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Post by guitarheadhunt on Nov 8, 2023 22:12:46 GMT -6
Another shootout. Yeah I got some new gear I am trying out and figured I would share. Lord Knows how many times I have gone searching for comparisons. Nothing too scientific here. I ran the Stam 47 mk2 into my patch bay then to the BAE and WA273eq so I had the exact take when comparing. I will say the warm was a bit hotter than the BAE but I adjusted the wave file to match volumes. Basically mic to pre to uad 176 just a touch same with the mix. No buss comp or eq. I also included a null test. This was some quick vocal takes. On some random stuff. There is 2 clips of something I just randomly made up so a bit of pitch needs to be worked out. The other example is just vocals from a third day song. Let me know your thoughts. I hear a slight difference but not a lot. I was very surprised. I did not have the eq engaged on the warm. No low cut either just straight to pre and comp in my UAD console. I was expecting a much bigger difference given all the hype I hear about BAE which is great but is it that much better? Let me know what you think. The warm wa273eq ran me $1200 several years back. The BAE I found for $875 used. New they are like $1299 or so new just for the pre no eq.
Audio Files link |
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Post by thehightenor on Nov 9, 2023 3:08:50 GMT -6
A few years ago SOS mag did a shoot out with a whole heap of pre amps from cheap to expensive.
And it was surprising how similar all these solid state pre’s sounded.
Even the Yamaha D pre on Steinberg interfaces is actually surprisingly excellent - though not a heap of character.
Where things change for me, it when you start recording stereo sources and your capturing spacial information as opposed to a source shoved up the nose of the mix 6 inches away.
And then of course there’s following the pre with a high end compressor.
IME there’s a heap of difference between a BAE 1073 and a cheaper solid state pre when driving my Retro STA Level (for example) which seems to amplify and focus the differences.
But yeah, on a single file, single source, pre’s and A/D converters can be hard to pick apart.
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Post by bricejchandler on Nov 9, 2023 4:09:02 GMT -6
stand by me 2 sounds like what I'm used to hearing from a Bae.
1 sounds a bit cloudy in comparison. 2 has more detail and a slight agressive sound in the high mids but who knows, I could be wrong.
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Post by Vincent R. on Nov 9, 2023 9:24:16 GMT -6
I really liked #2. It had some real grit, but was smoother on the top. My guess is that's the BAE, and #1 is the Warm.
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Post by mike on Nov 9, 2023 12:05:20 GMT -6
Thank you for doing these comparisons, always appreciated. I also liked your null file. My guess also is #2 is the BAE, and while I am completely capable of over analyzing and do it all the time, I suppose it's what context you use as your criteria on how big a difference do pre's make when it can seem small judging by the general gain needed, or larger by judging the eq, dimension, texture, weight, etc difference of both as a single track, and especially as you stack them. So for me the difference in pre's can be pretty large even though song and performance will trump either in my view. But I liked #2 noticeably more.
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Post by guitarheadhunt on Nov 9, 2023 12:29:02 GMT -6
I did another quick test last night. Just sang a random line. No instruments just the voice. No comp just straight pre. When I did the null test what happened was the file got really quiet. I could hear the vocals perfectly sung but it went from loud to barely audible. Yet when I turned up the volume to hear . You can hear the phrase being sung. So there is a difference between the 2 press just not as big of one that I would have thought. Now when I compare either the BAE or wa273 to the Pacifica you hear a huge difference in tonality. Rightfully so. It's a totally different pre circuit.
I am still testing as I need to make a decision to keep the BAE or not. Sometimes when I am singing through the pre I hear a difference and other times not much. So far I feel the BAE is a little smoother. Not as aggressive as the warm. It also seems to be a little tighter down low vs. the warm. The high end on the warm seems a little grainy up top.
I will post results soon. I'm not in the studio and I have the answer key in a note file there.
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Post by thehightenor on Nov 10, 2023 5:49:53 GMT -6
There's a lot more to this than meets the ear :-)
Try recording a pure sine wave (output through a very high quality - high resolution - flat response monitor) with a mic pre and mic and then a cheaper mic pre and mic and see how the difference now it really very small!
Now try recording a 12 string guitar with the same mic and pre's or a decent acoustic piano or a singer with a very rich complex tone.
Now listen to the difference!
In my experience, it is the ability of equipment to musically resolve and capture sources than are harmonically complex in nature that sets them apart from cheaper gear.
Tone is the harmonics.
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Post by guitarheadhunt on Nov 10, 2023 23:30:09 GMT -6
Everyone pretty much guessed right. 1 is the wa273 and 2 is the BAE. I uploaded another set of files I did real quick tonight. The subject is Knocking on Heavens door. Mainly the vocals were put through the different micpres. The file listed cv4 is the cv4 with the Beesneez k7 going through the BAE. The Sa47 BAE file is just the SA47 through the BAE. The SA47 WA273 is the SA47 going through the wa273. I added a little extra surprise a mic I built going through the Pacifica. I used the micparts V251 circuit kit. Forced my own Body and breadbasket. Painted a cream color and installed a Beesneez c12 capsule. All the files was capture mic to pre to UAD 176 That's it. On the mix I added a bit of capitol chambers verb on the vocals and acoustic. The acoustic was recorded with my V251 mic to the Pacifica. These files are not the same take. They are different takes. At the end I lean into it just see how the mic handles it. I wasn't trying to get these talks perfect just enough for me to hear what each pre and mic has to offer. I am really liking the SA47. I like the CV4 with K7 as well. They are 2 different flavors of the same flavor if that makes since. I am really starting to hear the difference with the BAE as well. It seems to have smoother quality to its harmonic color. The WA273 isn't bad. I think it hangs in there for the price. I have a few bass DI tracks I recorded as well through each pre. I will upload those separately. Knocking on heavens door |
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