MIc Pre recommendations

[goldziey]

Hi all. I'm looking to buy a mic pre, preferably 2 or more channels, that has a little character to it. I already own the Avalon AD 2022, which I love for more classical and jazz applications. I've been thinking about the Universal Audio 2-610 or their new 4100, which I believe is not tube based.

Could anyone give their opinions of these and/or other similar pres?

Thanks!

George

[sdemott]

I happen to love the API 3124+ (4 channels of 312 pres). Check one out before you decide on the UA stuff.

[grumph]

The UA 610 is a great pre-amp for the price.
If you want character,go for it!
Nothing more to say

[grumph]

Error...

I LOVE this UA-610!!!

[lightningad]

i would wholeheartedly recommend the Focusrite ISA428. It sounds fantastic.

and if your budget won't stretch that far, you could doa lot worse than check out the focusrite twintrak pro.

i have both and love them both!!

[BradLyons]

George,

There are many fine choices out there for mic-pres today, each of which have their own sound (or lack there-of). One thing is certain when you invest in a pro-quality pre-amp, you really get your money's worth. Of course since you have an AD2022, you know that I'm a big believer in front-end and have invested a great deal into this, the sound is worth that expense. Preamps like the UA 2610 give you a warm, lush sound that really fattens up your tracks. This is obviously completely oppisite of the Avalon AD2022 sound which is more about clean-gain.

Someone else mentioned it here, the ISA428 from Focusrite. This is not tube, but it does have some warmth...not alot, but it's a unique sound that combines warmth AND clearity without over-coloring the signal or being sterile. What I really like about the ISA428 is that it allows you to choose the sound you want by choice of microphone. I owned (2) ISA428's, sold one not thinking I needed it and realizing that was a mistake. I was getting ready to buy a second unit, but I'm going to just go for a Red1 instead. I previously owned (2) ISA430mkII's (sold them for Liquid Channels) that I used EXTENSIVELY for voice-recording. The pres in the 428 and 430mkII are identical, but the 430 is a channel-strip. Anyway my point is this. If I plugged in a BLUE Bluebird microphone, I got a very musical tone that provided excellent clearity but not sterile or piercing on the top-end, rather it was very rounded. The bottom-end was somewhat colored, enough to add body to the tone without changing it. On that same vocalist I then used my personal favorite go-to microphone (Soundelux U99 tube-microphone) and the sound was COMPLETELY different....lush, warmth, sweet sound. Try this with a tube-pre or even a clean-gain pre, you just won't get the same results.

It's something to consider, is less money, and gives you (4) channels total. You can put the extra money into another microphone. Of course there are other features such as impedance switching, optional A/D conversion, etc...

[ermesoof]

Brad,
have you ever tried Liquid Channel, UA stuffs and ISA 430 with a GEFELL M990 tube cond. mic ? it's the mic I've got, and use it specially on a female voice.
I've been also told about Millennia TD-1, Great River ME-1NV, Avalon M5, Speck 5.0, Grace 101 and others
What do you think about these kind of couplings (I just need a mono channel)
I'm looking for test them, but a lot of this PREs are not easy to find in Italy.
Any advice would be strongly appreciated

alix

[BradLyons]

I've not used Gefell products in several years since I no longer have access to them, but it's a great product-line for sure. I do have access to an MT711 (is that the model? I forget) but that's about it. I'm okay with that, however, as I really am a Soundelux man all the way these days when it comes to vocal microphones. I must say if one has the budget for a Liquid Channel, you have to get it. It really is an amazing mic-pre.

Back to the question about the Gefell tube microphone.... personally I don't like to use tube mics with tube pres, but I love tube mics thus why I don't use tube-pres these days. There is something special about the sound of a warm, tube microphone going through the ISA-sound of Focsurite...they just compliment each other so well. The ISA-pre isn't the best pre out there, but it's about the color it provides. It is very quiet and clean, but colors as I mentioned above in its own unique way which is really where the value of their pres are. If you're after clean-gain, then GML, Earthworks, Milenia (spelling? I always get that one wrong and hey, it's early! haha) are worth looking into. For the money, however, the Avalon M5 is also a great choice as well. I'm not really an Avalon fan, that is NOT to say it's not a killer product.... Hey, you like chocolate ice-cream, someone else likes vanilla...me, I prefer mint chocolate chip.

I have a vocal track I'll post later of the Soundelux U99 through the ISA430mkII.

[ermesoof]

Thanks a lot Brad

My Gefell mic is the M990.

The Soundelux is a tube one?

Please could you tell me how close is Liquid Ch. to the real stuffs?
I've been told that some are near 100%, others less
Which are better reproduced?

Would you suggest the Liquid as the only mic PRE?

Tnx a lot again

alix

[ermesoof]

Brad, I had a look on your website:
The mic samples give me a 'PAGE NOT FOUND' result

alix

[BradLyons]

Alix,

I pulled the files down, I've not updated my website in ages as I just don't have time...but I'll see if I can dig that vocal track up. I've not recorded much for keeps in the past year, just testing stuff....but now I'm ready to start doing full-blown production again. As for the Soundelux, most of their microphones are tube-based with the exception of the U195 which is a FET design, there are a few others too. The U99 is NOT their top of the line, that would be the Elux251. There is a significant history to Soundelux, but I don't have time to get into it. I can tell you, however, their microphones are top-notch. I prefer the U99 over the vintage microphone they are designed off of.... half the cost if you found the vintage one today in mint condition, but then you have all of theother issues that goes with a vintage product.

[ermesoof]

Brad, would you suggest Liquid Channel as the first and only stuff?
Tnx
alix

[BradLyons]

Oops sorry forgot to answer the question on the Liquid Channel..... How close does it come to the real thing? Well, that is subjective. Over the years, I've used many different brands and models of various pres and compressors. IMHO, there is nothing like the "real-thing" but I've also learned that you don't have to have the "real-thing" to get the results you're looking for. IN many cases, it's hard to tell the difference but there are a few you can hear it. BUT the real value of the Liquid Channel is NOT trying to perfectly emulate another product but that literally with the change of a dial you have SO much variety of sound and tone that comes out of it.... THAT is where the power is.

I can't say that the Liquid Channel is the only one to get, it depends on the user. I was using a pair of ISA430mkII's before I bought my first two Liquid Channels and in some ways, I really miss those 430's. The EQ was killer, above average Gate, TOP-NOTCH De-Esser, wonderful DI built-in that I used extensively for bass, etc. On the Liquid Channel, there is no Gate or De-Esser....no DI either. The EQ is very basic, but good-sounding. BUT the advantage is, again, the different tonal varieties that can be achieved with that one box. Do I recommend it? ABSOLUTELY, it's the best value you'll ever find in a pre-amp and if you're like me.... you might just start picking them up one after the other The built-in converter is wonderful! I have my pair right now going AES/EBU into my ProTools setup. Oh yes, up to 80dB of gain too!

One HUGE question with these when they came out is how well do they work with ribbon microphones? I used a pair of R121's and intiially was getting radio noise.... come to find out, I was using a bad cable. I normally use Monster Cable only, but I had to run a long distance and the only ones I had that would reach that far (my snakes weren't wired in yet) were (2) 50ft "non Monster cables (don't want to make anyone look bad). I moved everything closer and wow, what a sound...no issues, plenty of gain, no noise/interference. I fell in-love with the sound so much that a few days later I was speaking to a major recording guitar client of mine.... I was talking to him about the setup and he decided to try the same setup with an additional R121. Just talked to him for the first time since about 4 days ago and everyone was blown away by the sound. I'm working on getting his permission to post about it, it's a major guy.

Anyway, there are many great solutions....the LC is just one of them. I'm not saying it's the right solution for everyone, but it's worth looking into.

[XYZ]

I have the 2-610 AND the Great River [the MP-2NV which is just a 2 channel version of the 1NV.

The 610 is a TUBE pre. What is very very cool about it is that you can dial in the "amount" of tube character AND you can fool with the impedance. It gives you a whole bunch of options.

Realize that many tube pres are pres made with tubes and won't give you that tube warmth. The 610 will, and you can dial in the amount. The EQ on it is perfect. Gentle, but perfect. It allows you to dial in things nicely. For me that fact that everything is detented except the level is also very beneficial. You can always get back to exactly the sound you had if you want to re-record something or what have you. The huge level knob is nice too. I'm not sure there is any better pre that I have ever heard of for Bass. Terrific on condenser mics. A wild smorgasbord of sounds from ribbon mics. Way cool.

However, this is not my favorite Pre [second favorite!]. The Great River is just smokin. It has all the nice "iron" sound of a Neve, without the midrange "mush" and with a tighter bottom and ultra quite. And if you turn up the front-end gain, it postiviely ROCKS.

Both are available in a mono version, and I would highly recommend both. Both of these guys remain thrilling to me and Have had them for a while.

[builder]

Sebatron VMP2000e

1150, 2 channels, all tube, great sound