I am reaching to those who use front end outboard gear to record. I currently use my Presonus Digimax D8 pre and My Saffire pro 24 interface as my front end. I am considering purchasing the the Warm audio Tb12 Tone Beast and the Warm audio WA76 as my front end and am asking if this choice is a pretty good one. I'm thinking between what I have now and the Warm gear It will give me more options. I appreciate any feedback,advise.
Thanks
 

Bob,
 
the Warm stuff is outstanding.  The ToneBeast is a very flexible beast for a preamp, while the WA76 is a great take on the 1176.  The WA76 gives that edge to a well compressed sound you have heard on countless records.  Great for rock, rock vocals, bass, etc.  Well worth having although it is a bit of a one-trick pony.  It can work as an everyday compressor, but shines on producing that 1176 sound.  Once you play with it, you'll hear it.
 
The WA12 is the main part of the ToneBeast - an api-style preamp.  It works fine, even if it doesn't have the shades of color you get from the TB.  Most interface pres, including the Digimax, are transformerless designs.  Transformers (like the cinemaxs in Warm stuff) work great, in my opinion, in digital recording, helping roll off the sharper spikes one gets with the digital formats.  Combined with transformerless designs, it gives you more kinds of sounds.  The WA12 does this, while the TB adds more flavors internally.
 
 

AT
Bob,
 
the Warm stuff is outstanding.  The ToneBeast is a very flexible beast for a preamp, while the WA76 is a great take on the 1176.  The WA76 gives that edge to a well compressed sound you have heard on countless records.  Great for rock, rock vocals, bass, etc.  Well worth having although it is a bit of a one-trick pony.  It can work as an everyday compressor, but shines on producing that 1176 sound.  Once you play with it, you'll hear it.
 
The WA12 is the main part of the ToneBeast - an api-style preamp.  It works fine, even if it doesn't have the shades of color you get from the TB.  Most interface pres, including the Digimax, are transformerless designs.  Transformers (like the cinemaxs in Warm stuff) work great, in my opinion, in digital recording, helping roll off the sharper spikes one gets with the digital formats.  Combined with transformerless designs, it gives you more kinds of sounds.  The WA12 does this, while the TB adds more flavors internally.
 
 

Thanks AT. I don't record screaming guitars or vocals so can I get good results with the WA76 on moderate and mellow material? You said the WA76 a great for rock so I am concerned it wouldn't benefit my material.

AT do you know if the HiZ on the TB12 is both a passive and Active DI combined?

Sure, the WA76 can work in different ways and on different instruments - you can get the sound you hear on some of your favorite acoustic guitar recordings.  It doesn't have to be edgy, but can.  And I use it mostly in an almost on/off mode for the signal passing - that is also what it does good.  I forget how slow and fast the WA76 etc. can open and close, but there is slack in there. It is just it can sound like no other comp in certain situations.  That doesn't mean you have to drive it hard for saturation to distortion, or make it an on/off switch, just that you can.
 
@
  

mosvalve,
i just purchased a RME Babyface pro.
 
i had a 20% off at musicians friend, that worked towards RME products,
got it for $600,
for me that was a no brainer.
 
the babyface pro,
even running on my old winXP setup,
is super sweet.
 
willupdate my pc soon, to match the interface.
 
2 xlr inputs and 2 analog line inputs is all it has on the front,
but can handle much more with adat.

batsbrew
mosvalve,
i just purchased a RME Babyface pro.
 
i had a 20% off at musicians friend, that worked towards RME products,
got it for $600,
for me that was a no brainer.
 
the babyface pro,
even running on my old winXP setup,
is super sweet.
 
willupdate my pc soon, to match the interface.
 
2 xlr inputs and 2 analog line inputs is all it has on the front,
but can handle much more with adat.

I was undecided if I should just upgrade my interface or add a preamp and or compressor. I've been wanting to setup a recording chain and the Warm Audio TB12 and WA76 seemed the best bang for the buck. I may upgrade my interface eventually but am still deciding what features I/O I need and want. For the price of a higher leval interface I have two pieces of gear. I guess it only makes sense to eventually purchase a better interface. When Budget permits.

I am not sure if I am catching the OP correctly, but pretty much anything can be done to a clean signal once it is in the box. "Baking" a signal makes ITB edits significantly more difficult in some cases, but is ultimately a matter of preference to work flow.
 
Does your MixControl have compressor/EQ? I realized I need to ask that now as I got one of the last "Saffire PRO 24 DSPs" and finally realized the "Saffire PRO 24" is actually a different beast. *If* you have the DSP model (also has VRM), you can bake in the compressor/EQ in MixControl. I do actually use that front end compressor religiously (set more for limiting) and is about the only processor before the computer that is "required."

Mosvalve

batsbrew
mosvalve,
i just purchased a RME Babyface pro.
 
i had a 20% off at musicians friend, that worked towards RME products,
got it for $600,
for me that was a no brainer.
 
the babyface pro,
even running on my old winXP setup,
is super sweet.
 
willupdate my pc soon, to match the interface.
 
2 xlr inputs and 2 analog line inputs is all it has on the front,
but can handle much more with adat.

I was undecided if I should just upgrade my interface or add a preamp and or compressor. I've been wanting to setup a recording chain and the Warm Audio TB12 and WA76 seemed the best bang for the buck. I may upgrade my interface eventually but am still deciding what features I/O I need and want. For the price of a higher leval interface I have two pieces of gear. I guess it only makes sense to eventually purchase a better interface. When Budget permits.

hey bob,
the rme purchase, for me, was to upgrade my convertors.
that, and the additional things that came with the rme (killer preamps, midi in/out, ultimate routing to the analog/xlr/adat, totalmix control, practically zero latency, on board dsp that can be printed or not, really nice eq section printed or not, etc)
 
i can still run my class a tube mic preamp into the rme...
setting up gain structure is a snap, and easily selects between different input levels)

mettelus
I am not sure if I am catching the OP correctly, but pretty much anything can be done to a clean signal once it is in the box. "Baking" a signal makes ITB edits significantly more difficult in some cases, but is ultimately a matter of preference to work flow.
 
Does your MixControl have compressor/EQ? I realized I need to ask that now as I got one of the last "Saffire PRO 24 DSPs" and finally realized the "Saffire PRO 24" is actually a different beast. *If* you have the DSP model (also has VRM), you can bake in the compressor/EQ in MixControl. I do actually use that front end compressor religiously (set more for limiting) and is about the only processor before the computer that is "required."

Mettelus, My goal is not to edit much ITB. I like creating and printing my sound. Of course whatever is called for the tune. I want the best front end I can afford to capture an instrument. I have used Aux's with Plugins on the input track and printed that way and It works pretty well but I wanted a better preamp and figured I'd add the compressor while I'm at it.
I'm glad hear you use the WA76 can you give me some tips on using it? I'm waiting for the arrival of the pre and comp.