With all this mic pre talk lately...

[Matt Smith]

…I figured I'd do a little comparison shootout and post some MP3s. Here are 4 different mic preamps: 2 are considered high-end units, and 2 are not. I'll reveal what's what later. Sorry about the clipping in spots and kinda sloppy playing, but I did this really fast.

Preamp 1

Preamp 2

Preamp 3

Preamp 4

My personal opinion? The differences are audible, yes, but I think it's hilarious how worked up people get over something like this. They may be audible to critical listeners, but your average kid on the street who just wants to headbang along to the record couldn't hear it in a million years. Like I think Andy said on here before, things like changing string guages, mic positions or speaker cabinets make INFINITELY more of a difference IMO. I'm sure some will disagree. I know recording is a game of inches, and I have my preferences between these four, sure, but to me the bottom line is, if you couldn't make a good-sounding record with any of the four of these, there's a problem…and it ain't the preamps.

 

[MilkAndCheese]

All of th clips sound great. Really reminds me of Iced Earth.

 

[Ermz]

#1 Sounds a bit hyped in the high-end.

2 is definitely a lot clearer more scooped sounding and tighter than 1.

More low-end energy on preamp #3 than the others. Getting a bit of a great river vibe from it.

#4 has a bit of a lifeless sound about it. More low-mid energy than the others I think.

I think my favourite is #2. I'll review it a bit later though, since I'm a bit tired atm. I'd say at the moment that #2 probably wouldn't be great for everything, since it seems to subtract some midrange energy, but it sounds the best to me with those guitars.

 

[dabhoys]

I just got myself a Langley Dual Mono Mic Pre from Manley. I won't have it for another week or two, But can't wait I was in desperate need of a good pre

 

[~BURNY~]

Tbh, I can't say that I hear an obvious difference. But I think that a good preamp shouldn't have a strong spectral identity anyway because of the frequencies build-up.
I guess it's more about headroom, s/n ratio and trancient response maybe. I never had the chance to A/B a neve and an SSL pre but I bet any normal being can't tell the difference. Bob Clearmountain or Bob Ludwig can. If you're not called Bob, forget about it.
This example is made with a low dynamic source. Maybe an unprocessed vocal or snare drum track is more significant...
Now, if you tell me there's a behringer pre and a Langevin in your test, I will be very embarassed. ... Or maybe not...
I don't know why, but I don't like the #4 as much as the others. The others seems fine and similar to me. But hey, never heard a difference between two identical sounds? Sometimes, it's just beliefs, ear tiring, brain, playing...

 

[tgs]

I like 1 and 2, think they sound very similar. 3 is too boomy, 4 seems to be saturated, in a very annoying way.

 

[silverwulf]

Well, I can only listen at near inaudible levels since it's 6:30 AM and I don't want to wake anyone, but upon first listen, 1 and 4 actually sound the cleanest to me right now, if not lacking a little grit the others have. I'll listen when I get home in a bit to see what they sound like at a decent listening volume.

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

um, am i allowed to say i didn't like any of them :S

 

[JeffTD]

I'm digging 2 and 3 right now... 1 and 4 sound a bit grainy on the high end, to my ears.

I hope I didn't pick the expensive ones

 

[booyah14]

2
3
1
4

I think that would be my preferences in order. Definitely really interested to see what are the "real deal" preamps. Fun post.

 

[davormen]

2 & 3 here as well... the grain thing... although, you can only tell so much by listening to isolated tracks... how each would work in the context of a mix and how well would each take eq is (or at least could be) a different story altogether...

 

[J.DavisNJ]

I dig 1 and 2 alot. Which amp did you use on these??

-Joe

 

[MilkAndCheese]

After lot's of listening, I think 3 is my favorite, though there's characteristics I like about all of them.

Is that a Krank or a 5150?

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

Thanks Matt that was sweet, tell us what was what.

 

[Radd]

I'm not afraid to say that I actually like 4 the best.
I see what everyone means about the grainyness but I kinda like it. The quality of the clip sounds a ton more brighter, clearer, sharper and in your face than the others imo.
I'm listening through a tiny, crappy speaker though.
2 sounds a bit compressed?
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that 4 is the highest high end pre with the truest definition and the grainyness is mainly the guitar amp. (man I'm gonna feel like an ass later!)

4
3
2
1

Great thread by the way!!!

 

[~BURNY~]

A "ton"???!! Well, I just have to wash my ears, sell my monitors and find a real job...

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

Haha, don't worry Burny, sometimes you can't hear the difference between two sounds on one type of monitors and then, when you switch to another pair, the difference jumps at you... Hence the need to have different ones at disposal...

 

[Lopes]

Haha, don't worry Burny, sometimes you can't hear the difference between two sounds on one type of monitors and then, when you switch to another pair, the difference jumps at you... Hence the need to have different ones at disposal...

Very true, I was listening on my shitty $10 earphones and they all sounded EXACTLY the same. Then I switched to my good headphones and the differences became quite apparent. That being said, my favorite was number 2 with 3 in a close second.

 

[silverwulf]

So what were the clips?

 

[Matt Smith]

Preamp 1: Amek 9098
Preamp 2: Chandler TG2
Preamp 3: RME Fireface
Preamp 4: M-Audio Octane

I agree that the Octane pres are the worst sounding of the bunch. The Fireface pres actually worked pretty well for these clips because they're a bit muddy/low endy to my ears, so they kinda complimented the guitar tone which was a little thin/bright (I told you I was in a hurry).
But I still think the differences are very minimal in the grand scheme of things. Maybe I should go back to my other day jobs! *shrugs*