Post by **E.Bennett** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:41 pm

A friend of mine makes a particularly nice preamp. He builds them right here in the USA. Don't be shy, give him a call. www.audiotechnologies.com. If you want to go vintage, the Altec 438 has a great preamp and varimu compressor in one box.

subbots · Post by **subbots** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 8:54 pm

accordion squeezist wrote:Grace m101

Seems like it's gotten lots of good reviews on the web . Why didn't they make it rack-mountable?!

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 9:12 pm

RM wrote:A friend of mine makes a particularly nice preamp. He builds them right here in the USA. Don't be shy, give him a call. www.audiotechnologies.com.

I was going to recommend that one. It's a totally great pre and kind of a dark horse. Not many people know about them. His compressor is totally fantastic, too.

There's always the Manley Dual Mono. That's a pretty great tube preamp made in California.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

subbots · Post by **subbots** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 11:42 pm

cgarges wrote:
RM wrote:A friend of mine makes a particularly nice preamp. He builds them right here in the USA. Don't be shy, give him a call. www.audiotechnologies.com.
I was going to recommend that one. It's a totally great pre and kind of a dark horse. Not many people know about them. His compressor is totally fantastic, too.

There's always the Manley Dual Mono. That's a pretty great tube preamp made in California.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

Whoa, that looks rad. Do you know how much the TMA2 goes for?

eh91311 · Post by **eh91311** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:23 am

subbots wrote:
cgarges wrote:
RM wrote:A friend of mine makes a particularly nice preamp. He builds them right here in the USA. Don't be shy, give him a call. www.audiotechnologies.com.
I was going to recommend that one. It's a totally great pre and kind of a dark horse. Not many people know about them. His compressor is totally fantastic, too.

There's always the Manley Dual Mono. That's a pretty great tube preamp made in California.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC
Whoa, that looks rad. Do you know how much the TMA2 goes for?

This vendor is selling the TMA 2+ for $2800.

subbots · Post by **subbots** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:29 am

eh91311 wrote:
subbots wrote:
cgarges wrote:
RM wrote:A friend of mine makes a particularly nice preamp. He builds them right here in the USA. Don't be shy, give him a call. www.audiotechnologies.com.
I was going to recommend that one. It's a totally great pre and kind of a dark horse. Not many people know about them. His compressor is totally fantastic, too.

There's always the Manley Dual Mono. That's a pretty great tube preamp made in California.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC
Whoa, that looks rad. Do you know how much the TMA2 goes for?
This vendor is selling the TMA 2+ for $2800.

My budget is barely one fourth of that... How do you compare that with the Manley Dual Mono and the Grace M101?

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:06 am

subbots wrote:My budget is barely one fourth of that... How do you compare that with the Manley Dual Mono and the Grace M101?

I haven't used the Grace M101 (I didn't realize they made any tube equipment), but the TMA is a very hi-fi sort of preamp. It's along the lines of the Tube Tech-- very clean and clear, but a "big" sort of sound. It's VERY different from the Manley, which is also clean and clear, but with a bit more of a "classic" tube preamp sound that doesn't overload as easily as, say, a V72.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:10 am

I haven't used the Grace, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a tube. It also is spoken of as being really fast, clean etc. A lot of people seem to like them.

In my studio I use Sytek, API, Great River, and Chandler pres. I really like all of them. The Sytek's are the cheapest. You can get 4 channels used for six or seven hundred bucks. This is also not tube.

What do you feel a tube pre will help you accomplish that a solid state will not?

E.Bennett · Post by **E.Bennett** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:27 am

The TMA2 has both trim and gain so you can drive the hell out of the input and dial back on the output. At mix, I often use it as a drum parallel (running into the di inputs on the front panel). It distorts really nicely, when abused. I bet you could chat with him regarding budget concerns. He's super cool about accommodating peoples' budgets.

Chris, He just finished a pretty involved tweak on that compressor that turns it into a monster!

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Can anyone recommend a made-in-usa mic-pre?

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