Good Mic Preamps under $500

[graphite]

avalon makes an inexpensive pre called the u5...i think.

some say it sounds great.

[Mark Fassett]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by where02190:
Presonus and ART stuff just plain is not worth the metal they are made of, noisy and very colored. The afore mentioned DBX channel strip is very nice. (snip)
Either the AKG C4000 B or the AT 4033a are great choices, <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So just to show that everyone has an opinion and yours is the only one that matters, I hated the DBX tube preamps. I didn't like the Art either. I thought the Presonus was actually pretty decent.

For that same amount of money, in my opinion the standout performer is the Drawmer MX60.. very nice, decent comp (though not thhat flexible), and there's no tube in it.. but it sounds "warmer" to me than any of the cheap tube preamps (whatever warm means.. if people say the Art is warm, and the DBX is warm, then the term is meaningless because they sound very different). Just because it has glowing glass doesn't mean it sounds good.

[billbo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Mark Fassett:
Just because it has glowing glass doesn't mean it sounds good.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Difference of opinion really.
I swing both ways when it comes to the whole tube-vs.-digital war...
However, to the topic in hand, for $100.00 more than your five hundred mark ($299.99 list), you can have 2X JoeMeek VC3Q (they're 1/2 rack devices BTW) filling up a 1U space in your rack.

They're not the best, but they're cheap and sound pretty good. The EQ and compression aren't the greatest, but they pass for the price.

[DOUBLE EDGE]

graphite: that pre amp is for line inst...i made the same mistake...the reason there's so many opinions is cus it depends on the style of music you make...i make hiphop so a warm,grimmy vocal is actually good for that. if you do rock ive heard joe meek is catered to that. just connect with some one that does your style and consult with them.. as far as mics go im sure ne body that has heard studio projects c1 or c4 would have ne thing bad to say about them. (c1=299/c4=499) pound for pound the best mic around its the roy jones of recording mics. and no im not a rep.. im just shooked at how many ppl sleep on this mic.. check it out studioprojects.com

[where02190]

Joe Meek stuff is quite good for the money, and the afore mentioned drawmer unit is pretty good too. I also have a DBX 1086 that sounds nice, even without tubes...

Mark Fassett, it was my understanding that recommendations were based on experience and personal opinions. The post creator asked us for recommendations. I reply to the DUC with my recommendations based on my experiences with the particular issue at hand. I have never nor would I say that my way is the only right way. Such rules simply do not exsist in recording. It is you who chooses to ASSUME (AKA "make an ass out of you and me").

encephalon, bad choice of words on my part. What I should have described is the poor quality from these units unless they were kept at certain levels. They, IMHO* (*disclaimer to shut up the Mark Fassetteers) seemed to have only one sound, and when not used in that setting, were very unpleasant sounding. My TL preamps are tube as well, but I am able to get a variety of very usable sounds from them depending on how hard or soft I drive them. Neither the ART units I tried, or the presonus seemed to be that flexable.

We all use what we like because WE like it. The DUC allows us to ask others of their opinions, based on (hopefully) factually information and real life experience. One could debate almost every entry on the DUC, or we can choose to take the information here as it is offered, and make our decisions based on what WE like.

All this is offered IMHO.

[lwilliam]

Here are some in that price range (although I also think the Grace Designs 101 would be very nice):

1. ART Pro MPA and Tube Channel
2. Focusrite Platinum series
3. HHB Radius 50 and Radius 5
4. Joe Meek VC6Q
5. Mindprint Envoice
6. Presonus MP20

Some have been mentioned above, but as you can see, there is a lot of selection available in that price range.

I would listen to as many of them as you can before deciding. Also, many places have 30-day money-back guarantees. You could conceivably buy two (if you can afford it temporarily) and return the "lesser" one after a couple of weeks. Just let the sales guy know ahead of time what you want to do. He most likely won't have a problem with it.

[mike connelly]

If you're looking at the 4033, make sure you take a listen to the KSM32 as well.

[psax]

THANKS for all your opinions, but i guess that it was a kind of optimistic request. I thouht i could get away with a preamp that at least 60% would agree on. The problem is that i'm from South america and i can't get my hands on any Preamp until i get to Miami, probably in January. So then,
i'll defenitly check out some of those preamps

This also brings up another question..

Is it really worth to substitute the Digi 001's preamps for all these around-$500- Pre's?
Or will i only notice a diference with more hi end Mic Pres?

Thanks

[pk_hat]

Hi,

I don't know how much faith most people put in magazine reviews, but of all the ones available, I'll take pretty much anything 'SOund On SOund' says to heart.
I just read a very impressive review of the Focusrite PENTA pre-amp/compressor/tube emulator. (August 2001 issue)

Just putting the word out...

pk

[8 bit]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR> I don't know how much faith most people put in magazine reviews, but of all the ones available, I'll take pretty much anything 'SOund On SOund' says to heart.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeh I think SOS is about the only UK pro audio mag worth reading, it's always friendly to mac users, PLUS they have a pro tools tips section now. Yeh, I'd be interested in hearing the penta too.