Best Mic Pre

[PostMortem1666]

Hey everyone I'm looking for a mic pre and i have no idea whats good or not. Can everyone give me reccomendations for me? I did use the search function and it found some helpful things but it was all about ones that were in a certain price range. For me money isnt an issue. Out of every single mic pre what is your guys favorites?

 

[colonel kurtz]

ahh jesus

if money is no issue whatsoever, snag a neve 1073...not necessarily the end-all of mic pres, but pretty damn close

if not, look @ API

 

[greyskull]

whats your budget.?

 

[chadsxe]

Ha...yikes...

 

[Tomer1]

Such a thing does not exist,
even the 1073 mentioned will not suite every application.
when recording stacked guitars,bass and vocals with the same pre the extreme coloration might be too much.

What will you be recording,what mics are in your collection and most importantly, whats your budget?

 

[colonel kurtz]

when recording stacked guitars,bass and vocals with the same pre the extreme coloration might be too much.

while that's a valid argument, the fact is that for years and years and years, people would track entire albums using nothing but the pres in a console - be it neve or whatever else

but yea...this guy has opened a big can of worms here. there's really no "perfect" preamp that's going to work the best for all situations.

 

[Razorjack]

As has already been stated, there is no single preamp that is "perfect" but the 1073 comes damn close!!

 

[coldthrn]

I'm in the same boat only im looking at a 8 channel pre. Money however is an object and I don't want to go over 2k USD. Ive been looking at the RME OctaMic II. Anyone have experience with this unit?

 

[C_F_H_13]

wow money no option hey?

1. ORIGINAL 1073
2. BAE Rebuilt 1073
3. NEW 1073
4. Chandler LTD-1
5. Wunder Audio PEQ1

there's about a billion different choices with no budget restrictions...

Check out, chandler,api,neve,helios,daking,crane song,great river,telefunken.......

 

[broken81]

Anyone ever work with a peavey vmp2 tube mic preamp? Just curious what you guys think of them...

 

[2012]

those that lust for 1073's and think they'll never be able to afford it owe it to themselves to at least check out the chameleon labs 7602

other than that i think API still makes the best all-around pre

 

[Metaltastic]

On that topic, would you guys recommend the Brent Averill 312A or 1272 for the purposes of expanding the mic preamps on an RME Fireface 800? I'd be using 'em for guitars, bass, vox, etc., as well as whichever two drums/cymbals I felt benefited from them the most

 

[ptgeek911]

Anything API. I like Chandler as well as the Neve Portico. I loved my API 3124, but it got stolen.

 

[C_F_H_13]

On that topic, would you guys recommend the Brent Averill 312A or 1272 for the purposes of expanding the mic preamps on an RME Fireface 800? I'd be using 'em for guitars, bass, vox, etc., as well as whichever two drums/cymbals I felt benefited from them the most

I have API 512c's and a pair of 1272s......both are awesome! (never tried the 312a's by brent, but "real" 312s are the shit). To me (YMMV), the 512s are my favorite cause they have a lttle more fizz (IN A GOOD WAY), while the 1272's were fatter but a little darker......just my exprience...both rock fuckin hard for guitars though.


****EDIT*****.....For drums, I'd almost always pick APIs...they are my go to pre for recording drums.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Anyone ever work with a peavey vmp2 tube mic preamp? Just curious what you guys think of them...

Had three & sold them when I outgrew the training wheels.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Great River Mp2nv (my pick for all around best preamp.) With the impedance & loading options, it's extremely versatile.

However, for Heavy guitar, these days it's a toss up between an API512c & a Vintech dual 72.

The Dual 72 will get you into the transformer/discrete/class-A ballpark without breaking the bank. Was my first "hi-end" preamp & seven years later, I still use it on every project.

-0z-

 

[chadsxe]

Great River Mp2nv (my pick for all around best preamp.) With the impedance & loading options, it's extremely versatile.

Agree..Mine gets used on a lot of stuff and sounds great all the time.


For really clean stuff I use my Grace Design.

 

[Tomer1]

"people would track entire albums using nothing but the pres in a console"
good point,but these days you may want "that stamp" sound for one song,and the possibility to have a more modern,crystal clear sound for another so the best choice would be getting 2 pres, something transparent like a DAV BG1 and some IRON like a Telefunken,api or neve (I'm not a purist,it doesn't have to be the real thing,it could be design inspired... )