Groove Tubes The Brick, or some other preamp?

[rcook349]

Ok, so I think I've decided on a Shure KSM44 for my main studio mic for vocals and acoustic guitar miking. Now I need a decent 1-channel pre-amp. Given budgets (as we all have), this combination will probably be my only one for such applications for, well, probably ever (at least the next decade or two).

Given that, I'm willing to spend several hundred bucks on each... like $1000 for each would probably be the limit (very top limit).

I see the Brick by Groove Tubes for $400 and was thinking of buying it. Should I? Should I look at other products?

Like I said, I need only one channel and just want to warm up the mic as best I can. Music will be from acoustic folk to rock (vocals, acoustic guitars).

Thanks for any advice,
Ron

[MrJoshua]

The Brick is a solid preamp. If you're looking to spend around a grand I'd probably pick up a Brick and a Grace Design Model 101. Two totally different types of preamps. The Brick is a tube pre, which has a fairly colored sound with a smooth top end. It also works very well as a DI for recording bass, if that means anything to you. I like it for vocals, guitars, bass ... it's just a solid pre. The Grace, on the other hand, is an extremely clean preamp - what you put in is what you get out, in other words. I've had great results with it on acoustic and electric guitars, and it's one of my favorite vocal preamps with the right singer and the right microphone.

You could also take a look at the FMR RNP (Really Nice Preamp), which is a two-channel preamp for about the same price as the Brick. It's a very solid choice for a jack-of-all-trades preamp. It sounds at least "good" with pretty much everything.

In the end, though, I'd see if you can't find somewhere that will let you try out several preamps in your price range and then send back the ones you don't want. Because what works great for me might not be what you're looking for at all.

[The Weed]

Another vote for the Grace 101. Record as clean as possible, then warm/color with processing. That way you never have to re-record anything where you liked the take, but didn't like the outboard gear's processing.

Cheers,

[DiAngelo]

Ok, so I think I've decided on a Shure KSM44 for my main studio mic for vocals and acoustic guitar miking. Now I need a decent 1-channel pre-amp. Given budgets (as we all have), this combination will probably be my only one for such applications for, well, probably ever (at least the next decade or two).

Given that, I'm willing to spend several hundred bucks on each... like $1000 for each would probably be the limit (very top limit).

I see the Brick by Groove Tubes for $400 and was thinking of buying it. Should I? Should I look at other products?

Like I said, I need only one channel and just want to warm up the mic as best I can. Music will be from acoustic folk to rock (vocals, acoustic guitars).

Thanks for any advice,
Ron

Considering I have an Apogee Mini Me with preamps that could be considered better than the Brick, I wouldn't recommend the Brick or the Grace 101 if you're in that price range.

If you could get a used Neve replica, that would be the best of course. If you want it new, take a look at these:

- Summit Audio 2BA-221 - a very very good preamp, extremely versatile for any sound, any mic

- Universal Audio SOLO/610 - If you want to forget the versatility and you just go for TONS of warmth and coloration


Personally those would be my options if I had your budget. Ok... if I really had your budget I would try to kill and rape just to get some kind of Neve copy for $1000. But that's me.