Looking for a Four Channel Mic Pre...

[chrisonpaper]

Hey guys! SO, I've been looking into investing into a super nice four channel mic pre. I've been looking at a whole bunch of different pres from different companies, and I've been curious as to which route I should go: A four channel mic pre, or two dual channel mic pres. This pre is going to be mostly used for drums, and as you could expect I'm looking for a pre thats going to help in giving me that huge drum sound. I already own a few pres such as Universal Audio 4110, Focusrite ISA 430, ViPre, and an Octopre. I've been looking into selling the octopre and investing into something way nicer.
Any suggestions anyone?

(Thanks for making this board the best!)

 

[Matt Crooks]

I am planning on buying an API 4 channel pre this fall, specifically for drums. I already have Neve and Avalon pres, so the API will be another nice color to go with what I currently have.

So that would be my choice in your situation.

I've been looking at the ViPre too, how do you like yours?

 

[metalkingdom]

This pre is going to be mostly used for drums, and as you could expect I'm looking for a pre thats going to help in giving me that huge drum sound.

Dude, that ViPre that you have is AWESOME for huge drum sounds. I'd sell that ISA too and get a 1073 or two if you got the loot.

 

[unsilpauly]

i second the api 4 channel(3124 i believe). killer 4 channel pre. i cant wait to get one.

 

[chrisonpaper]

Hey! thanks a lot guys.
oh, yeah I've been hearing a lot of great things about the api preamps. I'm leaning toward those as a choice as of right now.
The ViPre is amazing man, almost anything you put through it sounds great.

The ISA sounds great too, but contains a completely different sound/purpose. I'm sort of regreting the purchase a little bit now though? since I mainly only use it for it's preamp stage and by pass the EQ and compression. It's a nice channel strip, but for the money I could've gone with somethign way nicer I think.
Metal kingdom, what do you think of the vintech audio 1073 copies? Have you heard them? I was actually thinking about going with one of those a year ago?
Thanks for all your help!

 

[unsilpauly]

Hey! thanks a lot guys.
oh, yeah I've been hearing a lot of great things about the api preamps. I'm leaning toward those as a choice as of right now.
The ViPre is amazing man, almost anything you put through it sounds great.

The ISA sounds great too, but contains a completely different sound/purpose. I'm sort of regreting the purchase a little bit now though? since I mainly only use it for it's preamp stage and by pass the EQ and compression. It's a nice channel strip, but for the money I could've gone with somethign way nicer I think.
Metal kingdom, what do you think of the vintech audio 1073 copies? Have you heard them? I was actually thinking about going with one of those a year ago?
Thanks for all your help!

the vintech x73 is really nice. i love that preamp. i have used a real 1073 yet so i cant compare them for you. but the vintech sounds great and is definetly built well. loved it on electric guitar.

 

[metalkingdom]

The ISA sounds great too, but contains a completely different sound/purpose. I'm sort of regreting the purchase a little bit now though? since I mainly only use it for it's preamp stage and by pass the EQ and compression. It's a nice channel strip, but for the money I could've gone with somethign way nicer I think.
Metal kingdom, what do you think of the vintech audio 1073 copies? Have you heard them? I was actually thinking about going with one of those a year ago?

It seems that your experience with the ISA is pretty much the same as mine - the pre is nice, but the eq and dynamics blow. The Vintech 1073 "copies" are nice in their own right, but they definitely don't sound like the Neve. I've gotten some really nice guitar sounds with them. Check out the Brent Averill (BAE) repro's of the 1073. They're actually cheaper than you might think and they're the real deal.

 

[axeman720]

we have 6 channels of vitech x73 here at the studio. personally i think they are fantastic and that the averills and the originals are amazing as well, but are a ripoff compared to the vintech, they are amazing but overpriced. the vintechs are spot on and a good price with great customer service and are much easier to repair/modify etc...than the averills or neve. I dont see any reason to spend the extra grand or so on the averills and the extra 3 grand on an original. That being said, i highly recomend the vintech 473 and the api 3124. i use both on a daily basis and love them both. The api is a bit more versatile but is very bare bones and even lacks a phase switch which boggles me. if your channels are limited, i find its better to go with somethin thats a bit more versatile.

 

[Kazrog]

I was looking into Vintechs, and they're a good price point considering what they do, except for one thing - what's with the $200+ power supply??

 

[unsilpauly]

I was looking into Vintechs, and they're a good price point considering what they do, except for one thing - what's with the $200+ power supply??

i assume thats for the huge power supply that they use. the thing is big. it almost the size of a shoebox or something. i assume it is probably not included in the preamp price.

 

[metalkingdom]

I was looking into Vintechs, and they're a good price point considering what they do, except for one thing - what's with the $200+ power supply??

You know, that whole buying the power supply separately thing has always bugged the shit outta me...

 

[metalkingdom]

we have 6 channels of vitech x73 here at the studio. personally i think they are fantastic and that the averills and the originals are amazing as well, but are a ripoff compared to the vintech, they are amazing but overpriced.

I wouldn't say that the price of the Neve is a "ripoff" at all. The 1073 is probably the greatest preamp of all time. There are plenty of engineers who agree and are willing to pay whatever to get that sound - hence the high prices.

 

[Matt Crooks]

I wouldn't say that the price of the Neve is a "ripoff" at all. The 1073 is probably the greatest preamp of all time. There are plenty of engineers who agree and are willing to pay whatever to get that sound - hence the high prices.

Yeah - it all comes down to if good enough is good enough for you. If the vintech is "good enough" then save the $, if not, it won't be a rip off to get the real thing.

 

[axeman720]

I was looking into Vintechs, and they're a good price point considering what they do, except for one thing - what's with the $200+ power supply??

well one of the main sound aspects of high class preamps is the power supply design. Its CRITICAL, and these old designs that vintech and averill use that are based on the neve have to include the old super ineffecient power supplies that make the preamp sound the way it does. Its always funny to me when someone asks me why the preamps in the mbox have to suck so bad, and i just say well its powered by a USB cable, the power supply for most of preamps costs more than your mbox, ya know? OH and the power supply will power up to 6 channels. It'll do 4 single channel x73's or one 473 and 2 x73's.

ripoff could be the wrong word also, i guess any deal ending with a real neve isnt necessarily a rip off, but i think there is alot us that would stretch a little far to get one imo.

 

[chrisonpaper]

The Brent Averill's are super nice! That might be the way to go. I'd love to get a chance to sit down and A/B the vintech's and the BA's to hear any differences. I actually had this same "four channel" dillema about a year ago and was going to go with the 473. But someone had told me that the 1073's weren't the best choice for drum pre's, I'm not sure if that was a valid statement.
Regardless, they are amazing pre's and rightfully so.
I was also looking at the new Neve Portico along with the 1073's. Has anyone had any experience with the Portico at all? Man, I'd love to hear one.

 

[FarBeyondMetalGONE]

have you looked into the API lunchbox format? lots of 500 series Mic pres/EQ/Comps available from different companys, you could have various flavours and expand as you need...

 

[axeman720]

The Brent Averill's are super nice! That might be the way to go. I'd love to get a chance to sit down and A/B the vintech's and the BA's to hear any differences. I actually had this same "four channel" dillema about a year ago and was going to go with the 473. But someone had told me that the 1073's weren't the best choice for drum pre's, I'm not sure if that was a valid statement.
Regardless, they are amazing pre's and rightfully so.
I was also looking at the new Neve Portico along with the 1073's. Has anyone had any experience with the Portico at all? Man, I'd love to hear one.

i would certainly agree. while i do like the vintechs on snare and kick sometimes i'm not a huge fan of them on toms, and the midrange is a bit to aggressive and overall to smeared for overhead most of the time.

 

[metalkingdom]

i would certainly agree. while i do like the vintechs on snare and kick sometimes i'm not a huge fan of them on toms, and the midrange is a bit to aggressive and overall to smeared for overhead most of the time.

Yeah, but it's different for a real 1073. They sound great on everything.

 

[chrisonpaper]

axeman, did you happen work on the new Bury Your Dead album? If so, do remember specificaly what pre's you used for the drums on the recording?