Getting Some High Quality Gear This Year

Hi all:
 
I have put this off for too long. I plan to get me some high quality gear for my home based recording studio this year. I did the research, so, now, it's time to get the gear.
 
I started getting the gear last month in Feb.. I got me a Avalon Vt-737 SP used from Ebay. This month I bought new Electro Harmonix gold 6992 tubes for it. It did make a noticeable positive difference. It's a clean sounding pre-amp with a very good EQ, though the compressor is kinda weak, it does do a satisfactory job of limiting vocals from clipping if the vocalist uses a little discipline when yielding the vocal performance.
 
The EQ on this unit is extremely impressive! There is a wide range of tones that can be obtained from utilizing it, including very airy vocals. That's one of the things I've been wanting to be able to achieve.
 
However, I'm still wondering, in myself, if this unit is worth the $1700 I paid to get it. Surely, time will tell.
 
Today, UPS delivered my AKG C414 XLII. My impression is that this mic is of most excellent quality! For years, I have been uninspired to finish compositions of songs I started because, when I record the vocals, I don't hear what I hear when I sing live without recording. Last month I bought gold connector mogami cables. I bought the Avalon pre-amp, and today, I got this mic. When I connected this gear and started to sing, I was so impressed with the sound quality. I started to thank God,, plus was crying tears. I finally got an efficient result!
 
This microphone, as well as the Avalon pre-amp, is truly transparent. It appears, you get from it (the AKG), exactly, what you put in. Even, the nuances of your voice are captured, accurately and with feeling, as far as  8 or 9 inches away from the mic. And I've only tested with the cardioid polar pattern. Plus this mic captures the lows of the voice.
 
I haven't changed any setting, yet. There are 4 pad positions (0, 6, 12, and 18db). And three different low cut filters (0, 40, 70, and 160). I've only tried 0 for both. Haven't even read the manual, yet. I bought this mic brand new from eBay as a bundle with the sE Electronics Reflection Filter Pro. I feel it was a bargain deal, as I got them both for $1049.
 
The audio interface I'm using is the MOTU UltraLite-mk3. Coming from the Avalon into input 3/4 on the UltraLite. The sound quality is hyperly impressive to me, even with this audio interface.
 
The next piece of gear I get, which will take two months after this month, March, will be the Lynx Aurora 8 USB.
 
As, I get the gear in, I will post here to let any forum members that are interested know what's going on, on my end.
 
Thank you all for the help. And, cya around.

Excellent.  Interesting choices.  The right tools do help us hear.
 
The other night I just was fooling w/ the Warm Audio 76 FET comp I have for review .  I DI'ed the guitarist through it and twiddled some knobs and found that sound - the one I've heard on a million songs.  Brought  a smile to my face.
 
Good hardware will do that.
 
Enjoy,
 
@

AT writes reviews for the best recording magazine published. :-)
 
Tape Op.

I'm smiling. OK Mike. Thanks for the info.
 

mike_mccue
AT writes reviews for the best recording magazine published. :-)
 
Tape Op.

I'm thinking along these same lines, want to set up one or more sterling  paths to capture. I know where I'm headed w mics, but not as clear w pres/channel strips. Have a TLM 102 now, SM7b and C414 next up. On paper, the LA 610 looks good, time tested pre and comp, but reviews point up downsides I am sensitive to, lack of headroom, and they say this isn't the best 'first preamp'.
 
I have an ISA2, that I have no complaints with, but a tube mic and tube pre would open new doors.
 
What's a good 'first tube pre' and why? Price range tween LA610 and 737. Over time I'll reach for multiple options, but where's a good place to start?

The UA preamp is cool - just used a 6176 on bass last week.  It works fine.  In fact, there isn't that much difference between the ones listed above - or the more expensive kind.  The differences are subtle.  Worthwhile if you can afford it, but not necessary.  Of the lower-priced preamps the Tone Beast from warm audio is will give you a lot of variety.  It will go from fairly clean to as dirty as you want.
 
If you don't want to worry about your hardware no more get an RND Portico II channel strip.  You have to work to make it sound bad or overdrive it.  absolutely stunning.
 
But really, for 90% of the people 90% of the time on 90% of the systems you can't tell the difference between the best and an ic interface preamp.  Maybe you can, and if it matters to you and you don't have to spend the kid's college fund go for the most you can afford.  You won't regret it.  But necessary?
 
I knew Mike.  Hell, I'm always kidding you and wondering if the ;-) comes through the virtual page.  You've never called me a ... whatever ... so sauce for the gander.  And I always enjoy your opinions on hardware, etc.  Knowledge based stuff, like you actually use equipment and just not passing on rumors.  Now pass the Stevie Nicks ...
 
@

A very good mic and a very good pre will definitely make your recording experience more enjoyable.   It's that moment when you get it plugged in and running and you think, "There's that sound that I've heard on my favorite records."

Congratulations Thomas! Glad you're getting good results.

Congratulations on the new gear. Hope you get everything the way you want it!

I did some research, and ended up with a plan to move forward, preserve options, and realize at least some benefit now.
 
I picked up a UA 710, Joe Meek ThreeQ, TC Helicon Voiceworks Plus, DBX 1066, and a pair of patchbays, XLR and 1/4" TRS. I am ordering a  GAP Pre 1073 today.
 
That wil give me a selection of tube and non-tube preamps to use immediately, a transparent dynamics controller to just take the edge off peaks on the way in, and an effects processer that should double as an analog reverb unit for vocal headphone monitoring, and adigital effects processor via SPDIF for post processing.
 
(I also stumbled over a used MOTU 2408 w PCI card for $170, that will fit nicely into a supporting PC in either the tracking or control room, an unexpected bonus!)
 
That leaves a 1 rack unit space for future expansion in directions not yet considered, and a two unit half space that will probably end up filled with an Avalon M5 or V5, I haven't decided yet.
 
The M5 seems to be a better pre, while the V5 offers a good pre plus DI and reamp capabilities.
 
I'm not sure how well the rackmounts for the UA and Avalon will coexist, but they physically fit the space, and I hope mounting won't be too difficult.
 
Thomas and others, I appreciate the time you took to point me in the right direction,  it made wading thru the infinite variables MUCH easier.
 
Thanks!

Oh, I forgot to mention that I received the sE Electronics Reflexion Filter Pro via UPS, yesterday. It was included with the AKG C414 XL II purchase I made. It finally got here.
 
The shipping was kind of slow, but I'm not gonna complain much because it usually sells for between $250-$300 and I got it like for free. The AKG C414 XL II sells on Sweetwater for $1099 and I got this mic and the Reflexion filter from eBay brand new for $1050. SO it's like I got the reflexion filter for free and $49 off the mic.
 
I have an untreated room, so I welcome what ever help I can get from this reflexion filter.
 
Cya all around.
 
EDIT:
 
Holy smoke! I just checked sweetwater, and they made a price drop for this mic. It is now selling for $949. That's good news, but I still did OK with my bargain eBay purchase.

AT:
 
I meant to tell Jay Tee:
 
When you get a chance to use it, tell me what you think of the dbx compressor. The two compressors I've been looking at are the Warm Audio WA-76 ($600): http://www.warmaudio.com/wa76-discrete-compressor/ and the ART Pro VLA II http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProVLA2 But I don't want to have too much tube sound in the signal chain.
 
But what I wrote was below:
 
"When you get a chance to use it, tell me what you think of the dbx preamp. The two preamps I've been looking at are the Warm Audio WA-76 ($600): http://www.warmaudio.com/wa76-discrete-compressor/ and the ART Pro VLA II http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProVLA2 But I don't want to have too much tube sound in the signal chain."
 
 
I had compressors on my mind, but I was writing preamp. It can be seen that I posted links to the compressors, as I meant to relate a message about compressors not preamps in the paragraph with the WA-76 link and the ART compressor link. Thanks for catching that. It was an honest mistake, but I don't know how that happened. I'm not sleepy or anything. Sheesh.
 

The UA710 is my "fall back position" mic pre.  It's the one I go to when my others aren't giving me what I want or there's some unexplainable problem with my other pres that I can't figure out quickly and I have to go to something that I know will work.  It might not be exciting but you're going to get signal into the box and you can tweak it later.

I was going to say that the Art Pro VLA is more along the lines of a LA-2A (smooth gentile dynamics control)... whereas the 1176 is more assertive/aggressive.  AT beat me to it.  
 
Was cutting VO's last week (RE-320) and did a quick comparison using a GAP Pre-73, Solo 610, and the X32 Compact's onboard "Midas designed" preamps.
 
In this scenario:

• Pre-73 - Very articulate sound...  aggressive upper mids
• Solo-610 - Slightly larger sounding than the Pre-73... upper mids were just a tad less aggressive than the Pre-73 (resultant sound was pretty similar)
• Midas Pre - Absolutely HUGE sounding... more flat upper mids than either the Pre-73 and Solo-610

 
Obviously, this comparison isn't comparing "like" preamps... but I was a little surprised that the Midas preamp sounded so large.  
My girl has a "radio voice"... and for this spot she needed to sound like the house-wife next door.
The low mids were just too much in this context.
I'm thinking the Midas preamps will be great for recording acoustic drums (just got the X32 Compact)
 
 

Agree w Jim. I used to chase EQ all over the place and end up unsatisfied still, and now, using better equipment,hardly touch it, or maybe add a couple db of presence.