mic pre VS microphone Help

[happasito]

hey all. ive been reading here for a long time, mabye 2 years, but ive only finally registered and such.

you are all wise folk, so...i just need some quick advice. im thinking of doing all of this tomorrow.



i run an MBox, on a 17" PB on OSX 10.3.2 w/1.5GB ram. still on PT 6.4

I use alot of high end gear in the studio, however...at home its a little diffrent.
i dont have great budget or one at all for that matter...so gear is limited.
im lucky all those classes on EQ and Acoustics and everything else that ive taken have paid off, cuz ive gotten good results with what i got. but..im ready to take the next plunge.

right now, the highest quality mics i have are a AT 3035, SM58. and a AT33R.
today i went out a picked up a PreSonus Eureka for about 500. my question is...

i tracked a vocal with it and was pleased with the results, however im a firm believer in "crap in, crap out" soooo...

im thinking of returning it, using the 500 to getting a good mic or 2 and just floating on the mbox pres for awhile. would a better mic selection going throught the mbox pres be a better thing than running the lesser mics through the eureka?
what do you guys think?


thinking of getting ...
SM81 (acoustic guitar)
Audix i5 or SM57 for snare
AKG D112 or Audix D6 for bass drum
suggestions?


is it worth the trade off? or will the channel strip help me out more....i have waves platinum, and a ton of other plugs sooo...help a brother out..

thanks guys.

[happasito]

i forgot to add...


eventually i was thinking of going to a 002r...using the lightpipe, and getting better pre's anyways.
or just sticking with this, and eventually get a better pre than the eureka.

ive heard alot of good things about the RNP, grace 101, and heck...mabye i was just gonna save up and get myself the avalon
so..if that will help with advising me on the descison then cool...

and how bout that Studio Projects C1?
hear its damn close to a U87 sonically...

anyways....help! hah

but for real...thanks in advance.

[Bhennies]

return that presonus. If you want to spend under 500, chck out groove tubes the brick. It sounds great.

I believe that a great pre willl sound great with a decent mic, while a decent mic will sound not so good through a low end pre.

[danickstr]

the problem with us tdm guys replying is that we spend more on mics or pres alone than the cost of 2 002r units. for low money i like the avalon 737 and then try some rodes through it. when you are buying a big item like these two, the sales staff should give you a mike setup to "shoot out" some favorite picks. if they don't, then leave guitar center and go to a store with reputable sales associates.

[happasito]

yeah, ive been considering the brick as well.

but i dunno mabye a better mic selection will help me out in the long run?...hmm.

thanks