Best but affordable Tube Preamp for vocals

[AllanD]

I wouldn't buy something just because it has a tube in it. A cheap starved plate tube preamp like the ART or Presonus stuff is very different from say...a Groove Tubes Vipre.

The least expensive, non-starved plate, tube preamp would be the Groove Tubes Brick although it doesn't have a really tube-y sound nor does it offer a whole lot of gain.

The ART MPA Digital is not starve plate designed, and I've heard a lot of good things about it. It retails for 300$ I think.

 

[digitaldeath]

...I usually use waves c4 anyway for compressing.

I apologise for the OT, but am I the only one to notice that whenever this guy posts around here, the fact that he's using pirated software always comes out?!

@veronicafalls: What's wrong with the compressor that comes with your DAW?

 

[16S]

Eh, amount of gain isn't necessarily a product of price (look at the VTB1), and SNR doesn't really matter too much when metal is concerned! (within reason obviously, but still)

I have a VTB1 and it is a great little box for the price

 

[LeSedna]

I've ordered an Art Tube MP and will definitaly try to put a good tube in it. I've read everywhere than for the price it's a good idea

 

[Fox Mulder]

I usually use waves c4 anyway for compressing.

 

[Metaltastic]

I have a VTB1 and it is a great little box for the price

So I've heard, might have to check it out!

 

[AudioGeekZine]

hmm.. I'm getting sold on to the studio projects C1. I hear good things about it, and some demos on youtube sound very good too. It's just if I were to get that kind of mic would a 200 or less mic tube pre do good for me? If not which ones would be able to give me good results.

YouTube: The standard in High Definition Audio

 

[digitaldeath]

YouTube: The standard in High Definition Audio

I was thinking the exact same thing and the fact that he uses C4 just made my jaw drop!

 

[Exocaster]

I have an ART DMPA Gold in my rack. 'S about $400 new. Very nice. I have NOS Mullard 12at7s in there, and it has a nice... I guess one might call it "vintage" character- more mid-centric, warm yet still clear, nice harmonic content. This isn't a cheap muddy fuzz box by any means- it's quite clean.

Definitely more of a "character" pre compared to the built-in pres on my Saffire Pro. The variable impedance can do some fun stuff, too, especially with dynamic mics. The insert point is handy for me as well as I frequently commit the sin of printing a bit of compression on vocal tracks and bass DI.

 

[colonel kurtz]

The ART MPA Digital is not starve plate designed, and I've heard a lot of good things about it. It retails for 300$ I think.

the digital MPA retails for $400 - the MPA gold(i think it might be the MPA II now) is $300 - only difference is that lacks the digital outputs of the DMPA

you can also score each for a lot less than that if you look used...i got an MPA gold a while back for $200 on ebay

 

[iraobryan]

I know this thread is a little old, but if you haven't purchased a mic yet...

3 mics under $200 that I've heard good results from are:
AT3035
MXL V67
Mercenary SM57 (Tab-Funkenewrks)

I wouldn't spend the money on the pre-amp, as stated before the mic will give you better results for the money.

 

[ElektricEyez]

For budget Pre's I have used an ART MPA (which I believe is a starved plate design BTW, but I could be mistaken) Studio Projects VTB-1, which for metal vocals sounds very similar to the ART MPA, but I think the character of the VTB-1 is the ticket for screamers, it just does something different to the vocals, maybe it's a subtle distortion that I'm hearing, but it's definitely warm. I have also used M-audio DMP3 which is not good for vox. I have also used Firepod Pre's which were alright as well. For high end pre's I have used API, Great River, A-designs P1, Silver, and blue, also Purple Biz, Avalon 737, and my fav at this point in time is an SM7b going through the Great River (which has a nice grittyness) and then into an LA-2A. I have also tried and compared a SM7b against a Heil PR40, and they can both do the trick, just depends on the singer.