Any Recommendations on a Mic PRE?

[dardo]

I'll be hard disk recording. I am starting to invest in outboard gear and I'm unemployed currently (if you know what i mean$).

Can anyone recommend a tube mic pre (at least 2 chnls) under $300 or so?

I appreciate your advice.

[@?,*???&?]

You should save your money doing gigs with what's onboard your system and then later spring for some API312 preamps once you book enough of your studio time to pay for it. Unless you don't plan on making any money recording.

[tiger vomitt]

the ART TPS does the job pretty well, i think it's about $180. API it's not Jeff seems to like only the fancy stuff haha. i think ART makes a more expensive toob pre that might be cool too, i havent used it myself tho.

[dardo]

cool...i was actually looking at the TPS.

jeff: where can i buy or read more info about the API 312?

thanks!

[BobG]

For that price range you are most likely looking at something by PreSonus, ART, or Behringer, or....

Focusrite makes some (Platinum Range) mono units selling at about $399 that include compression, EQ. etc. but arent tube. They may have tube emulation.

The Focusrite (Platinum Range) Twin Track Pro is new and around $500+ and gives you 2 channels with the ability to add digital.

Kinda makes sense to save the $300 and buy something a little better.

However, we american capitalists have been taught to spend that dough as quickly and frivously as possible.

[@?,*???&?]

www.apiaudio.com

www.vintageking.com

[inverseroom]

Get the ART Pro MPA used for $300. I love mine, it sounds much better than the TPS (which I assume is the same technology of the Tube MP?). It is the mic pre companion to the much-loved Pro VLA. I use it with an Akai DPS16 DAW.

[jajjguy]

I had an ART TubeMP, and it was no good, i preferred the pres on my Mackie 1202. Maybe their other stuff is better, dunno.

Maybe you have a good reason for wanting a tube preamp, but if you just want a good inexpensive preamp to replace whatever crappy built-in preamps you have now, i can recommend Symetrix' 2-channel pre, well within your budget.

[cgarges]

You'll get the best prices and service on new API stuff through Studio Tech Supply in Texas. Call them and talk to Barbara or AL. Check out the 512C. They carry it new for just a few bucks more than the Averill-modded 312s. If you haven't used the API stuff, then you have no idea what Jeff it talking about AND you're missing out, big time! If you're unemployed, however, I don't know that buying mic preamps should be a priority. I say that because buying CHEAP mic preamps should NEVER be a priority.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[dardo]

thank you all for your advice! i think i will check out the API stuff.

chris: does Studio Tech Supply in Texas have a website or do you know what city?

[dardo]

found it.....

http://www.studiotechsupply.com/

[ahmedgarcia]

Yea, Al is a real nice guy. I just purchased a dual rack hard drive hotswap from them. I could not have asked for any better service.

or

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=23793

[scotsman]

BTW--Studio Tech supply is great and Al and Barbara are nice, but they are by no means the only good API dealer. Pro Audio Design in Massachusetts has been a dealer of API for longer, they have really competitive prices, and, unlike Studio Tech, has a large tech shop to support warranty and repair everything they sell, new or used.

PAD sells more API probably than anyone. There's a great sale going on now on API lunchboxes, but it ends today.

But why are we talking API when the original post was for something under $300.? There's nothing API has ever made that comes close to $300. Even if it's broken it will be more than that.

There are no truly professional quality pres in that range. I'd reccommend getting a Mackie 1202 VLZ. It has 4 mic-pres that are as good as you're going to get for $399. Plus you get a free mixing board along with them.

The least expensive mic pre I know about that pro studios use is the UA M610 mono channel, for about $950.

[cgarges]

BTW--Studio Tech supply is great and Al and Barbara are nice, but they are by no means the only good API dealer. Pro Audio Design in Massachusetts has been a dealer of API for longer, they have really competitive prices, and, unlike Studio Tech, has a large tech shop to support warranty and repair everything they sell, new or used.

PAD sells more API probably than anyone. There's a great sale going on now on API lunchboxes, but it ends today.

But why are we talking API when the original post was for something under $300.? There's nothing API has ever made that comes close to $300. Even if it's broken it will be more than that.

I agree, but since it's been brought up...

I never said they were the only good API dealer. I said you'd get the best prices and service from them. When I satrted buying API stuff, I found that to be true and I probably tried to contact every dealer in the country. STS was the ONLY dealer who had what I wanted in stock and they have never NOT had what I was looking for.

Here's a little story about them: I ordered a couple of consecutive-serial number 512s from them. Get them the day before a big tracking session. One didn't work right. Called them. (This was before they moved.) Barbara and Al weren't around, so the guy on the phone wasn't too sure if this could be handled before my session. About an hour later, I got a personal call from Al, who was on a trip out of town. They made sure that their store FEDEXED ME A NEW MODULE THE NEXT SERIAL NUMBER OVER so I still had consecutive numbers and I had a working module the next day before my session started. I was told to send the other module back to API whenever it was convenient for me and they would take care of the rest. The following Monday (two days later) I got a Christmas card from them, which means that it was sent before any of this went down. Even if they had been more expensive than anyone else (which they weren't, at least not at the time) it would have been worth the extra money. I really can't say enough good things about them.

And the Luchbox deal was not specific to PAD. It was advertised in mix as a special that ALL API dealers were running during August and even included a list of ALL their US dealers.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[justinf]

Yeah I'm not sure I understand this Art vs. API development.

But I do understand not buying cheap shit. My vote is for the Burr Brown Syteks; they're pro quality by most standards and you get 4 of 'em for 8 bills.