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[Brendan Thompson]

Hi all, I've got a question about mic pres. However, this one is somewhat different to most you'd get here.

I have a 6U rack sleeve currently loaded with a Behringer headphone amp (1U), an ADA8000 (1U) and a Digi 002 (2U). This gives me 12 headphone outputs, and at the moment, 12 mic inputs.

The 002 is capable of 18 ins, but I'm shooting for 16 here - which means I need another 4 pres, and I want it to fit into the remaining 2 rack spaces in my mobile rig.

This setup will be used for location recordings, live recordings etc, with the mixing done at home.

Can anyone recommend some way of getting 4 more mic pres into 2 rack spaces, or preferably 1 rack space (as the ADA8000's inputs are on the front, and I might want to run multicore tails through an empty rack space to the front to plug in, while the rest would plug in at the back).

I was thinking of a pair of RNP's, which sets my budget at around $1500 US. How easy would it be to rack two of these next to each other - I don't think funk logic make a 2xRNP tray?

Another option would be the TLA 5001, which is 4 channels, tube, and which I have experience with at work.

Is any of the presonus stuff around this price range?

Is there anything on the cheaper side that might suit?

[floodstage]

You could get a Sytek.  About 800 for 4 channels 1 rack space.  (and no wall wart)

[Brendan Thompson]

And cheaper than a pair of RNP's...

Any idea if they have an australian distributor?

[Punkity]

I got a couple of Syteks a couple of years ago and have been generally pleased with them, so I will second the nomination. As far as I know you can only get them direct, so if you want to try before you buy, you may be out of luck.

Still, very respectable preamps. Quite clean with enough gain for nearly all uses, strong build, stupid simple, and with the (unswitchable) BurrBrown option on two of the four pres there is some (but not huge) choice between quite clean and a somewhat darker flavor.

Another option which you may just be able to squeeze into your budget--and I would HIGHLY recommend--is a Sebatron VMP 4000e. In the states you can get them for around $1600 to $1900. I really dig mine completely. It has more options in tone control and sonic character. The website's description is actually quite accurate, even though it sounds sort of like the usual hype: http://www.sebatron.com . Here is a review that I agree with from Dan Richards  : http://soundpure.com/showProduct.do?id=672 . The only drawback is that I would not be as inclined to record at some crappy venue with them.

Sytek: cleaner, cheaper, more-beer-spill-on-able, with a "color"option, makes me happy.
Sebatron: $600-$900 more expensive (absolutely, totally worth it), more control (some of which is really hard to describe, but really, really useful), makes me giddy.

Cheers,
Will Singletary.

[Punkity]

P.S. The DI on the <edit> Sebatron <edit> is really good too.

[Punkity]

P.P.S. Ok, so the links were not as descriptive as I remember them. Least ways, here is a quick sketch of my impression.

There are three input styles to choose from. These effect how the transformers work. The first is quite clear (though not quite as clean as the Sytek), and is the least sensitive of the three. The second has a forceful character (called "classic" by Sebatron I think), and is the middle sensitivity setting. The third will eat up sonic real estate, but in a good way (not in the B.S. starved plate style; think Rock and not Nu-Metal), and is the most sensitive of the three.

The outcome here is that if you are recording something quiet at a distance, you are forced to use the most colored setting. This can be great if you are using only stereo/distance mics on a mix. The mix becomes full automatically. I've done this once with a quiet singer-songwriter, and he just melted over the sound. Minimal E.Q. later and the songs were done.

Oh my, too much Scotch. I'll stop here.

[floodstage]

Punkity wrote on Tue, 24 October 2006 00:47

P.S. The DI on the Sytek is really good too.

???????

There is no DI on the Sytek.

[Punkity]

floodstage wrote on Tue, 24 October 2006 07:27

Punkity wrote on Tue, 24 October 2006 00:47 P.S. The DI on the Sytek is really good too. ??????? There is no DI on the Sytek.

Oops, that was the booze. I intended to type "Sebatron."

Fixed my post above.

[Fibes]

The Daking is 1,895 and would be my 4 pre choice if i didn't go with the less expensive Sytek.

Just my .02.

[Brendan Thompson]

I'm guessing a pair of presonus bluetube would be a waste of time?

Looks like there is currently one Sytek in the country, $1600au.