windsurfer25x
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Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
Apparently there are some deals at my local store,
Presonus Eureka,
Aphex 230 Voice master channel,
and the Grace m101
oh and also the Groove Tubes Supre....
Anyone have any of these or would suggest one over the other?
Apparently Groove Tubes was bought out by Fender and they are selling off their rackmount stuff cheap..
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Jim Roseberry
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/09 21:00:32
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and the Grace m101 oh and also the Groove Tubes Supre.... If you're looking for something pretty "special"... I'd opt for either the Grace or SuPre. Grace is super clean... SuPre is tube with lots of options. If you can get a super deal on the SuPre, that would be my choice.
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Beagle
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/09 21:06:50
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windsurfer25x
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/09 21:36:35
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Thanks, I know the m101 isn't a channel strip, the first two were.. but the last two weren't...
But with the Supre being discontinued... wouldn't that be a problem if it ever required service... with Fender having bought the company?
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bitflipper
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/09 23:16:17
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I had a Eureka for a couple years, was never too enamored with it and eventually sold it. But it's hard to beat in terms of price versus features. If you don't need an effects loop, the new Presonus Studio Channel looks very interesting - similar to the Eureka (but without the effects loop and some the I/O options) but with a 12AX7. And a couple hundred bucks cheaper than the Eureka. Meant to compete with the popular ART Channel Strip, also around 300 bucks and also featuring a 12AX7.
Just don't get sucked into the $4k+ market. To hear some people, you'd think those ultra-expensive preamps were imbued with some kind of rare fairy dust. Sure, a pro studio will be stocked with such goodies, and the GC sales drone will be quick to extol their virtues, but the average garage recordist really does not need one.
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craigfowler
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/10 00:07:46
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I recently just got a single pre - not a channel strip, and I like it very much (partly because I can use it to send a direct guitar/bass DI to the DAW as well as take an out into a POD/Tonelab which makes tracking easier).
But I really miss the convenience of the strips I used to have. I don't think they were in the same league sonically, but they were fun and made life easy. I see one of them on ebay pretty often and pine - I had a Joemeek VC6 and really, really liked it!
I imagine I'll get the RNC (really nice compressor) to use as an insert on my pre just to keep levels in order going in to the DAW. If you don't need to add EQ on the front end, that might be a good bet.
Spoken by a total amateur ;-)
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ohhey
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/10 00:55:15
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windsurfer25x
Apparently there are some deals at my local store,
Presonus Eureka,
Aphex 230 Voice master channel,
and the Grace m101
oh and also the Groove Tubes Supre....
Anyone have any of these or would suggest one over the other?
Apparently Groove Tubes was bought out by Fender and they are selling off their rackmount stuff cheap..
If you care about quality I would go for the Grace. If you want one of the others just buy a used one. You won't find many used Grace preamps for sale.
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krizrox
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/10 08:09:21
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I've used that Aphex channel strip and it's a great preamp if you want that perfect radio-ready sound with minimal tweaking. The build quality was a little suspicious to me though. I seem to remember some knobs falling off in my hands. It had more of a plasticky feel to me. But the sound quality was great.
I would think the Groove Tubes unit would be awesome. But I've never used one. Probably a lot more expensive than the other models you listed right?
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windsurfer25x
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/10 08:20:16
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The Eureka was $499
The Supre was ~ $1400
The Grace was $625
The Aphex was ~ $800
(All Canadian dollars)
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chrysb93021
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 04:35:05
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+1 for the Eureka - we use 2 of them (over 3 years, now). No major problems. There are better preamps - but these both have a nice fullness to them.
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 08:52:44
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"Just don't get sucked into the $4k+ market. To hear some people, you'd think those ultra-expensive preamps were imbued with some kind of rare fairy dust."
Ask Bitflipper if he's ever visited my place and sang through my John Hardy M1s?
:-)
Fairy dust? Seems more like the stuff switching power supplies and intergrated circuits are made of. It seems to me that it's really easy to hear the fairy dust in mid grade wanna be circuits.
It all starts with a nice quiet expensive power supply... and a love of good sound.
The real payoff of a great preamp is the detail and beauty you will hear in the low mids... and I attribute that to the graceful way a good preamp can handle the bass below the low mids.
You sort of have to have access to the beauty to hear what the almost as good stuff is missing.
The frequently heard claims like, *I sang with a falsetto thru a U87 and a Martech for 6 days at a fancy studio two years ago and now I use a Eureaka and a $40 dollar mic* just don't mean a whole lot to me... because it doesn't represent the full experience that can be realized with the better grade preamp.
If you can swing it... get some time on a nice preamp and try it on everything... you'll figure it out eventually... they still make the good stuff for a reason.
best regards,
mike
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windsurfer25x
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 09:33:07
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Another deal I am considering is the Manley / Langevin Dual Vocal Combo for $1700... that or either a pair of Grace m101's... but this might not happen for some time as I'm likely going to be picking up a Neumann TLM 102 soon
post edited by windsurfer25x - 2010/03/11 09:34:40
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 09:53:11
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If you are serious about this you'll think very hard about what you want to do with it.
Are you the singer?
Do you have a style?
Are you a strong singer? Do you need a really stiff power supply to keep up with your schwa?
Do you want some bite or edge added or simply lust for the smoothness to be preserved?
Do you need smooth bass? Or smooth treble?
Or was that a textured bass or textured treble?
Do you know what you'll be doing with the eq section?
Do you want detailed mid range or just a nice airy top shelf?
How about compression? Do you want a smooth opto compressor to give it a deluxe feel? Do you want a fast attack FET that limits and possibly adds some edge? Do you want both? You need both. :-)
I haven't even asked if you'll be demanding a transformer based design yet... :-)
Forget memorizing brand names and prices like there will be a flash card test... what is it that you think you need?
Good suggestions may follow.
all the best,
mike
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skullsession
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 10:02:19
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I want a preamp that's transformer based, but doesn't SOUND like it. I also want it to be fully tube....but no too tubey.
I want compression that's got the speed and grit of FET....but the patience and butter of an opto.
I want it to be smoothe....but hairy.
I want it to be cheap.
And I want it to be worth thousands of dollars on Ebay in 20 years.
I'm not asking too much...am I?
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 10:21:35
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That sounds like fairy dust
:-)
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skullsession
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 11:02:49
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AND....I want to be able to set my monitors on it, making them sound better.
HOOK: Skullsessions.com / Darwins God Album "Without a doubt I would have far greater listening and aural skills than most of the forum members here. Not all but many I am sure....I have done more listening than most people." - Jeff Evans on how awesome Jeff Evans is.
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craigt
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 14:38:28
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Mike, (and anyone who cares to reply)
Do you consider Seventh Circle Audio as strong circuits which deliver detail and beauty or 'mid grade wanna be circuits'? It seems in an older post you did not like SCA implying that it clones certain preamps but that SCA has strong, good quality circuits without regard to what they're supposed to sound like.
I'm looking seriously at an SCA rack of three or four flavors and interested to find out if you (or others) think SCA preamps deliver the type of detail and beauty you describe.
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 15:11:29
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I think the designs are fine. I think the idea of cloning makes sense to me, but the idea of implying you are when you aren't doesn't. I think a lot of folks present the 7th circle stuff as if they are clones, or reminiscent, or inspired by, etc. I question the idea that a do it yourself person can QC their work well enough to assemble the parts consistently. Any one item might be useful... but can you match a pair? how about 5? For example; If you read much about the real Jensen 990 it seems like getting one to run without running away takes a lot of skill and experience in finding it's sweet spot. I don't think I'm up for that. That's why Mr. Dean Jensen called Mr. John Hardy and asked him to build the Jensen 990 dual servo designs... because Mr Jensen didn't think many folks were up to the task. Furthermore I enjoy the idea of a devoted a power supply to one maybe two channels... not a back plane for half a dozen etc. I've never tried them because if you look at it carefully... if you buy the sevnth circle kits and then upgrade to the real thing Jensen transformers, the API or 990 opamps, a dedicated torodial transformer power supply, name brand switches and jacks...etc., it only costs a few dollars more to have a bona fide expert to build you a preamp. There are so many choices. I think Dean Doddery? really likes the ones he made...
post edited by mike_mccue - 2010/03/11 15:15:36
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 15:17:39
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on the other hand, don't discount the value of what you will learn if build some kits... you get more than just the preamp.
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Jim Roseberry
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 18:22:36
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Just don't get sucked into the $4k+ market. To hear some people, you'd think those ultra-expensive preamps were imbued with some kind of rare fairy dust. Sure, a pro studio will be stocked with such goodies, and the GC sales drone will be quick to extol their virtues, but the average garage recordist really does not need one. FWIW, The rest of your gear has to be up to the same standards, but GML Mic Preamps are the best I've ever used. Full sounding... super quiet... and they're super expensive.  If the OP can get a good deal, the SuPre is a nice/versatile unit.
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DeeringAmps
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 22:06:10
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I like my UA LA-610 and 6176, the nice thing about the 6176 is you can use the pre and compressor separately. A bit more new than the GT; I picked mine up used, but I love used gear.
Just me,
Tom
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/11 22:32:40
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I have begun using one of my LA-610s as my primary bass pre amp. I play a P bass into it. I send it to the MOTU, I hit record. Done.
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Jim Roseberry
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/12 03:21:09
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The Eureka was $499 The Supre was ~ $1400 The Grace was $625 The Aphex was ~ $800 Hmmm... I'd hold off. If you're looking for an inexpensive mic pre, checkout the GAP Pre 73. Pretty decent preamp (Neve flavored) for $300 Before you laugh... have a listen If you're working with more of a budget, the LA-610 is a real nice combo (as has been suggested).
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windsurfer25x
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/12 09:04:55
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Anyone have any experience with the Langevan Dual Voice combo?
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Beagle
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/12 09:30:23
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Jim Roseberry
The Eureka was $499 The Supre was ~ $1400 The Grace was $625 The Aphex was ~ $800
Hmmm...
I'd hold off.
If you're looking for an inexpensive mic pre, checkout the GAP Pre 73.
Pretty decent preamp (Neve flavored) for $300
Before you laugh... have a listen
If you're working with more of a budget, the LA-610 is a real nice combo (as has been suggested).
Jim - not to derail this thread, but I can't find a place selling the GAP Pre 73 anywhere just by googling - do you have a link?
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windsurfer25x
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/12 09:38:32
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I already have a UA Solo 110...
So far I've done a lot the recording I've done has been of acoustic instruments... I was thinking about a pair of Grace's.... and if things go well this year, maybe later the Manley/ Langevin Dual Vocal Combo... I like that different output options and how you can use the pre and limiter seperately... my local music guy here said it's comparable to the LA 610 except 2x the channel
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ohhey
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/12 10:42:25
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windsurfer25x
I already have a UA Solo 110...
So far I've done a lot the recording I've done has been of acoustic instruments... I was thinking about a pair of Grace's.... and if things go well this year, maybe later the Manley/ Langevin Dual Vocal Combo... I like that different output options and how you can use the pre and limiter seperately... my local music guy here said it's comparable to the LA 610 except 2x the channel
I've used the Grace 101 a lot and love it, just lots of clean gain and nothing else. Also, the HiZ (Guitar) input is fantastic. It's 1meg ohm so there is no load on the pickups. Electric bass is amazing (even a cheap one) and if you have not had a chance to hear your guitar pickups clean with no drag (load) you are in for a treat.
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Lanceindastudio
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/14 23:44:44
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big + on the eureka here. You can easily get great recordings with it-
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Jim Roseberry
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/15 01:13:08
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Jim - not to derail this thread, but I can't find a place selling the GAP Pre 73 anywhere just by googling - do you have a link? Hi Beagle, It's out of stock across the entire US. April 2nd is the updated/latest ETA. AMS will have them (when available)
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Beagle
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Re:Thinking about a channel strip... anyone have any experience or anything to say?
2010/03/15 07:55:32
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Jim Roseberry
Jim - not to derail this thread, but I can't find a place selling the GAP Pre 73 anywhere just by googling - do you have a link?
Hi Beagle,
It's out of stock across the entire US.
April 2nd is the updated/latest ETA.
AMS will have them (when available)
thanks Jim!
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