#1681773 - 06/12/05 01:48 PM
Preamp advice?????
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mjmclane
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Registered: 02/17/02
Posts: 125
Loc: Tulsa,OK,UNITED STATES
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I'm putting together a home project studio (fun, not pro). I have a Mackie mixer with the XDR preamps, but was wondering about at least one decent stereo preamp along the line of the RNP or MP20 (w/ xformer and chip mods). I realize that each of these units are fairly popular and would probably hold good resale if I wanted to trade up in the future, but I'm wondering if they represent enough of an improvement over the Mackie to warrant the purchase. Maybe I should make do with the Mackie until I could afford something more in the $1,000-1,200 catagorie?
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#1681774 - 06/12/05 03:42 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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Philip O'Keefe
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Registered: 12/17/00
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Loc: Riverside,CA,UNITED STATES
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Well, I do actually like my modded MP20 quite a bit. It's not a $1,000 pre, but I definitely prefer it over the Mackie preamps. Ditto that for the RNP - either of those would be a "better sounding" preamp than the Mackie pres IMO.
What sort of things (sound sources) are you recording, what musical genres are you into, and what sort of mic(s) do you use?
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#1681775 - 06/12/05 04:43 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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mjmclane
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Registered: 02/17/02
Posts: 125
Loc: Tulsa,OK,UNITED STATES
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Thanks for the reply, Phil. Do mostly classic rock, R&B, acoustic guitars & piano and quite a bit of vocal harmonies. No room for drums, that'll be looped or midi'd. I have SM-57's and 58's and am looking into a large diaphragm condenser, but my instructor (I'm taking a recording techniques class) said I should wait until we get into micing techniques and can hear some good units in action before making a decision. BTW, he's a Presonus fan, too. Feels like you have to spend a lot more money to significantly improve sound quality.
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#1681776 - 06/12/05 04:59 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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paully
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Registered: 05/25/04
Posts: 1057
Loc: Northern New Jersey
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When you're ready to step up, take a look at this:
http://www.drawmer.com/1960.html
They're pretty affordable used (eBay), are a classic, can do mic and instrument preamping and more. I recently got one for around $1100 used. Sweet. Good luck, Paul
_________________________
WUDAYAKNOW.. For the first time in my life, I'm wrong again!!
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#1681777 - 06/13/05 12:28 AM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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MarkD
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Registered: 03/03/04
Posts: 91
Loc: Australia
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Also check these out....
http://www.sebatron.com/products/vmp2000.html
You can get one sent from Australia for around US$900 + freight. (Plus import duties if they apply)
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#1681778 - 06/13/05 02:02 AM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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where02190
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 11/06/01
Posts: 5402
Loc: Weymouth, Ma. USA
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While the new Mackie XDR Pro pres are pretty decent, I dissagree with Phil, I think the RNP smokes em, and would be a worthwhile investment.
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Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording.
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#1681779 - 06/13/05 09:49 AM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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KenElevenShadows
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Registered: 12/20/00
Posts: 8586
Loc: Los Angeles,CA,UNITED STATES
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I thought Phil likes the RNPs better than the Mackies?
I haven't heard the Onyx Mackie preamps, but the RNP is so much better than the XDR Pro mic preamps. Much more open.
One of the things you can really tell about a good preamp its cumulative sound over the course of a recording. In other words, if you keep recording multiple tracks for a song, you can really hear the deficiencies of a not-so-good mic preamp since it's "exaggerated" by its constant use or hear how great a good mic preamp is.
The RNP holds up beautifully here, blending together and sounding very open - one track or 24. I can't speak highly enough of this preamp, especially for the money.
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#1681780 - 06/13/05 10:01 AM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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where02190
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See what happens when you don't go to bed ontime....Yes indeed Phil and I are in agreement on this one, sorry Phil!!!!!
_________________________
Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording.
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#1681781 - 06/13/05 10:51 AM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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KenElevenShadows
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#1681783 - 06/13/05 07:06 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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Philip O'Keefe
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Loc: Riverside,CA,UNITED STATES
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I thought Phil likes the RNPs better than the Mackies?
Just to clear up any confusion, yes I do. 
Don't worry Where... I've been known to misread posts a time or two myself. 
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#1681784 - 06/13/05 08:22 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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mjmclane
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Registered: 02/17/02
Posts: 125
Loc: Tulsa,OK,UNITED STATES
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Thanks for the feedback. I guess I'm kinda leaning toward the RNP, but keep those posts coming in.
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#1681785 - 06/14/05 12:15 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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Michael Hart
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Registered: 10/27/04
Posts: 53
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Just a plug for the Earthworks preamps. I have the LAB 102 - excellent 2 channel pre that came out pretty high on Lyn Fuston's preamp shoot-out at 3dbaudio.com. Transformerless, uncolored, lots of headroom. Using the NTK for vocals - which has tube - is good combo. Ever since the i88x was brought up in a thread 4 weeks ago - a deal at $400 - it's hard to get 2 channels at that price. I'd love to hear one - plus that unit does so much more.
Michael Hart
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#1681786 - 06/14/05 12:42 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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KenElevenShadows
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I'd love to hear one of the Earthworks things in person. I've never heard a bad thing about any of their products, including their mic preamps. And as a bonus, David Blackmer is a totally cool guy.
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#1681787 - 06/14/05 03:19 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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Lee Knight
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Registered: 10/19/01
Posts: 1077
Loc: Encinitas,CA,UNITED STATES
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My little RNP sounds fine. Much nicer than the Mackies for sure, nicer than the Focusrite silver grade, and in some ways as nice as the Focusrite 220's I use a lot.
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#1681788 - 06/14/05 07:12 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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MarkD
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Registered: 03/03/04
Posts: 91
Loc: Australia
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How would you describe the RNP color?
Clean, gritty, colored?
What I'm looking at is something that will sit in between my Buzz Audio and my Sebatron.
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#1681789 - 06/14/05 07:51 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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KenElevenShadows
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RNPs are very clean. Not colored. Very clean and open.
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#1681790 - 06/14/05 08:12 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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MarkD
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Loc: Australia
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OK, thanks. Probably not what I'm looking for then. The Buzz Audio is super clean and fast.
I think what I'm after is something Neveish.
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#1681791 - 06/15/05 03:58 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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Michael Hart
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Registered: 10/27/04
Posts: 53
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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for Neveeish how about Great River NV? - one or two channel.
Michael Hart
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#1681792 - 06/15/05 05:24 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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Philip O'Keefe
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Great River NV, Vintech and RTZ 9762 are all good candidates for a "Neve flavored" preamp... and the new Rupert Neve Portico and the Phoenix Audio preamps may be too, but I have not heard those yet, so I can't comment.
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#1681793 - 06/15/05 07:20 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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KenElevenShadows
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Registered: 12/20/00
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Loc: Los Angeles,CA,UNITED STATES
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The RNPs are *definitely* not a Neve-type preamp! They get compare more to things like Grace.
If you found something Neve-ish that you really like, please post about it here. I'm really curious about this, and came very close to purchasing a Vintech. I'm really used to the RNPs and love them, but for different colors, will probably look to get something different someday. I have a Peavey VMP-2 tube mic preamp, but wouldn't really describe it as Neve-ish although I do like it.
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#1681794 - 06/15/05 10:50 PM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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Matt.Hepworth
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Registered: 03/13/01
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Loc: Riverdale, UT
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Chameleon labs has been advertising in EQ and the like about their very Neve pre. I'm interested, since they are reportedly only $799.
_________________________
No matter how good something is, there will always be someone blasting away on a forum somewhere about how much they hate it.
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#1681795 - 06/16/05 01:57 AM
Re: Preamp advice?????
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Philip O'Keefe
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Loc: Riverside,CA,UNITED STATES
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Good point Matt. I had forgotten about that one. IIRC, I looked into / asked about that preamp once... either I asked Mitch Gallagher if we had one for review (and someone else had already set dibs on it), or I called Chameleon Labs to inquire about them, and they weren't shipping yet... something like that. Anyway, I guess I need to look into it again. 
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