SP VTB-1 vs. Soundcard preamps.

[Frankzappa]

Hello!

I bought a microphone last week, an AKG Perception 200. I've been recording acoustic guitar and vocals with it, and I've been pretty satisfied with the results. Now my plan was to buy a mic preamp, like the Studio Projects VTB-1, that sounds good for the price. My question is: will there be a big difference between a VTB-1 and my soundcard preamps?

My soundcard is an Alesis I/O 14 with 4 mic preamps, so it's not anything high end. I can't try it before buy so I'm unsure if it really is worth it.

 

[006]

The VTB-1 is highly regarded among the affordable preamps on the market. I haven't heard anything bad about it yet and I've also thought about getting one before, but I have other priorities and my Saffire Pro+8Pre work fine for me right now.

~006

 

[VH100R]

its a real tube preamp (and although starved design the tube really does something), with variable mic impedance, HPF, phantom power, features a DI with 1,5 MOhms (higher than all the competition specially in the price range), has lineout/insert jacks (if you want to just process the signal passing thru the tube), very well built, really affordable, can be rack mounted via acessory rack, input and output metering!

you can record the input as a clean SS preamp to full tube signal and everything in between via the "tube blend" knob.

what more do you want? If you have the bucks go for it.

 

[gorath23]

Just out of interest how does the VTB-1 stack up against the M-audio DMP3?

 

[Frankzappa]

Thanks for the replies guys, yeah I know it's a great product, that's why I'm interested in it, but my question is: Is it really that much better than the preamps on my soundcard? I have the money but it's an extra box on the desktop

I was expecting like: "when I bought my VTB-1 it sounded so much better than my soundcard pre's it blew me away". That would make it worth the extra space on my already crowded desktop hehe.

But if it's like: "you will notice a slight difference" then it's not worth it.

I'm just recording for my own amusement, I'm not necessarily trying to be the best soundengineerer ever but if it's a noticable difference then no question about it, I'll buy it straight away.

Thanks

 

[alexrookie]

you will never get blown away by a preamp in this pricerange!!!
the vtb-1 is ok and will be better than your soundcard pres, but you will not get blown away by it, sorry to tell you.

btw, i own four of it.

 

[Metaltastic]

Just out of interest how does the VTB-1 stack up against the M-audio DMP3?

I'm curious about this as well, I've heard the DMP3 is pretty damn good

 

[Frankzappa]

you will never get blown away by a preamp in this pricerange!!!
the vtb-1 is ok and will be better than your soundcard pres, but you will not get blown away by it, sorry to tell you.

btw, i own four of it.

No problem man, thanks