Preamp purchase

Hi all!
 
For those who followed my 'microphone purchase' thread, I've decided not to sping for the Shure SM7 this time around, but instead buy a single channel mic preamp/channel strip. My budget is $500-$700.
 
I've contemplated solid-state models such as the FMR Audio RNP but I figure I want something more 'characterful', possibly a tube pre. I've already got my Focusrite Saffire Pro pres and the M-audio DMP-3 which both provide plenty of clean, transparent gain. 
 
Other than that I've worked a lot with the UA Solo 610, and I found that too 'tubey' even at low gain settings, so I'm probably looking for something with more clean headroom.
 
I've looked at the Groove Tubes The Brick which looks like a great deal for the money, but I can't seem to find any this side of the atlantic, which means I'd need some sort of mains power adapter solution which complicates matters.
 
I'm curious about the TLaudio Ivory II 5051 mono channel strip, which has a compressor and EQ! Can get it for about $700.
 
Interesting solid-state options include JoeMeek OneQ, Avalon Mono U5 and UA Solo 110.
 
Any other suggestions?
 
Sven

Don't think the Great River is in his budget, but that would be my first choice too.  I absolutely love mine

Now that's what I call a plug in!!!

If you're an experienced electronic hobbyist, the Seventh Circle pres are a great value. You can put together a single channel Neve clone with cabinet and supply for about $650 (plus freight). The kits can save you a fair amount of money but are not for the beginner. (The rack and supply are nearly pre-assembled). Although the rack is similar to the 500 "lunch box" type they are not compatible with 500 series modules. The upside though is that once you've paid for the rack & supply you can add other modules (API, Jenson, etc) at very reasonable cost per channel ($80-$400 per channel). (The order form on the web site gives discounts automatically for combinations of OP-Amps and pres, or your first pre with cabinet/supply and wire harness). Three of the module types are transformer I/O which can add substantially to a saturated sound depending on the gain structure used. The supplies are good at 250 50Hz (as well as 120 60Hz) so they should work on your side of the pond. (The large Op-Amp modules used in some of these designs shouldn't be confused with monolithic devices in chip form. These are large modules packed with discrete transistors and other components running at respectable bias voltages.) You can Google for independent reviews. They may not be quite in the same class as the Great River pres but they're a step up from other offerings in their price class. I have a pair of N72s and I'm getting ready to build a pair of J99s. My objective is to capture the flavor of a variety of classic console pre's for specific recording applications. The modules are also available fully assembled at a higher cost, but I kind of enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of assembling my own (especially since I found a supply of marijuana-core solder).

SvenArne

Spaceduck> Thanks for your help! Since I can't seem to find The Brick around here, do you know whether they make a 220Vac power supply for this unit?

I think you're in luck. The manual says "Primary input voltage is internally selectable between 120v and 240v 50-60 Hertz"
http://www.groovetubes.co...s/2084_The%20Brick.pdf

The grace 101 is a nice clean preamp, but without much character.

...just my .02

Check out the UA 710 twin finity

There's the SSL alpha channel... 

I like the UA Solo 110 and 710 twin finity, heard them both.

Summit Audio is supposed to be good but I heard it's kind of noisy

I was recently at a shootout between the following:

Portico 5012
Great River NV
Neve 1073
Daking Mic Pre One

The Daking took them all across the board on male and femal vocals. There were some voices where the Portico, GR & 1073 each had a winner but overall the Daking was amazing.

A rack enclosure costs money. :-)

I'm making a DIY preamp right now and the rack enclosure costs more than everything but the Jensen transformers. And that is before I do the metal work.

You are in a delicate position. Your budget can buy you a some high end crap... or you can just barely get into true pro gear.

The true pro gear we have spoken of is priced right along a spectrum.... and you are literally looking at a situation where the pro gear is giving you the good guts while cutting costs by not buying/selling more metal (the rack enclosure) and shipping costs (to them, from them to the distro, from the distro to you... it all adds up).

Additionally, external power supplies cut costs dramatically because the safety and certification factors are essentially "farmed" out to a subcontractor who can spread those costs over hundreds of customers and their product designs rather than a single unit that needs to be sent off for safety testing if a certification like "UL" is desired.

This is why I call the mid grade expensive crap... well crap, because it's likely you are spending a premium on the metal in the rack enclosure and all the shipping costs while the important part, the guts, cost about $20, and could have fit in a small project box.

Hmmm, I feel like I just described the whole A.R.T. product line :-)

I think the Daking is a great choice... but if anything I'd advise you to STOP, save a bit more money and re visit this when you have enough budget to make a decision based on what you want and not what your current budget allows. That way you can buy something that really appeals to you rather than what you can just barely slip into.

If you save up a little more... you can begin making purchases of gear you will keep for the rest of your life... rather than the stepping stones the high priced mid grade gear will turn out to be.

As an anecdote; I'm ordering a pair of Purple MC77s today. I've waited over 1-1/2 years to be able to do it painlessly. I've wanted them much longer than that... but 1-1/2 ago the planning for budget phase began. I plan to own them the rest of my life. The sooner you get to that mentality... the better... it's a very relaxing place to be.

all the best,
mike

SvenArne

In addition, the types of 'clients' I attract would be much more excited by seeing a rackful of knobs and VU-meters, than a little grey 'boutique' box with one knob and two buttons no matter how superior the sound.

Aint it the truth! Even though we work in the realm of sound, we're still working with human beings who are affected by appearances (myself included). It never hurts to make your studio look good.

I'm also annoyed at the huge price difference between "doorstops" (like the Brick or the Solo610) and rack units (like the Vipre or the LA-610). I know the rack models add a lot more features to justify the huge price increase, but that leaves us $500-ish people stranded.

Would it kill them to slap a pair of ears on some of these units and sell them as rackable? Maybe they purposely avoid that because they want us to cough up the extra money to enter the next level. It's a smart game they play, actually.

I have been following this thread for a few days + have done a ton of research elsewhere on the web.  Im looking for decent lower cost pres, and also a DI that sounds great on bass.

I just ordered the Allen and Heath Zed 14 mixer, because all Ive read is everyone raving about how good the pres sound...clean and organic.

I researched the GAP 73, but I was very dissappointed in its sound quality as it has very odd sounding artifacts and sounds thin in these sound samples:

http://www.zenproaudio.com/1073test.aspx

Even when you dont compare it to the actual Neve...the GAP 73 sounds pretty bad IMHO.  Listen to the artifacts, mid range sponginess and overall thin quality on all instruments and voice.

Then I found some audio files of bass being played though the Presonus Tube Pre...and they sound very good here, especially when compared to more expensive bass DIs:

http://www.basstasters.co.../PreSonus_TubePre.html

For that price of $129, sounding good on bass...I figure I can get some decent vocal tracks out of it...so I ordered one of those as well.

Sorry, this is just one hobbiest's opinion but I've got a PreSonus blue tube and don't care for it for bass. It sounds thin to me. Changing tubes helped a bit but it doesn't come close to my Avalon U5 or ART Pro Channel (sorry to mention ART, Mike :), or even through my MarkBass LMII's direct out. The Avalon is SUPER CLEAN and probably not what you're looking for if you like tubes. The ART preamp can be clean or various stages of dirty and I've heard from others that their inexpensive TubeMP is similar.

Middleman


I was recently at a shootout between the following:

Portico 5012
Great River NV
Neve 1073
Daking Mic Pre One

The Daking took them all across the board on male and femal vocals. There were some voices where the Portico, GR & 1073 each had a winner but overall the Daking was amazing.

Daking makes some killer stuff...can't go wrong there.  I had a 5012 and loved it...only sold it to move up to a Aurora Audio GTQ2.
 
This list is obviously above the OP price range...but IMHO, I'd save some more scratch and get into the $1500-1800 range where you'll have a lot more options...

Lanceindastudio


My friend Rico Belled plays for the Rippingtons. He recorded some bass for their latest record through the presonus blue tube preamp.

The rippingtons leader loverd the sound....

Just a thought ;)

I had a Blue Tube...I dumped it....I think I'd rather plug into my refridgerator than that thing again...
 
I can see how it might be decent on some instruments - horns maybe, but for vocals or acoustic instruments it stunk, IMHO.

skullsession
The Avalon 737 CAN be very, very clean.
 
The secret is to crank the input, light up the HIGH GAIN button, and drop the output to near zero.  You can really dig into the tubes then....she can get pretty dirty.
 
I use it all the time, but for what it's worth, knowing what I know now.....I would rather have spent the money on another Daking PreIV.

James - at one time you recommended the True Systems pres to me (I still haven't bought it yet!  )  do you like the Daking better than the True Systems?