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I'm doing a last minute session tomorrow on acoustic grand piano.

The preamps I have to choose from are Allen & Heath mix wizard (analog) or Presonus Digimax FS.

I've never used either and other preamps are not an option.
What would you guys recommend?

Many engineers swear by "matching" a preamp to a microphone. While that approach isn't in my bag of tricks, there's something to be said for selecting the right microphone (and preamp coloration can influence what "right" might be).
So, my suggestion would be to test each and listen, test, listen, test some more, etc. The best recordings often start with some signal chain tweaking. And don't rush mike placement. That'll need tweaking too.
Specs be damned. In the end it's got to sound good. But you knew that.

Phil

Depending on the genre of the session, I think mic placement on the grand is critical, even beyond pre-amp selection. An inch can make a big difference as can the actual room reflections.


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It's so last minute.
I have 2 Apex 420s.
2 SEx1 Mics.
2 Fatboy ribbons.

Those are my choices. I've never used the presonus, that's why I'm asking about the pres. If they're good quality or not.

It depends. You have a piano to test it with; listen to the hig and low ends of the spectrum and the depth in the middle. As George Martin says, "All you need is ears."

Of course, mic selection and placement are more important but since you have two preamp choices, try them both. If you can't hear the difference in five minutes, it doesn't matter.

Many believe that a mic will stay the same and that the preamp colors the sound. Not exactly. The mic will affect the pre and vise versa due to the way that the pre loads the mic. This is why variable impedance mic pres exist and more are on their way. The differences are less noticeable on condenser mics but they still exist due to the transformers.

Here's an interesting article that discusses input impedance in context of one of the worst modern recording mics, the SM-57. Is it possible to use one on other than toms and amplifiers where its weaknesses are considered assets? The author tries an inexpensive mod and says yes.
http://www.recordingmag.com/resources/r ... l/330.html

Of course, mic selection and placement are more important but since you have two preamp choices, try them both. If you can't hear the difference in five minutes, it doesn't matter.

I'd use the A&H regardless; it's a no-brainer for me.

I've always trusted A&H's small-format consoles. Did an ADAT project for a band called Augy March back in the '90s before they "made it", and believe me, it sounded awesome. So natural and open, even 'though we rigged everything up in a house in an inner-city suburb. The band was blown away too.

Frustratingly, I can't remember the exact name of the console, but it was current at the time. Around 14-18 channels, IIRC.

Given the choice, A&H for better noise floor and reliability, if not also the strong likelihood of a smoother top end. This is just due to the time crunch; the better approach is to spend time seeing what is the best match, after getting ideal mic placement. Also, as these are essentially "used" units, condition should be checked as there are no guarantees at that point...