I think you can get the channel strip here for free by entering a contest:
http://www.puremix.net/gearfest-raffle-2015.html
 
Don't know how long it will last.
 
http://www.puremix.net/gearfest-raffle-2015.html

I tested this morning running a condenser mic through my MICTUBE DUO (which I repaired) and comparing to a direct signal. On the recorded direct signal, I applied the Presonus VT1 tube compressor. The direct recording with the VT1 beat the MICTUBE recording by far.
 
So using a cheap tube mic pre on MY vocal can really degrade the sound. Maybe not so for bass and guitars.
The point being you have to start with a really good tube pre. I don't know how the other cheep units fair but I am staying away from the MICTUBE for vocals!

Guitarhacker
Since I have never used a tube pre..... perhaps this is simply a case of you don't know what you're missing if you never tried it.

I imagine one would also need a fair amount of experience listening to diffent qualities of preamplification to appreciate any fine differences.  And have a room and reproduction system of high enough quality that they'll even appear.
 

Paul P

Guitarhacker
Since I have never used a tube pre..... perhaps this is simply a case of you don't know what you're missing if you never tried it.

I imagine one would also need a fair amount of experience listening to diffent qualities of preamplification to appreciate any fine differences.  And have a room and reproduction system of high enough quality that they'll even appear.
 

Hi Paul,
 
Before I begin, I'm not picking on you.....but your post hits home and I felt the need to address it for others that may be thinking this way.
 
Firstly, quite a few would try to lead you to believe you need to know what to listen for in a pre. I don't believe this to be true. It either sounds good or it doesn't. The other thing to keep in mind is the sound you are going for. Do we always want dirt from the tube pre? Not always.....so, the question we ask then is "how does it sound just getting a good signal to disc?"
 
Chances are it's going to sound the same as any other pre sending a -6dB to -10dB signal....and if there are differences, how apparent are they and are they worth a costly hardware investment? Also, if we need a special room with the right reproduction, it drives my original post home even further. The only ones to hear this would be other engineers. Winner....marketing reps. See my points?
 
In the world of non-destructive audio with so many choices, I really have a hard time committing to a signal that is pushed destructively unless  that is the sound I am going for. How many times will that happen depends on personal needs as well as clientele. So a guy like me is 9 out of 10 times NOT going to run any pre that I use hot enough to color destructively. With that frame of mind as well as the ability to come pretty close using uad plugs, it would be ludicrous for me to spend 2K or more on a mic pre. I have some good ones,  but I get what I need out of Midas pres that are built into my console. They are not tube but they sure have received a lot of praise over the years.
 
Honest this hardware stuff is both a little snobbish and a lot subjective. But none of it is necessity other than for those that love hardware. It reminds me of the time I had a Manley massive passive, and an LA2A and compared them to the uad plugin versions. Was it exact....no, but it was close enough to where after 3 listens blindly, I could barely tell which was which. I sold both pieces of hardware and gained as many plugins as my uad cards could handle. A 2% difference that only I can hear which I can't hear any longer once you add in other instruments....and the answer was simple. Yes there are times stuff like this may be cool...but my advice is to not buy into the hype.....especially if you can't afford to. :)
 
Again this isn't really directed at you or anyone at all. I'm just discussing based on your post. There are no magic rooms or gizmos. We are involved in one of the most subjective, hyped up and misleading fields of all time. I try my best to ram that home whenever I can. :)
 
-Danny

pick your favorite pro producer or engineer...
 
investigate what is their favorite front end gear.....
 
assume THEY know what they are doing...
 
there should be a reason for everything.
 
begin there.
 
 

It is all boiling down to basic need. To Danny, I agree that the overblown price of hardware makes it really hard for the guy in his bedroom to compete with pro audio (not paraphrasing you Danny). I also agree with bats that great hardware can be found with the pros (Danny agrees as well). I liked Jeff's comment about not always apply hardware to every setting. So I am not feeling that I have to own some great hardware to produce great recordings. 
 
I want to produce the best sounding music I can based on a very limited budget. I am proud of what I get out of very basic equipment and software. If I running a pro studio, I would have better gear to satisfy the demands of my clients. However, with my little piece of the world here at my desk, I don't think I am at the bottom of the spectrum either. Today's technology is helping all of us produce better results in much more controlled formats. I like that.
 
The reason for this thread was to hear from you guys that own good hardware and what you think of its use for vocals. I believe I have learned from all of you that it's great to have it but not in any way a huge deficit if you don't.
That makes me feel better. I am also continuing to look forward to the future when our VST's will help eliminate expensive hardware so that more and more of us home body's can enjoy better and better sound.
 
 
 

"I want to produce the best sounding music I can based on a very limited budget."
 
then i would give up on tube hardware,
because the good stuff is expensive,
and the cheap stuff is really not worth using.
 
good solid state mic preamps have probably more overall value than tube,
and can be had WAY cheaper.
 
ultimately, for folks who are poor,
the preamps in the low to mid grade usb interfaces are good enough.
 
always use what you got, no matter what everybody else is doing

but never misunderstand this:
 
your front end will define the quality of your sound.
mics first.....
preamps later...
then everything else, with convertors probably being number 2 on the most important list
 

Hello, there is some great information in this thread.  I am learning a lot from the experienced folks.  I was going to add an opinion to the varied comments, but decided that my opinion would really add nothing more to the discussion.
 
But I will add this.
1. record record record
2. learn learn learn
3. find your voice...your voice...not someone else
4. ask yourself who you want to please and what you want to accomplish
5. seek out the gear that helps you meet #5
6. if you already have what you need, see #3
7. once you find your voice you are best to focus on #1 and # 2
 
Bat knows who he is, Danny knows who he is, Jeff knows who he is, their confidence show through. I'm learning who I am and I'm heading that way now
 
Jesse
 

would save untill I could afford a for example RME interface ( I don't have one but..).
you read everywhere those have good vocals/guitar preamps and the rest of your music should sound
better on it too.
untill then you could try the Nomad Factory plugin 'Analog Trackbox' tube emulations (it's in the presets).
(hope you have this plugin, it came with Sonar X2 or X3 iic.)
I usually dial back the compression and turn off 'limiting' and 'gate' and dial back some tube effect.
good luck