Neve flavor

[cgarges]

I kind of love them all-- Neve, API, Trident, Telefunken, Spectrasonics, etc. They all have their place and given any number of circumstances, can all sound great on anything. I find it comical to suggest that APIs aren't "for bass." They were designed "for everything" and they're great on everything.

(Vintage) Neves and APIs are very different. Both have pleasantries to the bottom end. Neves are big and round and beefy in the bottom end, whereas APIs seem to have more headroom and a bit tighter definition in the bottom, especially on fairly dynamic material. They both sound good, but neither "shines" in the top end the way the a Trident pre or a Sontec EQ does. Neves seem a bit "softer" to me (although they can still be plenty "powerful"-sounding) and APIs are more "forward." I totally attribute these general characteristics mainly to the mid-range qualities of each.

If given a choice of consoles, I would be totally happy with either. I've gotten good mixes quickly out of both, although I have generally been able to get slightly quicker results from APIs and I think it's a sound I "slightly" prefer, in general, probably because my ears have a natural fear of mid-range, so APIs tend to pair well with my tendencies.

Fortunately, I own six channels of each (actual API 512Vs and Brent Averill-racked REAL vintage 1272s). I use them interchangeably for stuff, but I probably use the APIs more frequently for acoustic instruments and the Neves more for electric guitars and stuff. (Of the two, electric bass usually goes through an API unless I want a specific, fuzzy, fat 70s bass sound.)

I have less experience with modern Rupert Neve products, but based on what I've heard and my experience with every Rupert Neve-designed product I've used since the mid-80s (Focusrite, Amek, Rupert Neve Designs), his "modern" stuff is a lot more present and "tighter"-sounding than the 70s stuff. Much more API-like. Maybe a "best of both worlds" in a lot of ways. I've never worked on one, but I imagine the 9098 consoles were probably AWESOME to work on.

Hope this helps.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[digitaldrummer]

there can be so much variation between "how" a bass is recorded that it doesn't surprise me people get different results. Is the bass plugged directly into a 1/4" DI jack on the pre? Or is it through a DI box connected to the mic/XLR input? Or mic'ing a cab?

I have plugged a bass into a DI jack and hated it. Put a DI in front and the sound changes. Maybe good, maybe not. Plug in a different bass, different sound again... plug it into another pre's DI jack and it sounded totally different too just because the impedance match/mismatch of different guitars and DI circuits. I'm sure I'm not alone in that observation. that's one of the reason why I like to have more than one kind of preamp. more choices.

[Recycled_Brains]

there can be so much variation between "how" a bass is recorded that it doesn't surprise me people get different results. Is the bass plugged directly into a 1/4" DI jack on the pre? Or is it through a DI box connected to the mic/XLR input? Or mic'ing a cab?

I have plugged a bass into a DI jack and hated it. Put a DI in front and the sound changes. Maybe good, maybe not. Plug in a different bass, different sound again... plug it into another pre's DI jack and it sounded totally different too just because the impedance match/mismatch of different guitars and DI circuits. I'm sure I'm not alone in that observation. that's one of the reason why I like to have more than one kind of preamp. more choices.

The only DI I've ever used where I felt happy using the track as the main representation of the bass in the mix was through either a Hamptone JFET or the HVTP. Scott nailed it with those. Otherwise, zzzzzzzzz. Sansamp is sometimes cool too.

In my previous post, I'm definitely talking about mic'ing a cab.

[Colorblind]

The only DI I've ever used where I felt happy using the track as the main representation of the bass in the mix was through either a Hamptone JFET or the HVTP. Scott nailed it with those. Otherwise, zzzzzzzzz. Sansamp is sometimes cool too.

In my previous post, I'm definitely talking about mic'ing a cab.

Funny you say that, lately a Hamptone HVTP DI combined with a Sansamp RBI has been my go-to for bass. Those Hamptones are great. Wish I had another.

[frans_13]

On this page here
http://www.jlmaudio.com/Neve%20transformer%20info.htm
Joe Malone goes into details about which input transformers behave Neve-like.

[vvv]

A thread on DI (bass and guitar) by someone who knows what they are talking about would be very cool.

[Recycled_Brains]

The only DI I've ever used where I felt happy using the track as the main representation of the bass in the mix was through either a Hamptone JFET or the HVTP. Scott nailed it with those. Otherwise, zzzzzzzzz. Sansamp is sometimes cool too.

In my previous post, I'm definitely talking about mic'ing a cab.

Funny you say that, lately a Hamptone HVTP DI combined with a Sansamp RBI has been my go-to for bass. Those Hamptones are great. Wish I had another.

I actually just tracked and mixed a 2-song EP for a band using that same exact combo for the bass. It came out awesome. The Hamptone stuff is so top notch. I'm not sure why I don't own more. I have the tube pre and one of his newer 500 series JFET preamps. I've had the HVTP2 since like 2006. It's one of the few pieces I've never even considered selling. My new discovery with it is using it as a line amp for drums when I mix. I wired it via the patchbay to the "through" jacks on my Rupert Neve lunchbox, which feeds the 1/4" inputs (pad in for line). Put that after the other drum processing. Unity gain ends up being around 12:00, or a click or 2 south of that. Sounds great. Just the right amount of extra sauce without being too aggressive.

[Recycled_Brains]

A thread on DI (bass and guitar) by someone who knows what they are talking about would be very cool.

I have a feeling that genre, and more importantly the player are the 2 major factors, then having a good sounding DI. Otherwise it's just plugging into a thing.

[vvv]

A thread on DI (bass and guitar) by someone who knows what they are talking about would be very cool.

I have a feeling that genre, and more importantly the player are the 2 major factors, then having a good sounding DI. Otherwise it's just plugging into a thing.

Did it, me:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=89918