Mic pre for vocals etc?

Melb_shredder

Melb_shredder

Orpheus: Melodic Death
Mar 9, 2008
2,852
1
36
Melbourne
Hey guys,
My main mic pre at the moment is the Safesound P1.. I love it to death. Clean as hell, makes taking DI's a breeze. But I'm kind of over its sound on vocals.

I've been given a few things lately that have been tracked through API stuff, Neve and other and it's all been so blissfully colored, in a good way in my opinion. I know without being there and seeing/ hearing everything myself I can't just say IT'S THE MIC PRE, but what I hear is what I usually see people describe them as.

So my question.. I want to grab another Mic Pre that WILL give me a little flavor and color to throw on my palette. Suggestions?
 
The Neve stuff can be good if you're looking to knock off some of the harsher elements of a singer's voice on the way down. Chandler TG2 is decent - used one not long ago. My fave is API. My best vox sounds always seem to come from the 512c. They retain all the edge and the air, so that you can knock it back while mixing if you want. I find the Neves harder to work back the other way.

You'd have to pay me to use a 610 willingly.
 
Cheers guys! I'll look into my options that have been put forward. I've always been a fan of darker vocals etc instead of big airy ones, just my predisposition I guess... But the 610 and the 512a are what I assumed would be thrown at me, just gotta work out which one I'd prefer!

Thanks guys!
 
Changes a lot for me. API is good for some stuff, Great River can cover a lot of stuff too (probably use it the most actually). Shadow Hills Mono Gama is sometimes awesome, especially in discreet mode - you can stack loads of vocals up, it's kind of thin sounding but in a good way. The Empirical Labs channel strip is good too - the mic amp is really clean and has a ton of gain.
 
if you're going to work with large condenser microphones, look at stuff like the TG2 or 1073, that major transformer "smear" helps to conrol the edge and sibilance.
for dynamic mics i'd recommend something detail-y solid-state, like the API, or even the ISA 110.
tube pres tend to work with both microphone types, and are a real treat on vocals and guitar, but come at a lower channel-to-price ratio. the avalon 737sp is a praised pre used by many engineers, the UA610 is a bit muddier but has lovely mid-warmth, both hi and low.
of course you can mix and match. if you want really dark vocals, run an SM7 into a 1073, put an EQ before A/D and boost some air and you get a really "controlled" vocal sound. for really crisp vocals, run like a neumann tlm 103/102 into a 512c and so on. and the beat goes on, da-dum-da-dum-dum.
 
I love my LA-610 on vocals.
Smooth pre, musical shelving eq and beautiful transparent compressor.
I have APIs too and API is great for a dull sounding vocal to add a bit of mid range.
Used LA-610s can be got at great prices too. I paid €1K for mine.
I also have a Focusrite ISA220 which I use sometimes. The EQ is very powerful and the compressor is good and de-esser is useful too.

If I had to choose only 1 for vocals it would be the LA-610.
 
Ermz said:
You definitely don't want the 512c if dark vocals are your thing. Neve is probably the best bet. Maybe one of the Seventh Circle clones?
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I meant though. It's either go for something darker or brighter and airy :)

And it seems the API and Neve are counterparts in that sense :)
 
Love my UA610 for vox and especially for bass di. Every bass player I've had over to have a jam brings a practice amp but always prefers the UA610 di into a studio monitor. However it is very loose and boomy and isn't right for everything
 
Ermz said:
You'd have to pay me to use a 610 willingly.
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, would you mind sharing why you dislike the UA 610 so much? I know it's a preference thing but i like to know the reasons behind peoples opinion.

I rather like the 610 (though i've only used the later MKII and not the original silver face), always worked really great for vocals whether it was clean or aggressive singing. I worked with one on a regular basis when doing voice over work in the past year and i never found any faults with it. That said i never really liked it on anything else but voice/vocals and sometimes bass.

OP If you want something versatile (since this will be your new "main" pre) i'd go with something neve with an eq as the others suggested, like a Vintech X73i. Those things are killer on just about everything and pretty affordable if you find one used.
 
What are your to go microphones for recording vocals?

Have you considered the A-Designs Pacifica?

It is a cross between Neve and API. Not as smooth/wooly as a Neve and not as hard as an API with certain mic combinations, also a little moren open sounding.
 
Man, it's really voice dependent. I have a 6176 and a 1073 clone. The 610 is super smooth and the sibilance is incredibly smooth, but it comes with a lack of grit and presence in the 2k-5k zone. I almost prefer the sound of the 1073 on my voice, but the sibilance is quite shrill and piercing in comparison to the 610.

I've never used any other pres, but I certainly don't think the Neve is particularly smooth or wooly or dark; especially in comparison to the 610. It's aggressive, in a mellow way, and sucks up the low mids just a bit.

Also, I hope you're using "Neve" and "1073" synonymously, because the Portico line is NOTHING like the 1073. I absolutely hated the Portico for vocals.

Mic choice in combination with the pre is also very important. What will you be using?
 
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