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The Seventh Circle Audio stuff is the most amazing value of any preamps out there, even if you're not handy with a soldering gun. Read what Michael Wagener, producer/engineer extrodinaire says about them here --

http://gearslutz.com/board/showpost.php3?p=341571&postcount=72

The Seventh Circle Audio stuff is the most amazing value of any preamps out there, even if you're not handy with a soldering gun. Read what Michael Wagener, producer/engineer extrodinaire says about them here --

http://gearslutz.com/board/showpost.php3?p=341571&postcount=72

Brad, my first post mentioned the precision 8 as the first choice. I did not call it TrueSystems, I misnamed it True Audio precision 8.

Glad to see you agree I believe that unit has mid/ side decoding built in as an additional feature doesn't it?

Jeff

<small>[ June 11, 2005, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: Jeff ]</small>

yes, it does.

I can put in two cents having worked extensively with the True Pre / Grace / Millennia / Sonosax / Neve / API etc.

My personal rig is the 896HD and often I run external mic pre's balance analog in and record 88.2. Having done just this and not change the A/D converters I can state that the mic pre switch makes a big difference when you get to this level. If you go with a Octapre or lesser 8 strip, you might as well get an 896HD because you will not be upgrading over the two pre's you have in the 828HD. Here is what the above pre's get you IMHO:
Millennia - great pure mic pre. lots of gain, totally transparent. This pre lets the microphone come through completely with no added color. (I use the stip of 8 pre's)
Grace -again the stip of 8- this pre is fantastic on vocal and settings you need to warm up the sound. This is what it does - add just a bit in the upper end. I choose this mic when I know I will be going to a dark hall or want to get a "rich" sound on location.
True Pre - 8 strip again - best bang for the buck. Very clean and good head room. transparent as the Millennia but sometimes feels wrong with certain mics. Can't explain this phenomina, I just feel it. Still, I never hesitate grabbing them.
Neve - lots of color pending on the series. great for pop music and when you are tracking.
API - same as NEVE - just different. They are personal choices that you have to hear before deciding.

I do a lot of recording that requires purity - audiophile if you will. The first three are the ones I use most for such situations. But when I am able to play with color on the way in, I either grab different mics, or switch A/D converters. Now that is a whole other topic....

best of luck and let us know what you decide...

I totally agree with the last post. I thought I contributed to this thread already, but it must've been another one. I use Millennia extensively. I've used many of the other pre mentioned a lot. Not True or Sonosax, but Daking, Neve, API, Quad 8, Drawmer, UA. It makes a difference. I tend to go, for a basic pre, transparent. I like to hear the instrument first. If I need color I'll grab a color. But all of one color spoils the color. In the case of Neve, sometimes you get a build up of that color seeping through all the tracks and you really need something to break it up. Kind of a Neve haze. But then again back in the day when most of the classic recordings were made records were recorded on one board with one pre for everything.

I have 13 channels of Millennia because that''s what works best for me. I use other pres when I need them, but most often I'll grab color from a compressor or EQ or mic.

I VERY interested in those DIY preamps. how do they sound?
are they just prepacked CRAP that looks good?

I'd be interested in looking into doing a package....tell me more about your experience with them.

Whats the bottom line price for the rack of 8channels?

<small>[ June 16, 2005, 07:34 PM: Message edited by: wonder ]</small>

I think the best on the market for a DAW are as follows:

Great River MP-2NV $2700
AMS Neve 1081 Classic $3800
Pheonix Audio DRS-1/DRS-2 $1250/$2500

The Great River would be the most transparent and has the best DI. The Neve has the classic 1081 sound, of course. The Pheonix Audio is very colored, but in a good way. At least one of these is a must IMO.