neve vs api clone?

[mike rosenfeldt]

hey everyone. i'm looking to get a new preamp in the next few days. Ive narrowed my choice down to the Golden Age Project Pre-73 Preamp and the Black Lion Audio B12a. any suggestions? anybody worked with both? i mostly record metal but i want the pre to versatile. i want the pre that i can get the most out of for guitar, bass, vox, reamping etc. ive also seen that you can get the golden age one moded which is pretty cool. any thoughts? thanks guys.

 

[topsoul182]

I was on the same fence as you. I decided to go with the GAP and hopefully I'll be getting it in tomorrow. My reasoning is because from what Ive read and heard the GAP adds some weight and fatness. I was looking for something to use mainly for vox with my 7b and I read it has plenty of gain with little noise. I guess a bonus with that is I can now thicken up my snares and bass. I'm not too sure how itll sound on guitars but I'll give it a try. I've heard the BLA smooths things out and thats just not what I wanted. But I've heard the BLA is still good, just different

I havent heard these qualities in person just off of reviews online and a few comparison samples

 

[arv_foh]

I was on the same fence as you. I decided to go with the GAP and hopefully I'll be getting it in tomorrow. My reasoning is because from what Ive read and heard the GAP adds some weight and fatness. I was looking for something to use mainly for vox with my 7b and I read it has plenty of gain with little noise. I guess a bonus with that is I can now thicken up my snares and bass. I'm not too sure how itll sound on guitars but I'll give it a try. I've heard the BLA smooths things out and thats just not what I wanted. But I've heard the BLA is still good, just different

I havent heard these qualities in person just off of reviews online and a few comparison samples

GAP is great on guitars.

OP I don't have experience with the BLA but I have 2 of the pre73's and use them regularly on bass, guitars, and vocals. Love 'em. Especially on guitars.

 

[topsoul182]

GAP is great on guitars.

Thanks Im going to remember that. When using on bass do you use it Di or just with the Mic on the amp. How hard do you push it

 

[mike rosenfeldt]

thanks brian i think im gonna get the GAP. maybe ill get the BLA one in the future, but the GAP seems like the smartest buy right now.

 

[arv_foh]

Thanks Im going to remember that. When using on bass do you use it Di or just with the Mic on the amp. How hard do you push it

I know it has an instrument input but I use a Radial J48 into the GAP.. and I push it to where ever I think sounds the best

 

[Contra Studio]

I own a pair of the B12a Pre. They sound so awesome with Gtr tracking. I record a ton of metal and rock groups and they work so perfect for them. I just used them for vox tracking and drove them hard and wow they sound great on my Sm7 and C214. I would take them over any 1073 clone.