Mic Pre Suggestions: 2 channels for ~$1000

LowG · Post by **LowG** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:58 pm

I currently have a Ramsa WR-S4424 mixer and I like the preamps on it. But I would like to get 2 channels of preamp to augment the setup - but not exactly to complement the setup...

I'm not looking for a clean and accurate opposite of the Ramsa, nor am I looking for a portable 2 channel version of the same sound.

I want a nice, reliable preamp that has mojo and a sweet sound and sounds nice "pushed" (this especially). It will be used on instumental sounds of wide variety from lofi to hifi, but not much on vocals. I do not have a 500series rack.

What is there that I'm not aware of?

New is nice for reliability and audition-a-bility.
Used is nice for obvious reasons, so long as resale value is somewhat reasonable and reliability issues are too.

I have looked (online) at:

Warm Audio WA12
Hamptone
Peavey VMP2 (although prices are all over the place right now)
Groove Tubes "The Brick"
Daking Mic Pre 1 (but I'd have to wait for a pair at nice used prices)
JoeMeek VC1
TableBeast akai (this seems crazy)

There must be many more - please chime in! Even if you don't like them, mabye I would.....

Thanks!

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:38 pm

I would consider some of those options, but while you're at it you might think about getting a lunch box and one pre, and then building from there. I don't have a ton of experience with all those choices, but I feel like a lunch box with one 500 series API, Great River, or Chandler (or Purple, Daking, Brent Averill etc) could be the beginning of something beautiful, and also a single channel you'll never outgrow. After you have the hardware out of the way you can slowly build up several channels as budget allows (or add eq's, comps etc).

I think there is a point in the budget where it's expensive enough that it's better to wait and not cut any corners. You'll always want more great stuff, sometimes you gotta skip a step and shoot for the top.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:53 pm

If you're comfortable soldering, the Seventh Circle Audio stuff is nice.

Nick Sevilla · Post by **Nick Sevilla** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:51 pm

Hi,

I would wait until you can really afford some really great mic preamps.

Get a pair of BAE Neve type preamps, or anything in that flavor.

Especially since you want "character"...

Cheers

PS if you do consider getting into the 500 series, try out the Tonelux ones. They are awesome, and you can dial in character or clean easily.

Mane1234 · Post by **Mane1234** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:52 pm

For 1K you could find some a couple Scully 280 or Yamaha PM 1000 that are racked and ready. I'm totally sold on these for something that has plenty of mojo and sound great when pushed. If you can find the PM 1000 that has the eq modded to Neve frequencies then that's nice as well. Probably not as convenient as the whole lunchbox thing but you won't spend your whole thousand bucks either. The Scullys work very well with ribbon mics too.

hogfish · Post by **hogfish** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 4:03 am

Out of all the ones you have listed, the Hamptones are the best, by far. Use them every day, they stack up to anything. And....... You can buy them New (unbuilt) for less than 1k. Of course if they build them for you, its slightly more, the Dakings are a good choice in that price bracket, but you have to wait for the right price. Dont know what your time frame is........

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 11:58 am

I can speak to the VC1Q and the Brick as being cool, the VC1Q especially in that it has metering, EQ, compressor, phase-revese, phantom power (the oldest Brick does not, I believe).

I use the Brick pretty much just on DI bass, where I love it; I confess to not trying it on too much else altho' it worked fine on mic'd guitar and vox when I did a cuppla times.

The VC1Q is big fun and can be really, nicely abused on mic'd tracks, and the DI works well, also.

Form factor: the VC1Q is a double rack space, ins on the front and back. The Brick is a lunchbox with the ins on the front, and the power switch is inconveniently (with the phase reverse above it) on the back.

I paid in the US$300 area for each, used, offa the eBog.

sfsonarboy · Post by **sfsonarboy** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 1:19 pm

I've seen used Toft ATC-2's for around $700 (http://www.toftaudiodesigns.com/atc2.html). Pre's are solid and nice albeit not as nice as the BAE stuff IMO (and the compressor's nothing to write home about), but the EQ's are rather good.

Leopold · Post by **Leopold** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 3:36 pm

Sytek, 4 channels for under a grand.

Spark · Post by **Spark** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:31 pm

dfuruta wrote:If you're comfortable soldering, the Seventh Circle Audio stuff is nice.

This is what came to mind here as well.

honkyjonk · Post by **honkyjonk** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:05 pm

Here you go. The best thing ever: http://www.audiomaintenance.com/acatalog/kits.html ez1073 kit

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:46 am

I would pick up a 6-space API or Brent Averill lunchbox or this: http://www.baeaudio.com/pages/products/ ... Itemid=265

Then I would either build or pick up (via eBay or whatever) a pair of these: http://www.tapeop.com/reviews/77/vp26-preamp/

I have a single channel that I just used for guitars, bass, and keys on the new Creepoid record. I shot them out along with a Sytek, a pair of Nate Dort racked PM1000s, and 4 channels of Brent Averill 312s. The VP26 is my new favorite preamp. I love this thing. I have 3 kits at the studio to build for me and a friend this winter so that we each have a pair.

They can be clean or blown out. They are stunning. I plan on having 6 channels of CAPI preamps (VP26 and VP28 preamps) with different op-amps as my main shit. You cannot go wrong.

Jeff

LowG · Post by **LowG** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:33 am

Thanks for all the tips. I've followed up on many. It does seem like a 500 series rack opens up a lot of options, I'll keep checking stuff out.

SafeandSoundMastering · Post by **SafeandSoundMastering** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:39 am

I think 2 x Golden Age Pre-73's should fit the bill quite nicely.

SafeandSound Mastering
Online mastering services

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 9:07 am

Those GAP 73's sound a bit dirty and they are thin sounding. Major fix was a Jensen output transformer, that brought the girth back.

One of the better, quieter values out there is the old Studio Technologies Mic PreEminence. Get those for about $300 used. It was used on MJ's Thriller LP. No "mojo" or what ever the hell that is supposed to be but it's clean and clear so it will give back what you feed it. The design was essentially copied by Millenia Media preamps so you can save $$$ and avoid those ugly Burrbrown OPA604 opamps MM use.

Or do the SamAshGuitarCenterSweetwaterMercinaryFullCompass two step and buy and sell preamps for a while. Then you can have a grand old time trying to mix them all together.

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Mic Pre Suggestions: 2 channels for ~$1000

Mic Pre Suggestions: 2 channels for ~$1000

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