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Author Topic: 4 channel Pre question  (Read 12762 times)

jc-muscleshoals

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4 channel Pre question
« on: March 31, 2010, 11:52:52 AM »

I have a Great River single channel and I have a 2 channel FMR RNP. I am now needing to track live drums. I am swapping my 2 channel Apogee Rosetta in for the 8 channel version and now I need 4 channels of PRE. I really really want the API3124 but not in the budget right now. I will probably go for 2 more RNP's but I wanted to check here first. Is there something in between that I should consider? I've seen the 4 channel SSL for under $1000 and the Focusrite Blue 4 channel ISA pre fairly cheap on Ebay, but in researching it seems those units receive no love.
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tom eaton

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2010, 02:30:45 PM »

The Daking MicPreIV is a little cheaper than the API and every bit as good...  either is really worth it, and in the long run you'll save money because you're going to lose some when you sell whatever interim preamp you buy when you end up buying a Daking or API in a year...

tom

Adam The Truck Driver

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2010, 02:33:26 PM »

Someone might recommend Sebatron's VMP4000. 4 channels tube, with Hi/Lo band EQ per. I don't own it myself, but ask one of the Mercs. They can tell ya all bout it.
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jc-muscleshoals

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2010, 03:34:43 PM »

tom eaton wrote on Wed, 31 March 2010 13:30

The Daking MicPreIV is a little cheaper than the API and every bit as good...  either is really worth it, and in the long run you'll save money because you're going to lose some when you sell whatever interim preamp you buy when you end up buying a Daking or API in a year...

tom



Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. Is the API 3124 worth $1700 more than 4 channels of the FMR RNP for drums, because thats really all I'll use it for (and maybe keys)?
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Hank Alrich

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2010, 04:59:37 PM »

You might wind up never selling the RNP'S, even when you later spend more for something else. They are stunningly better than their price would suggest, and their main shortcoming, slightly higher EIN, won't show up when tracking drums unless you use insensitive ribbon mics like the Beyer M160 at a distance from the kit.

tom eaton

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2010, 05:31:25 PM »

Those insensitive ribbon mics always hurt my feelings.

(though i do use the 160s all the time as overheads... and have been VERY curious about the aea ribbon pre...)

t

Bill_Urick

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2010, 08:52:58 PM »

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Vertigo

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2010, 10:38:01 PM »

I second the A12's. I think they can hold their own with the real API's and for the money they can't be beat.

I'm also a huge fan of the N72. I find it not quite as colored as the GR, but just as "big" and 3-dimensional. An N72 with the gain up full blast and trim rolled back attached to an m160 has been one of my secret weapons for years on guitars, percussion, and horns.

The PM1K's are also stellar if you're a DIY guy. I racked and recapped a quartet of them about six years ago and to this day still use them on every session.

Not a fan of the RNP on drums, but YMMV (and your room probably varies as well). I did like it on vocals, but only until I got into the SCA pre's (I sold it soon after).

-Lance
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Hank Alrich

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2010, 10:44:12 PM »

tom eaton wrote on Wed, 31 March 2010 14:31

Those insensitive ribbon mics always hurt my feelings.


That's FUNNY, Tom!

Quote:


(though i do use the 160s all the time as overheads... and have been VERY curious about the aea ribbon pre...)

t


Yeah, I really enjoy M160's for overheads. I like them also on banjos, fiddles, and some smaller amps with electric guitar. They help soften edges that get extreme when one has to mic some of those sources closely. In a few cases I've also gotten some nice vox with them. One of mine is about worn out. It's now almost 3dB less sensitive than its mate, bordering on downright rude.

Great River MP2-MH, Neve 33122, various API's have all worked well for me with the M160's, but yeah, the AEA is something I'd like to hear with them.

Tomas Danko

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2010, 09:35:16 AM »

jc-muscleshoals wrote on Wed, 31 March 2010 20:34

tom eaton wrote on Wed, 31 March 2010 13:30

The Daking MicPreIV is a little cheaper than the API and every bit as good...  either is really worth it, and in the long run you'll save money because you're going to lose some when you sell whatever interim preamp you buy when you end up buying a Daking or API in a year...

tom



Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. Is the API 3124 worth $1700 more than 4 channels of the FMR RNP for drums, because thats really all I'll use it for (and maybe keys)?


If all you're going to do is record drums, I think the API is really worth the price difference compared to the FMR RNP.

A bonus is that it's also great on every other type of source. Anyway, hitting the API hard when tracking drums is what American Rock'n'Roll sounds like, IMHO.
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jdier

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #10 on: June 07, 2010, 12:41:43 PM »

I have some SCA N72's and if you like the Great River, I think you will also like the N72 quite a bit.

SCA also has the T15 which to me sounds quite a bit like an RNP.

Seems the SCA stuff has fallen a bit out of favor (not talked about as much as it was 2-3 years ago) but the quality is really top notch.
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jdier - Home recordist

(currently selling one of my dual Great River preamps)

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Re: 4 channel Pre question
« Reply #11 on: June 09, 2010, 12:48:46 AM »

jdier wrote on Mon, 07 June 2010 09:41

I have some SCA N72's and if you like the Great River, I think you will also like the N72 quite a bit.

SCA also has the T15 which to me sounds quite a bit like an RNP.

Seems the SCA stuff has fallen a bit out of favor (not talked about as much as it was 2-3 years ago) but the quality is really top notch.


I just built an octet of SCA pres; four N72 and four J99.

I just recorded a jazz quintet the other night with 'em, using the J99s on drums.  The J99s are incredible for overheads; for jazz you won't need close mics at all!  

The N72, as someone else mentioned, has an interesting slight compression effect when the gain is dimed and then trimmed back (the gain is post-input-jack, and the trim control is between the input and output gain stages).  

At $329 per module (build it yourself), plus $300 for the chassis/PSU (when purchased with modules), you're looking at $1500 or so for a quartet of N72s.  The J99s are a bit more, as they're $329 per module plus $70 for the two SC99 op-amps.

If you're curious:
http://www.tewsnet.com/dropbox/M5-sample.mp3

Horns, guitar, bass:  N72
Drum O/H and kick:  J99
There are NO close-mics on the kit (save for the kick).
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