Help me choose a mic and preamp.

[kgdrum]

Well the SSL sound does have color and personally I wouldn't call it flat sounding...but it doesn't cut through anything, either. If the vocal is getting lost in the lower part of his range, that might not necessarily be a mic-issue....but how the rest of the mix is. With that said, ya'll know I'm a big fan of the MA200---but in this case, maybe not so much. It sounds like you want something that's going to cut through a little more. You might want to consider the BOCK AUDIO 195, it's got a big sound--but also some really nice presence in the mids. Look at the Daking MicPre One as a possible mix with that mic, which should total for well under US $2,000.

+1 On the Daking Brad

Just bought one b4 I went on the xmas break so I haven't put it through her paces yet, but the EQ is very very nice and the Pre is very clean.

Based on a Trident console from the 70's.

I'm actually ordering the Daking MicPre One,tomorrow.Looks amazing at this price range.

[BradLyons]

It is really good. They are working on a dual-channel compressor that I have my eyes all over. In fact, I plan on buying one this summer when they are expected to be available.

[mhschmieder]

Brad,

The DaKing is in my top three at this point, but would need to be paired with an ADDA.

Any recommendations? It seems very few are made (at least under $3000).

As a result, I keep holding out for someone "good" to add ADAT to an existing octal or quad mic pre.

[BradLyons]

The Focusrite ISA428 and ISA828 would work, the pres are very good and the new converter card is EXCELLENT. There is also the Liquid4Pre which has AES/EBU. I also know that TRUE Systems is working on a solution, but it won't be cheap and might be a ways out. The issue with such a product is that if you're going to build a good pre, you better build a good converter to go along with it---or it washes it out. As to an AD/DA, how many channels?

[kassonica]

Brad,

The DaKing is in my top three at this point, but would need to be paired with an ADDA.

Any recommendations? It seems very few are made (at least under $3000).

As a result, I keep holding out for someone "good" to add ADAT to an existing octal or quad mic pre.

I just bought a daking and although I'm still testing her out, all I can say is it's very very nice and round. Beautiful bottom end.

My only complaint is it's a little on the noisy side, but only a little.

If your erring o the side of the daking I don't think the Focusrite's would do it for you (sorry brad) as they have a 'harder' sound to them IMHO.

Of course it's all subjective

Then there is the great river pre which I LOVE.

[mhschmieder]

Brad, when I spoke with True at AES in october 2008, I was under the impression that they were only looking into the matter of developing a multi-channel preamp with a digital option of some sort (probably AES/EBU as I recall) and are not yet committed to the idea. I also kept it to myself as I assumed it was confidential, but I guess not.

I love my True Precision 8. My rep at Leo's Pro Audio in Oakland CA talked me into switching my Grace order a couple of years back, and I have no regrets. This is the most transparent and clean preamp I have ever used, as well as the best ergonomics and the most flexible.

Not many octal preamps include this much gain (which will help for ribbon mics), two channels of optional line level 1/4" input, and Mid/Side support (in channels 1-2).

But I do need to expand at some point, for close-miking drums. I tried the B***r and resold it immediately. WAY too noisy. You have to go to RED before Focusrite really delivers what drums need, and that's too expensive for what it is IMO. So I'm looking into better bang-for-buck solutions, of which there are few. DaKing might be the answer.

[BradLyons]

I think I met with True about 12-months ago about this topic---it wasn't anything firm or set, but something they were looking into. Like I said there is a balance of cost v/s performance when you need both high level AD and the pres themselves. Is it public? Nope, it's not...but there wasn't a specific product on the table at that time either. But it is something I know they were investigating, and I would imagine we would see something at some point. The Precision8 is very nice! I've considered buying one, but clean-gain pres aren't what I'm after------ that's why I'm such a HUGE advocate of the Focusrite ISA line. I own an ISA828 8-channel, just bought an ISA428 4-channel, and even have an ISA220 single channel (which I'm selling). It has some coloration, some warmth...but not too much. It's clean, but not sterile. With that said if I wanted clean-gain, that True box would be my personal first choice.

[BradLyons]

BY the way.... don't think of "just the pre". I'm in the middle of working out a pretty extensive studio upgrade focusing on recording drums. This is what I have already:

Premier Signia Maple Drums w/Sabian "AA" cymbals, so the drums and cymbals are VERY good

Gear:
(1) Focusrite ISA828
(1) Focusrite ISA428
(1) Presonus ADL600 (had two, sold one)
(1) Apogee Ensemble....needed an interface for my MacBook, but also to have (4) additional pres...the pres on this box are actually quite nice!
(1) Digidesign 192I/O w/16 channels

What I don't have, and focusing on now, are good outboard EQ's and Compressors. I've thought about buying a DAKING 4-ch pre, but decided to keep the ISA stuff and put that money into compression. A-Designs has just announced a new compressor called the NAIL. I'm hoping to get a unit in for testing, but I'm already sure I'm going to buy this box. I know Peter Montessi personally and his stuff is amazing. This is supposed to be an amazing compressor that can be used for tracking, mixing, AND bus compression. Speaking of DAKING, they are working on a very nice 2-channel compressor that should also be out this summer (or earlier, possibly) that I'm looking into. DEPENDING on an upgrade I either do or don't do to the backyard, I'm also considering adding a 2-1176 compressor. So that will give me (6) channels of gooooood compression and will compliment the ISA Range.

My mics are a BLUE MOUSE on the kick with a KickBall on the beater, Audix D1 for snare, D2 for the high and mid toms and a D4 for Low Toms. I'm not using MD421's because, quite honestly, these mics are more than fine with the pres I'm using. Overheads I've been using Earthworks TC30's, but I'm considering a Royer SF12....and AKG C451B's for Hi Hat and Ride. So the mics are good, pres are good, will have good compression.

My point is....don't look at JUST the pre as the answer, because there are other factors that go along with that pre.

[mhschmieder]

It's true that drums often benefit from more specialised input vs. the transparent approach, but I have to cover a lot of genres where even drums benefit from a transparent front-end, so am always hesitant to add colour at that stage.

Even so, the feedback is useful, and I will reconsider those ISA's after I make a flow chart of my full drum miking setup so that I know whether I need eight additional channels or can get away with just four.

[BradLyons]

For the record, I'm not saying that something like the ISA828 is or is not the way to go..... but that for me and what I do, for the systems I've designed for my clients, etc.... it's proven to be a great solution. However, something like a Daking 4-ch pre through a Rosetta800 or so....nice! I'm not one for totally clean converters, I like warmth.