M-Audio DMP3 Vs. PreSonus Blue Tube (Cheap stereo pre's)

[darthjujuu]

I want a cheap stereo pre/DI for my live room, it's gonna mainly be used for overheads, but likely also vocals too, or just about any single source if either of these boxes sounds noticably better than the pre's on my 002 or digimax.

i'm gonna run two TRS cables up to the control room and into the line-ins on the digi, so i'll have a total 14 (4 on the digi, 8 on the digimax, 2 coming line-in).

The DI's on the m-audio are 100k ohms and the presonus is 1 mega ohm... is that the same thing?? haha. i forget how the impedance scale works I'd also definitely want to be using the DI's there if they're better than, again, the instrument ins on the 002 or the Digimax (which i'm guessing they both are.)

The tube drive on the presonus doesn't really do anything for me, except maybe pushing it a teeny bit on aggressive vox.

Thoughts guize?? Should i just wait and save up for an FMR RNP? AND IF SO, how much better really are they?

 

[aortizjr]

I think compared to your Digimax you won't find the Blue Tube to be that much better or different.

The DMP3 will probably cleaner and really is a great preamp. Between the two I think I would go for the DMP3.

The DI's on there would only be good with active pickups. But again your Digimax DI's will probably be the same as the Blue Tube's.

The RNP is super clean and lots of headroom. The BLA Auteur is one to consider too in that range which will give you some transformer goodness.

After playing a lot in this range, I find that many of them will "work" just fine, but it isn't worth stressing over the details between them in this range that much.

That being said, the standouts in this range tend to be: DMP3, Studio Projects VTB-1, Rane MS1b, ART MPA, RNP, and BLA Auteur. For Tube, the ART MPA actually runs the tube at real voltages and it has variable impedance which is handy with SM57's and ribbons.

 

[MetalJonesy]

+1 for the art pro MPA II, it has the great high plate voltage option and slam sum decent tubes in and you've got a quality tube pre!

 

[darthjujuu]

o_0 interesting... thanks a ton guize! definitely between the ART and the m-audio now. Overheads i'm not too worried about... how's the MPA II stand up to vox/guitar DI's? would i be better off keeping the DI's in a cleaner uncolored solid state input?

 

[KillFrenzy]

I've a DMP3 for about 3 months and really enjoying it compared to my other pres. Really good budget gear

 

[MetalJonesy]

ive been using my tube pre for DIs, seems to work fine, however id prefer something a little cleaner. the art works really well on overheads aswell!