Looking to purchase a preamp

[JonnyGinese]

Originally Posted by word_play

Thanks... I guess what I am trying to figure out is if I NEED pre amp or is the mbox sufficient? What are some of the benefits I would have to getting the pre amp?

Also, how would I run it?

Mic>Preamp>Mbox, right?

And would I turn on phantom power on the preamp? or mbox?

Thanks.

As far as NEEDing Pre's... I use either an Electro-Voice RE-20 on thin vocalists or an AKG 414 on good vocalists.

Mic>Cable>Digi002r... and for you it would be Mic>Cable>MBox Mini

Its the cleanest signal chain you can get... even if a Mixer or Pre is the Quietest thing in the world it won't be as quiet as less components in the way. And remember that you are using Digital... you don't need to have that meter at 80%... 50-60% is totally fine, use plugins to make the difference. If the Mbox Mini has a extra pre-amp noise from 75% and on.. thn jsut learn that you can't go beyond that point.

I use an ADA8000 for an extra 8 inputs.. and i know at a certain point the pre's have a lot of noise... BUT 1 click below that point they are silent... Same with the Digi002r pres and my Mackie board... Learn your gear... message me on Skype if you want to talk... i'm alway up for audio chats.

[serio]

Originally Posted by JonnyGinese

... Learn your gear... .

Unless your ready to record an album, just learn to use what you have to it's limits. You'll learn alot on the way, and you'll be able to make the preamp choice on your own in the end. You gotta learn how to hear first.
But no you don't NEED a preamp.

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by JonnyGinese

Ii'm a fan of using Matching gear... Line 6 guitars with line 6 amps, SP Mics with SP pre-amps, and so on...

I like a non colored sound...

As I've heard some Jamie Candiloro say... You can make an SSL sound like a Neve... but you cannot make a Neve sound like an SSL.

my les paul and mesa mark V may not be matching but it sounds D**M good i have never used the sp stuff, so cannot help there. my favorite guitar pre is api, but no matching mics!!! just givin a hard time, i know what you are saying though.

ssl pre's are so transient to me, almost to fault. it does help quite a bit using tape though to smooth it out. the only time i liked them that clean was for v.o. and adr. used a u87 for about all of it. actually this was also a good use for the c24 pre's which i also always found extremely clean. of course it is all what your ultimate goal is and whatever works to get you there!

actually a song on myspace was recorded with ssl pre's on the piano to a studer a827. used a matching pair of c414 tl II's. we was in a mad rush so had a quick simple setup and had about 15 minutes after we finished tracking it to get it mixed and on dat! i really need to put some updated music on there, that was in 01 or so. but i never heard an ssl mimic a neve! but most places with a ssl can afford a drumkits worth of neves!!!

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by JonnyGinese

As far as NEEDing Pre's... I use either an Electro-Voice RE-20 on thin vocalists or an AKG 414 on good vocalists.

Mic>Cable>Digi002r... and for you it would be Mic>Cable>MBox Mini

Its the cleanest signal chain you can get... even if a Mixer or Pre is the Quietest thing in the world it won't be as quiet as less components in the way. And remember that you are using Digital... you don't need to have that meter at 80%... 50-60% is totally fine, use plugins to make the difference. If the Mbox Mini has a extra pre-amp noise from 75% and on.. thn jsut learn that you can't go beyond that point.

I use an ADA8000 for an extra 8 inputs.. and i know at a certain point the pre's have a lot of noise... BUT 1 click below that point they are silent... Same with the Digi002r pres and my Mackie board... Learn your gear... message me on Skype if you want to talk... i'm alway up for audio chats.

have you used an sm7??? it has been quite a few years since i have used an re-20 and dont remember the gain structure. i know with the 002 with the sm7 i tried it one time and i had to crank the pre almost all the way up and the noise floor was unbearable. they get compared a lot, but i dont remember the re-20 needing quite as much gain.

i am on skype as well off and on, feel free to hit me up sometime.

[hotstuff]

Hi,

If you can then do it, get a preamp with some iron(transformer) and then do some experimenting. Mics seem to come alive when paired with a good transformer based preamp.
To start get a GOLDEN AGE PROJECT PRE-73 or GAP Pre-73, its affordable and very good, excellent for vocals and electric guitar! do a search on Google.
I have 2.

Hotstuff

[JonnyGinese]

Never used an sm7... And I never have issues with gain on the re-20... When I have clients sing into the mic they are very close to it... If not touching it... Gain on the 002r is usually at about 40-65% dependent on the singer.

[word_play]

thanks for all the info guys..

I came across this preamp... anyone have any experience with this?

http://www.gracedesign.com/products/m101/m101.htm

thanks.

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by word_play

thanks for all the info guys..

I came across this preamp... anyone have any experience with this?

http://www.gracedesign.com/products/m101/m101.htm

thanks.

Grace is considered very nice pre's and very clean w a good amount of headroom. I can't say a whole lot because I have never used them. If you want something price and features similar w color maybe check out great river.