Mic Pres - Choices?

Hi all.
 
A quick question about pre-amps. I suspect the answer will be a lot longer than the answer.
 
I’ve been using the stock pre’s that come with my Focusrite Pro 26 and have decided that if I want ‘better’ quality from my recordings, then  a decent pre will be the way to go for now.
 
I’ve looked at quite a few, but unfortunately, there’s nowhere around here where I can go in and listen to them, so I’m going to have to buy blindly.
 
The top end of the market, the boutique models are way beyond my price range, but there are several mid priced units which have had some great reviews, not just from audio magazines but also from users, some of whom seem to actually know what they’re talking about!
 
The ones I have sort of shortlisted are these:
 
GAP Pre 73
Grace M101
Focusrite ISA 1
ART Pro MPAII
ART MPA Gold
Great River ME-1NV
DAV BG No. 1
 
Ideally, I’d like something that complements my existing Pre’s and not render them completely useless, and given the fact that they are inherently clean, should I be going for something which adds a bit of colour? In which case, I guess a valve (tube) model would be of greatest benefit.
 
So, any ideas from the collective knowledgebase of the forum?
 
Thanks in advance
 

I own a Focusrite ISA-428 and know what you mean about having a clean pre-amp.  I recently also was looking for a way to suppliment that with a different pre-amp.  I purchased a UAudio 710 Twin-Finity.  I like it a lot because of the ability to have the tube pushed as well as dialing it back to allow more of the solid state components to work.

Until this purchase I didn't own a tube pre-amp so it gave me a bit more flexibility with the instruments/material I was recording. 

Tom

Most interface preamps are a simple, transformerless design popularized by the early Mackie boards.  Good, but not great.  If you want something different, use one with a transformer.  The Gap is at the bottom, pricewise, but has an input/output control that lets you dial in saturation on either end.  The Great River is similar, but better built and with higher end components.  And costs accordingly, tho it will stun and amaze your musical friends (and maybe you, if you are married!).   The ISA has only an input transformer, but a nice one originally specified by Neve.  It definitely adds some roundness to the tone in comparison to the "sharpness" of transformerless designs when going digital.  All the more expensive models will also give more clean, controllable gain, which can have a big impact on your mic'ing techniques.  A lot of the interface preamps and cheaper ones bunch up the gain at the extremes, generally get a little hazy when maxed out and also crap out on overs.  To use a car analogy, they all go from 0 - 60 fine, but when highway passing on a steep hill the bigger engine has more umph and doesn't rattle your teeth (well, maybe in a low frequency good way).

All that being said, there ain't a world a difference between them - don't plug it in and expect night and day.  We did a shoot out w/ the Dallas SONAR users group and had several of the above preamps.  In the studio it was night and day - the mp3's files through my computer speakers later were ... not so much.  Or not at all.  It depends upon your room, your monitors, your technique and ears.  Once that is sorted out you will notice a difference.  Higher end stuff is more 3D, stackable (man how I hate that word), precise.  If you are serious about your recording and have some disposable income, it is worth having a nice preamp.

As for which to buy - I think Mike is right.  The GR is not just high-end but allows you dial in saturation from the input or output and everything inbetween.  Very flexible.  The GAP is the same in the flexibility dept, and if you don't have as much cash will work well.  The ISA isn't as flexible in tone, but does deliver a better, nice and round tone that works well in digital recording.  I've used/heard all those.  The Grace and DAv are transformerless designs, I believe, so they should deliver a better sound, just not as different.  Better for classical/jazz and more acoustic stuff.  The Art stuff is alright, although the starved plate design is too crispy for my tastes.  I have the MP and find it good for bass at times - big, wooly and fluffy.  If you drive the tube on other material, not so good.  The Gold doesn't use starved plate, I think, and has a better reputation.  There are a couple of other cheap tube preamps like the electro harmonix EHY something or other.  Some of them are noisy (like the ART mp i have), but if you get a good one it should work for an alt tone. 

Sorry, I guess the above doesn't help much.  Get the GR if you can.  If not, the ISA or GAP.  They will all work from what you describe you want.

@

@

my current go-to mic pre:


A Designs Audio MP-1


beats everything else i've used hands down.


they don't make the mono version of this anymore.

link to the stereo version:

http://www.adesignsaudio.com/mp2a.html

Thanks for all the suggestions & insights fellas.

This type of discussion certianly helps to narrow the field down, especially when cash is king!

The great River covers such a wide range that no sample or day long shoot out will reveal it's capabilities.

When I bought my preamps... I simply refused to comment on them until I got a few years use out of them.

I'd buy a few more Great River pres if I ever run out of channels.

I'd buy a few more John Hardy's too... but you didn't ask about them.



best regards,
mike

http://www.mercenary.com/johharmicpre.html

I don't have any experience with them, so I can't make a recommendation, but if Mike likes them I would certainly look at them.

The 720 is actually very keenly priced here in the UK.

I think the short list is narrowing.

I don't have any experience with the MP2A, but I know Ted Perlman likes the A-Designs' Pacifica.
 
I had a REDDI for a while... and it had a pleasing warm/fat character.  That said, I like the U5 better.
 

my MP-1

batsbrew





my MP-1

Is that a dbx MC6 compressor up on the top right corner of the rack?

My Great River MP-2NV

I like it.


6th space up from bottom

You need to hook it up correctly... if you hook up the +4dBu output of a preamp to a mic input that expects a nominal "-60dBu" level... you are going to get a blown out sound.

If you hook up a +4dBu output to a -10dBv input you are going to have to be real careful as well.

Most pro grade +4dBu gear will put out +20dBu to +26dBu without clipping so even prosumer gear listed as +4dBu may not have enough headroom to accept the input with style and grace.

If you like the sound of the preamp but find you have A to D inputs that can't handle it you can try an inline pad.


best regards,
mike