Urgent Preamp Help!!

[chrisadvocate]

So my girlfriend is getting me my birthday gift TODAY and I need help! Right now I'm using the Line6 UX-1 for DI'ing my guitars, as well as putting my mic in (lol no phantom power). So I was curious, what preamp would be a worthwhile buy that i could plug my guitars, and a condensor into, then go in through my UX-1. This would be for screaming and clean vox obviously. The only catch is, it needs to be $100 or under. Here's one that I found, but I'm not sure if it's any good.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Behringer-ULTRAGAIN-PRO-MIC2200-101203354-i1125194.gc

Any help is greatly appreciated, I need to know ASAP! Thanks so much!

 

[Fbarre]

I would not suggest taking the berhinger. Take this one instead http://www.artproaudio.com/products.asp?type=79&cat=1&id=1 It definitely sounds very usable.

 

[Scottxx]

behringer MIC200 Preamp is really great! I own it. It has LP, Phase Reverse, db atenuator and preamp simulator for vocal, guitar, bass, keys, etc... It is really great for its price. If you want a better tone in the future yet, you can change its valve.

 

[dani]

where i come from, behringer is a bona-fide swear word.

 

[chrisadvocate]

where i come from, behringer is a bona-fide swear word.

What's wrong with Behringer? Sorry, I'm pretty new haha. And as for the art preamp, will that work with guitars well? Because it says it's for mics. Once again, I'm really new.

 

[chrisadvocate]

Also, out of the ART preamps, there's a few of the Tube MP's. Which one would suit me best?

http://www.guitarcenter.com/ART-Tube-MP-Studio-V3-Mic-Preamp-180610-i1125053.gc
http://www.guitarcenter.com/ART-Tub...phone-Instrument-Preamp-104398243-i1125080.gc
http://www.guitarcenter.com/ART-Tube-MP-Studio-V3-Mic-Preamp-180610-i1125053.gc

Thanks again for your input everyone.

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

I saw a ART tube preamp at the store just yesterday that ran at like 70$, add the price of a good-quality tube, there you've got your 100$ spent.
Plus, the prices are insane around here at music stores, you may find it way cheaper depending on where you live

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

What's wrong with Behringer? Sorry, I'm pretty new haha. And as for the art preamp, will that work with guitars well? Because it says it's for mics. Once again, I'm really new.

Behringer has made their fortune by making straight rip-off's from other companies' products, taking the cheapest routes possible. Apart from some exceptions (like the Ultra-DI 100), their gear is often

a) noisy
b) very easy to break
c) crap sounding
d) all of the above

and that's pretty much what has given them a shoddy reputation. Take a look at products like Truth 2030. It's pretty much an identical clone of the well-known Genelec classic, but for a fragment of the original's price, and yet they sound... well, quite different.

 

[chrisadvocate]

Behringer has made their fortune by making straight rip-off's from other companies' products, taking the cheapest routes possible. Apart from some exceptions (like the Ultra-DI 100), their gear is often

a) noisy
b) very easy to break
c) crap sounding
d) all of the above

and that's pretty much what has given them a shoddy reputation. Take a look at products like Truth 2030. It's pretty much an identical clone of the well-known Genelec classic, but for a fragment of the original's price, and yet they sound... well, quite different.

Ah, I had no idea, thanks haha. Any idea's which of those art products would be best for what I want?

 

[chrisadvocate]

Anyone? I need to choose between those three within 45 minutes, please help out!

 

[MindMunch]

Why don´t you just sell your UX1 and get an UX2 (that has Phantom Power)?

 

[chrisadvocate]

It's not my UX-1 to sell, my friend is letting me use it for a while.

 

[El_Gato]

I saw a ART tube preamp at the store just yesterday that ran at like 70$, add the price of a good-quality tube, there you've got your 100$ spent.
Plus, the prices are insane around here at music stores, you may find it way cheaper depending on where you live

Most probably not as the circuit of the ART stuff is usually starved. Changing the tube won't give you the full tube sound it seems.

 

[Djunn]

Consider adding $50 from your pocket and getting a Studio Projects VTB-1. It beats the shit of others in this price range! It's a much more quality product than Behringer and Art a.k.a led lightened tube pres.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VTB1/

Or, get an Art V3.

 

[7string]

How bout one of these.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mackie-402-VLZ3-Compact-Audio-Mixer-104806930-i1391554.gc

 

[chrisadvocate]

How bout one of these.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mackie-402-VLZ3-Compact-Audio-Mixer-104806930-i1391554.gc

How do their preamps compare to the ART V3 Preamps?

 

[7string]

They are probably pretty equal. Kinda clean without a huge amount of headroom. Good enough to write songs and get a decent sounding recording.

A little mixer gives you more options. you can use it to monitor the outputs and and you get a headphone amp too.