CAPI vp26 and vp28 preamps

[terryb]

I just finished building a couple of vp28s and a vp26. My drum recordings have never sounded better. So thick and hefty. I definitely recommend them.

[jgimbel]

I've been toying with the idea of getting some of these (if they're ever back in stock). Still haven't trouble figuring out what exactly the difference is between the two. I know the VP28 is the VP26 with an extra stage, and that it's supposedly slightly thicker, but I'm still a little unclear on them in general. I've got some open lunchbox spaces, I've been checking for a few months, wish the kits would come back in stock!

[terryb]

The vp28s can be used in both mic and line level modes. A lot of guys over at gearslutz use them on their mixbus and swear by it. Also, the vp28 has an extra output xformer and a hpf section.
I have only had mine up and running for a day, but man, I've never had a pre with such a large sound to it. My kick drum sounded like a beast. I have a session this weekend that I'll be using them on. Stoked.

The kits become available once or twice a month, but they always seem to sell out within 24hrs. He can't keep the Ed Anderson custom transformers in stock.
You can send Jeff an email and he'll add you to the notify list. That's how I scored mine.

I don't think these will be the last ones I buy.

[jgimbel]

Great info, thanks! I watched a video last night with the CAPI guys doing a sample of how the VP28s sound compared to the VP26s, and I did slightly favor the VP28s. I found a couple years ago that transformers cure the "digititis" in a way that I like, often in a way that I used to expect only tubes or tape to do (KM84s and BAE 1073MPF for example). So an extra transformer always sounds good to me.

The HPF seems great too, I've been using HPFs in mixing like crazy for the past couple years and it's been a game changer. The fact that it's variable on this looks even better.

I have a 6-space lunchbox I intended to fill with Lindell 6x-500s, which I have one of now. I saved up enough to fill up the whole thing with Lindells, but they're so hard to come by now, they're out of stock most places and a lot of the next shipments coming in are already spoken for too. The CAPI stuff is the only thing in the same price range that seems as well respected, and I've loved everything I've heard. I also love soldering, though not much experience with something this involved. This might be my solution though.

[elbows]

These things are amazing, no doubt. I've spent some time with a pair of VP28's that one of the guys here at G built. They are super clean with lots of gain. I used an old pair of Oktava dynamics as drum room mics, that, out of any mics I've used in the past, required incredible gain. I cranked both stages of the VP28's (and the HPF) and things really came to life. And on the flipside: lots of room before a loud source like a kick blows out the front end!

[kslight]

I really want to build some of their stuff when I get a minute, but they have possibly the most annoying website in terms of amount of clicks it takes to get what to what you want. It seriously takes no fewer than 10 clicks to get anywhere meaningful...with a well-designed website you should be able to get there in 3 or less clicks. *Pet peeve of mine* Its a bit of a shame when an otherwise cool company is brought down by a botched storefront.

[terryb]

I spent time in a recordng situation today. The band I play drums was doing some serious tracking.
I had vp28 on oh and snare and a vp26 on kick.
My initial impressions are that these are some seriously awesome preamps.
Once I've got a take and initial balance mix, I'll share

[glitchfactor]

One of my favorite pres at the moment. On kick/snare I actually prefer them to my API 3124. I kind of have to use the CAPIs anyway because the output of the 3124 is so hot and i don't have an attenuator. Built in on the CAPI!

[glitchfactor]

One of my favorite pres at the moment. On kick/snare I actually prefer them to my API 3124. I kind of have to use the CAPIs anyway because the output of the 3124 is so hot and i don't have an attenuator. Built in on the CAPI!

[Jeff White]

I bought a VP26 last summer and used it, along with a pair of Nate Dort modified and racked PM-1000s, all over the new Creepoid record (guitars, bass, keys, percussion). I built another 3 this past spring (one for myself and 2 for a buddy that live at my place). One of those 3 has some issues due to a cold solder joint that I need to clean up. Just haven't gotten around to it. They are my favorite preamps, hands down. I was long-term borrowing 4 x BAE 312s for the past 4 years and I'm no longer using them at all. Though I still like the BAE 312s, the VP26 preamps, IMHO, are way more flexible. The 4 x 312s plus a BAE rack cost my buddy over $3K in 2004; I can get a much more flexible setup with 4 x VP26 and my BAE rack as a DIY for like 1/2 of that. Amazing.

I plan on building another pair of VP26 preamps for me this fall/winter and then in 2014 building a pair of VP28s. That'll fill up my lunchbox and give me a front end that is 8 channels of transformer-based preamps plus a Sytek and some other random stuff that comes and goes. Perfect for tracking what I do.

Jeff

[terryb]

I used mine yesterday for drums, guitar, rhodes and voice.
Yowza!
Great sounding pres. LOVE them on drums
Here's the track;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/g4fgzwsil6bj7 ... weaks6.m4a

[Electro-Voice 664]

sounds great Terry

[terryb]

I would say 90% of everything on this album was vp28 and vp26 preamps.

Overhead, kick, snare
And almost all guitar tracks

http://deathonthehighway.bandcamp.com/

[templejazz82]

Now if they could just have the kits in stock!