Really, how many mic preamps should a sane home studio owner have?

Technically I have, 12 in my Soundcraft mixer, a Studio Projects VTB 1, a JoeMeek TwinQ, a Universal Audio 170 Twinfinity and ultimately an Avalon 737.  But yet, I catch myself scanning Craigslist and ebay trying to find the "good deal" on an ART Pro MPA or a UA 610 or a Golden Age Preamp.
There is no way that I would be lacking a pre amp in any realistic situation.  Is this silly or what?

bapu


Are you asking me?

Since I rarely record full (or even partial) bands I'd say I have myself covered with my three main preamps. 

P-Solo
Grace m-101
UA-610

Plus I have 4 in my RME Fireface UFX. And, if I ever need them I have 8 each in my TASCAM FW-1884 and my Berhinger ADA-8000 (both lightpiped to my RME).

So I guess I have 23 now that you ask.

I don't scour anywhere 
 
 

This is comforting.  You have it worse than me. 

bapu


Yes, but I did not plan it.

Does that make me a bad person?

Oh you poor soul, latent GAS.

SvenArne


Dave, sincere question:

Do you spend time trying to match different pairs of mic and pre for every instrument/voice you record hoping to strike gold, or do you just go by a notion of what the combinations should sound like? Do you find there's a lot to gain from experimenting? 

Sven

I love the quest for tone.  Sometimes it's wonderful accidents that occur with a mic, an instrument and a pre.  Up until recently, I only had the pres in my Soundcraft M12 and the SP VTB1 to use.  The M12 pres sound very close to the UA 710 and the Avalon 737 if you take the extra features of the more expensive units out of the equation.  I loved just moving mics around on cabinets or trying amp/cabinet combinations with different mics and combinations of mics.  When you hit something that works it's glorius. 
 
Now that I have some different mic pres, I'm enjoying the experimentation again.   Yes, I think there is a lot to gain with the experimentation.  I'm discovering that it (what you gain) isn't always apparent and immediate to you though.  When you start adding the different takes and tracks together that's when the magic happens.  You're not layering the same characteristic mic pre sound over and over again so where my M12 pres had a  good sound but a touch of hardness (kind of metallic) to them, that characteristic compounded with each successive track.  It's something that you don't always notice when it's happening.  It's nice to use different pres for different instruments
 
But home studios are about compromise and versatility, IMHO.  Limited time and budget have to factor in.  A cook may have an extensive collection of spices and sauces but if he never bought a pot to cook in, he's be in trouble so that's where I'm at with my post.  I've got to balance things out.  I've got a few nice pres (for a home studio) now, so I think I'm switching fetishes to mics.    I think it's time to stick my toe in the water in the Neumann pool with a TLM 102 followed by a 103.  (Wish I could spend the dough for a U87 but that will be a while.)

You need at least one more. Buy the REDD47 I'm selling :-) Then your life will be complete.

Electronic and modern production studios. One or two that are great instead. One for VOX MIC-tracking like Manley Voicebox, Focusrite, Avalon

+ one in Stereo operation, Main mix, example SPL gold Mike.

bapu


Are you asking me?

Since I rarely record full (or even partial) bands I'd say I have myself covered with my three main preamps. 

P-Solo
Grace m-101
UA-610

Plus I have 4 in my RME Fireface UFX. And, if I ever need them I have 8 each in my TASCAM FW-1884 and my Berhinger ADA-8000 (both lightpiped to my RME).

So I guess I have 23 now that you ask.

I don't scour anywhere 

Funny that you mention the Berhinger ADA-8000. That's one low-end product that sounds great.
Many prefer  Berhinger ADA-8000 over Lynx Aurora 16. I like the Berhringer! Can you hear the difference?
 
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gear-shoot-outs-sound-file-comparisons-audio-tests/335267-lynx-aurora-16-vs-behringer-ada8000.html

Bristol_Jonesey


Focusrite ISA One
Focusrite Platinum Voicemaster
dbx 286A
32 in my Soundcraft Spirit Studio
And if push comes to shove, 12 each in 2 x Spirit Folio SX

So..... 59?


Hang on, 2 more in my new Saffire 6 USB
8 in my Saffire PRO 26IO
And technically there's one in my Digitech Midi Vocalist

So... 70


In reality, only about a dozen of these would be used for recording

So, I'm guessing that the Soundcraft is there because it's cheaper to keep her than to let her go?  Or do you track large projects?

I've tracked a couple of bands but it's utter chaos (in my small studio) that I don't really enjoy.  I like working with soloists and 1-3 musicians.

I've got a CD player, a Minidisc recorder & a Cassette Deck  all wired in, all ready for recording should the need ever arise. All my rack mounted stuff goes into it (POD/V-Amp/TLA 2100 etc) as well as three outboard synths and I've got various groups set up, the group outputs feed straight into the Saffire and into Sonar.

Good idea.  I should do the same thing with the extra channels I don't use on my M12.

I've got to balance things out.  I've got a few nice pres (for a home studio) now, so I think I'm switching fetishes to mics.    I think it's time to stick my toe in the water in the Neumann pool with a TLM 102 followed by a 103.  (Wish I could spend the dough for a U87 but that will be a while.)

So, I lied.  The U87 is on the way.  I figured why waste time and money buying two mics that I really didn't want when I'll end up eventually getting what I really want.  Happy Fathers Day to me.  

Dave, I am sooooooo relieved to hear you made that decision. I've followed the threads where you've talked about the 102 and 103 and cringed thinking you might actually do that. I owned two 103's and sold them straight away. Harsh and strident to my ears, a trait common with the 102. Good choice my friend!

Also, if you're looking for a warm sonically pleasing vocal mic you could do much worse than an AT 4060 tube mic. I think AT mics are extremely underrated. I have a pair of 4033's and a pair of 4041's which get used exclusively for stereo miking my Martin HD 28  and other acoustic instruments.

And I just picked up a new AEA R84 long ribbon which I'm loving on some female vocals. I'm running it through a LaChappell 583 tube preamp and it drips velvet!

Other mics include:

2x SM81's
3x Beta 98's (drums)
Beta 52
2x Cascade Fatheads Ribbons
2x CAD E100's
1x Octava ML 52 Ribbon modded by Micheal Joly
1x Beta 91
1x EV RE20
1x Shure Sm 27
Several 57's

As far as preamps, I currently have:

Dav BG-1 2 channel
2x Neve 1073 LB's
2x A Designs P-1's
1x Purple Biz MK
1x Brent Averill API with a vintage 2520 opamp
1x OSA MPC-1
2x Great River 500NV
1x LaChappell 583s

I have a pair of Shadow Hills Mono Gama's on the way.

However, I run a commercial operation and have a much great need for a larger selection of mics and preamps.

For a home studio a couple of Great River pres can carry you a long way. They can be clean as a whistle or you can overdrive the output stage to get some very sweet harmonic distortion. A great all-rounder!

I've always felt that even a small home studio should have higher quality gear even if in small amounts. Because if it's crap going in, it'll be crap when it squirts out the black boxes.

My 2¢...

Earl

For a "home studio" the better the gear the better off you are.  Most of us at home aren't tracking drums often or orchestras.  It is better to use a real studio for that.  But for any acoustics we do record, we need to the best quality we can afford.  One really good channel strip can get us one really good track at a time recording.

@

Bricasti M7!

Gaffpro


Dave: Congratulations on getting the U87....you'll thank yourself many times over , as will your clients. The U87 will be a great match with your UA710

Hopefully, it will work well with the Avalon 737 as well. 

Thanks all for the attention (and helpful comments) that the thread is getting.

My precious.