Hi everyone, I'm thinking of picking up a second mic preamp to complement my UAD LA-610 Mk II.  I've been looking at Warm Audio Tonebeast, one of the Golden Age Project Preamps, or maybe just saving up some more money and picking up a Great River.  I see a lot of good about the Warm Audio, and I already have there take on the 1176 compressor. 
 
Budget is currently in the range of the Tonebeast, but if I save a little longer maybe the Great River would be an option.  Anyone have any thoughts on how these would compare and differ from what I currently have.  interface I use is RME FireFace 400, so I have those two pres as well.
 
Thanks,

Genghis
Hi everyone, I'm thinking of picking up a second mic preamp to complement my UAD LA-610 Mk II.  I've been looking at Warm Audio Tonebeast, one of the Golden Age Project Preamps, or maybe just saving up some more money and picking up a Great River.  I see a lot of good about the Warm Audio, and I already have there take on the 1176 compressor. 
 
Budget is currently in the range of the Tonebeast, but if I save a little longer maybe the Great River would be an option.  Anyone have any thoughts on how these would compare and differ from what I currently have.  interface I use is RME FireFace 400, so I have those two pres as well.
 
Thanks,

Aside from the cheap knobs of the GAP-Pre73 and mine had a hardware failure in the output module, it's a great pre. I've used it next to a Treu Precision 8, Audient ASP008, API512c, and Chandler Germ500. It does quite well, considering. I use it often for vocals, guitars, and bass. For drums, I lean toward the API, and True pre's for their transient-handling.

Great River is quite good, but expensive for a home studio. I've come close to buying one in the past, but they were great middle-of-the road as far as character goes. Very versatile! For warmer character, the Summit 2BA-221 is great! The UA 710 Twinfinity is also one of my favorites. It's quite transparent for the tube side, where the Summit is more for coloring. The GAP-Pre 73 is slightly more lush than the other two (to my ears). I did a shootout of these three and kept the GAP-Pre73 and Summit. But if I could only have one, I'd have chosen the UA.

The TB is a great pre - one of the most flexible out there.  It can go from API-style forward to nasty to pure distortion.  It is a WA12 with choices.  The only caveat is that I use my TB in WA12 mod most of the time, or cleaner by disengaging the transformers, so most of the time that extra capability and cost are wasted.  But it can be a lot of fun.
 
Other than the wa12/TB the other smart and cheap choice is the Focusrite ISA One.  Lighter touch than the Warm stuff but still with some transformer heft giving a cleaner, more modern sound.  Good stuff tho it doesn't saturate so nicely.  It reminds me a lot of the RND Portico, tho not so "big." The new Neve stuff just sounds right, like Goldilocks.  You can find some of those around that price, used, maybe. 
 
Any of those units will work well in contrast to your interface pres, which aren't transformer-coupled (I think).  The transformer stuff is a good change up to the rather sharp IC pres.  Gives you more variety, which is the point, more than one sound being superior to all other forms of amplification.  Whatever you choose should work, even in comparison to the tube UA.  Solid State reacts differently.
 
good luck
 
@
 
 

I have the FF 800 and the Pre's there are nice and clean, and I went with the GAP Pre-73 for a warm colored tone and like it a lot.  To be honest I didn't audition others so I can't say how it stacks up against the competition.

I bought the TB12 Tonebeast for it's versatility and really like it. I also like the GAP73.  Liike AT said the WA12 is the Tonebeast without the extra's. I think this video does a good job comparing the Warm WA12 and the GAP73 and hope it helps.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgxYMhD4pnY
 

Thanks for all the input guys.  Between AT's comments and a couple of videos I caught on YouTube off of Mosvalves link, I went ahead and ordered the ToneBeast. After the one you linked to it started up one that compared the ToneBeast to the GAP.  A lot of talking, but it did give you an idea of the flexibility of the ToneBeast.
 
I do a lot of hard rock and/or metal, so I think it will probably fit my style well and give me another good color option.  I had the ISA Two, which I'm not sure is the same as an ISA One only with dual channels, but I ended up selling it a few months back. Sometimes not so sure I should have sold it, but alas, was looking for more color options.  This should give slightly more variety when I'm layering my guitar tracks as well.

Thanks again!

I have to believe that most studios would welcome a UAD 610:)
 
 

olemon
I have to believe that most studios would welcome a UAD 610:)
 
 

Oh yeah, keeping that too... just looking for a second channel that will be a different flavor. :)
 

there's always this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/4710D
get the UAD quad free.
 

Mentioned this in another thread...
Just recently picked up a Neve Portico II channel-strip.
It's somewhat costly, but the mic preamp, 4-band EQ, and compressor are all world-class.
 
The Portico II mic pre alone makes a HUGE difference.
When auditioning various mics, it felt like I had upgraded my entire mic collection.
Mics that sounded a bit strident with mediocre preamps suddenly sounded very focused.
ie: The Miktec CV4 connected to my Fireface UFX's onboard preamps sounds ok... but not overwhelmingly good.
There's a hollow character that I don't particularly like.
Connected to the Portico-II, the CV4 sounds super focused and well balanced.  It's a night vs. day difference.
 
I'm having major G.A.S. for a second (for stereo recording and post processing).
Might have to sell a kidney...