SM-7B and LA-610

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digitaldrummer
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SM-7B and LA-610

Post by digitaldrummer » Wed Mar 22, 2023 7:44 am

anyone else ever try this combo? I use it quite a bit and 8.5/10 vocalists simply sound great with it. Preamp is the original (silver) UA LA-610 (aka MK1). Input gain on +10, mic pre level on about 7, mic impedance at 2K, EQ flat, Peak reduction about 3.5, and make-up gain around 7.
Singers that I don't actually expect to sound that good, sound really good! anyway, I'm always kind of amazed by this chain. if you got the parts, try it some time.

(btw, I've tried the same with an Avalon VT-737SP and I didn't like it nearly as much, but maybe just haven't found the right settings yet)
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joninc
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Re: SM-7B and LA-610

Post by joninc » Fri Mar 24, 2023 5:15 pm

the 610 preamp with sm7 is a great combo. i have a solo 610 and use it with sm7 and in my opinion is an extremely underated mic pre. I use it and my great river on nearly all my lead vocals (and i have some other really nice choices - capi heider, chandler tg2 and germ - silver bullet, electrodyne 501).

it's very smooooth and not too dark - killer also with 414, u87, coles, akg 460 ...

although interestingly i have 2 solo 610s and one is noticeably more rolled off in the top end (this one i don't use for lead vocals). i assumed it was different tubes - which they are - but when swapped the 2 different pres retained their characteristics. I noticed on the circuit board that they are different revisions... so there are a few different versions floating around that sound different!
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Re: SM-7B and LA-610

Post by joninc » Fri Mar 24, 2023 6:28 pm

meant to add that i read years ago that ethan johns used that same combo a lot on ryan adams' early stuff.
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digitaldrummer
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Re: SM-7B and LA-610

Post by digitaldrummer » Sat Mar 25, 2023 6:37 am

I agree with the AKG 414 and the LA610. another great sounding (and again underrated) combo.
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Re: SM-7B and LA-610

Post by emrr » Sun Mar 26, 2023 5:33 am

In my heavy SM-7 era I always had it hitting a Gates SA series octal tube program amp with 70dB available. That mic really seems to work on more random people than most, and older style tube gain always complements it. Certainly wouldn’t be the same into a Sytek.
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Re: SM-7B and LA-610

Post by biasvoltage » Sat Apr 01, 2023 9:21 pm

I've done a bunch of vocals with that combination. Sold my LA-610 when I built my first "real" LA-2A but keep thinking about how easy it was to get a great sound with it.

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