Help me choose my next preamp

[jipchen]

So you guys know I'm currently building my studio and I feel like spending some money on preamps lately.
My current preamps are:
- 4 x RME pre on the Fireface 800
- 8 x RME pre on the Octamic D
- 1 x Great River ME1NV

So I've got 5 free channels of A/D conversion for preamps.

I got an offer for a used Universal Audio LA-610 mkII. I heard this preamp in a studio before and I loved it, it also has an amazing Hi-Z in and tracking bass through it is lots of fun. Vocals sound great through it, too.
And it has a compressor

Then I found a used Audient ASP008 for roughly the same price. I'm not shure if its preamps are an upgrade to the RME ones.. or better: I guess they are, but is this really tiny difference worth it? But same goes for pretty much every pre. Only this time it would be "very clean pre" (RME) against "very very clean pre" (Audient).
Plus I really don't need that much preamps (would be 21 channels total)

Third option: Wait, and buy the API 3124 someday.

Fourth option: Stop GASing and blaming your gear you stupid prick. Get some skill instead.
Oh and I don't really like the fourth option.

I'm also open for other (gear related ) suggestions.
EDIT: Damnit, I forgot one thing: The Prime Analog SSL Mixbus Clone is really tempting and it's around 750€ either. All guys here seem to love it, too..

 

[Trevoire520]

To be honest I would say go for 3 or 4. If you're gonna spend decent money on a preamp then you mightaswell go for something really high end. But I don't honestly think the pre's you have are bad enough to really be holding you back either.

By the way, what is it that makes recording bass through the UA so good? I've never quite understood why some people prefer buying a preamp dedicated to hi-z bass duties compared to just using a DI box through a decent preamp? What's the difference? (Not having a go or anything, I'm genuinely curious)

 

[jipchen]

To be honest I would say go for 3 or 4. If you're gonna spend decent money on a preamp then you mightaswell go for something really high end. But I don't honestly think the pre's you have are bad enough to really be holding you back either.

Yeah i pretty much thought so. And I know my gear isn't holding me back, quite the contrary: I am. But as I make the jump from home to commercial studio, I feel some really high end gear attracts gearheads and is more fun to work with.. even if it means no or a subtle difference. It's just fun using a real nice piece of gear.

By the way, what is it that makes recording bass through the UA so good? I've never quite understood why some people prefer buying a preamp dedicated to hi-z bass duties compared to just using a DI box through a decent preamp? What's the difference? (Not having a go or anything, I'm genuinely curious)

Well, to me it simply sounded better You know.. punchier but a bit more balanced and smooth at the same time, haha.
It's easy to explain with the LA-610 though: It has an EQ section and a cool compressor. So it's more than the average "preamp with flavor" difference.

 

[JeffTD]

The Audient will certainly be better than the RME, but what you're missing I feel is a good fast, clean, aggressive preamp - the 610's are awesome on vocals and bass (I've used the MkI several times), but the Great River will also be really full in the low mids and give some of that flavor to tracks if you want it.

I'd highly advise going with the API.

 

[soundsunderground]

I've never quite understood why some people prefer buying a preamp dedicated to hi-z bass duties compared to just using a DI box through a decent preamp? What's the difference? (Not having a go or anything, I'm genuinely curious)

Great River ME1nv DI sounds incredible man. I have a/b'ed it with DI boxes like countryman thru the GR and the DI on the great river just smokes. Not sure why it sounds so good.

 

[C-Martin]

Not to say anything against audient but i doubt they would be any significant improvement over the rme's. They're really good clean pres but you already have 12 of those and you say you don't need to add anymore inputs which means you'd be paying for converters you won't be using.

The API's would be an excellent choice if you can wait but if i were you i'd go with the 610. Especially since you can get a really good deal on it. It's a great pre and you get a good compressor as a bonus. Not only would you find many uses for it, vocals and bass sound awesome through one of those as mentioned already, but you also already tried it and know you like it. IMO you can't really go wrong with this choice.

 

[jipchen]

Thanks for your opinions and votes. I decided to wait for a good deal with the APIs. The 610 is really often on Ebay and the used market here, and I will get it sooner or later but right now I'll just save my money and see how expensive the further studio construction will turn out.

I'll come around and slap those who voted for #4 in the poll - that's why it was public

 

[BLUElightCory]

Another vote for API - It's always better to get something you won't have to replace. The APIs are top quality, sound excellent, and will hold their value.