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Post by mcirish on Dec 17, 2019 12:12:19 GMT -6
In my home studio, I have some various preamps: Hardy M1, Midas XL48, Presonus MP20 (early model with Jensen xformers).
To have enough preamps to finish off my rack, I was looking at the Daking Mic pre IV. I'd rather have another four channels of the Hardy, but I don't have that kind of money. I use the Hardy for vocals and most acoustic instruments. The Midas is used mostly on drums with the MP20 used on whatever else is left.
For the Daking owners, what do you find it is best used for? I'd like something that can get close to the Hardy but with an instrument input as well. Can the Daking get me close?
BTW, if you can't tell, I'm a huge Hardy fan. Clear and mostly neutral with a bit of body to it. I absolutely love them. I'd go with 24 channels of that if I could afford it.
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Post by sean on Dec 17, 2019 12:33:05 GMT -6
I have a pair of Hardy M1s and a pair of Daking Mic Pre EQs. I think they are pretty interchangeable. The Daking's are a touch brighter, a little more top end excitement, and maybe a little less beef than the Hardy's. I like them on acoustic and electric guitars, snare drums and overheads, and on vocals with a duller microphone.
I think for the money the Daking's are pretty hard to beat. I think they are definitely of equal quality to the Hardys.
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Post by gwlee7 on Dec 17, 2019 12:40:29 GMT -6
I only have the Daking mic pre II. So I am biased obviously but it has really changed things for the better. The variable HP filter is nice too.
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Post by mike on Dec 17, 2019 12:45:04 GMT -6
I have a pair of Hardy M1s and a pair of Daking Mic Pre EQs. I think they are pretty interchangeable. The Daking's are a touch brighter, a little more top end excitement, and maybe a little less beef than the Hardy's. I like them on acoustic and electric guitars, snare drums and overheads, and on vocals with a duller microphone.
I used a Daking for awhile. It's a quality piece but I would agree with Sean's comment.
"The Daking's are a touch brighter, a little more top end excitement,"
Hopefully you can try one before you buy to see if it's a fit for you or not.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 13:22:05 GMT -6
They are a no brainer. Great stuff. The EQ on the pre/eq is really good. I've had mine a long time (just got a 2nd one). It's outlasted a lot of other gear that I've sold. At home I mostly overdub things and won't think twice about using them on anything and everything.
I've used the mic pre IV a handful of times at one of my freelance spots as well. It's the same preamp. Usually it's on bass drum, snare, toms. I like it a lot better than the API 3124 they have, as a basis of comparison.
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Post by lpedrum on Dec 17, 2019 15:52:03 GMT -6
I think Daking's stuff is deceptively good. I say that because I've owned a Daking pre for years and like it better and better the older and more experienced I get. For me it was a classic example of not selling good gear when you're starting out, because sometimes our ears have to catch up with it. I recently plugged a P bass into into the Daking DI and really liked how clear and audible the bass was in the mix. I'm not sure why everyone is always looking for super lows and punch on bass that often just muddies up a mix--but that's a topic for another thread!
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Post by geoff738 on Dec 17, 2019 16:00:40 GMT -6
Haven’t used a Hardy but love my Daking pre and compressor.
Cheers,
Geoff
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Post by WKG on Dec 17, 2019 16:08:32 GMT -6
I've got a Daking IV and use it on vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, drums etc, pretty much anything, always works.
No experience with the Hardy though.
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Post by nobtwiddler on Dec 17, 2019 17:05:46 GMT -6
When Geoff, first issued the 52270 vertical mic pre amp / EQ, I tried 4 of them out for a few weeks.
They literally blew me (and my clients) away.
Their sound was just glorious!
They did everything I needed / wanted in a tracking preamp /equaliser
So much so, that ordered many, many, more of the old vertical style.
And then put the money up for Geoff to design & build his first console~!
I waited 7 years to get it, but man it was worth it!
I got number #1, the first working (prototype) in my studio about 20 years ago.
Anyhow, whatever he's doing is a bit left of center, but ALWAYS GREAT.
He's one of us, if ya know what I mean.
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Post by johneppstein on Dec 17, 2019 17:47:25 GMT -6
It seems the computer ate my post.
As I understand it, the Daking preamps are based on the Trident A Range circuit.
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Post by jamiesego on Dec 17, 2019 20:19:52 GMT -6
Daking stuff is excellent. I've heard the single channel and the big racked up console channels. The only Hardy stuff I've used is the MPC-600 and the Seventh Circle copy. Hardy is maybe a little more neutral sounding. Sean pretty much nailed the description in my opinion. I have a feeling you would dig it. They definitely sound great.
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Post by RealNoob on Dec 17, 2019 23:26:49 GMT -6
Punchy, makes things sound a bit bigger, high-mid rise a bit, silky top. Kind of in between neutral and really colored. Does well used as a console pre - on everything.
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Post by chessparov on Dec 17, 2019 23:31:41 GMT -6
It seems the computer ate my post. As I understand it, the Daking preamps are based on the Trident A Range circuit. Yes. Chris |
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Post by spradingaling on Dec 18, 2019 8:52:29 GMT -6
To echo what pretty much everyone else has said: they're very nice preamps and you should get it. You'll have trouble finding a source they don't work well on.
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Post by mcirish on Dec 18, 2019 9:12:39 GMT -6
Thanks so much for all the comments. I just picked one up. Can't wait to try it on some sources and see where it shines.
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Post by Bob Olhsson on Dec 18, 2019 14:58:19 GMT -6
A KM-84 into a Daking Mic-Pre One has been wonderful.
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Post by chessparov on Dec 18, 2019 23:16:51 GMT -6
For what you get... Quite a bargain then actually.
Chris
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Dec 20, 2019 10:13:27 GMT -6
It seems the computer ate my post. As I understand it, the Daking preamps are based on the Trident A Range circuit. The A range was the starting point but I don’t think you could find a A Range channel that sounds like the Daking. The little Model 1 thing is a killer deal, but I prefer the Stuff with output iron. |
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Post by mcirish on Dec 20, 2019 11:33:06 GMT -6
Glad to see you back Eric!
The Mic Pre IV does in fact have both input and output transformers. Like you, I tend to like transformers on the output as well as on the input. I can't say exactly why but they seem to pull the sound together just a little (to my ears). I'm sure the preamp is quite clean but not sterile. Supposedly, it's on a truck right now and should be delivered before the end of the day. That should hold off any preamp needs for a while.... except for one Neve channel and.... it never ends
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 20, 2019 13:11:38 GMT -6
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Post by mcirish on Dec 20, 2019 23:24:30 GMT -6
I got the Daking Mic Pre IV and did just a quick look over and test. 1) This has a ton of gain. I can get up to 75dB of gain. 2) I wish the LED meters had various colors depending on the output. Not a big thing but I keep waiting to see red and its all green. 3) Not a fan of the chassis. It's solid enough, but two more screws would have held the front and back panels to the top and would feel more solid. 4) Some people thought the chassis was aluminum. Its stainless steel. 5) I pulled the cover to have a look. Wow, they crammed a lot of stuff in there. Very neatly done, no complaints. 6) More testing is needed, but so far, it's a keeper.
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Post by keymod on Dec 24, 2019 4:20:24 GMT -6
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Post by adamjbrass on Dec 24, 2019 10:13:20 GMT -6
I found them a little too hairy for my taste. YMMV
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Post by mcirish on Oct 21, 2020 13:24:55 GMT -6
Digging up this old thread. I did a session last week and used the Daking on a kick drum (22x14 Ludwig Classic Maple). I only used an outside the kick mic (AT4047) this time around. I never have got great results with the AT4047 in that same position in the past. It always seemed kind of flat. I've tried the Hardy M1 as well as the Midas XL48 on that mic. Just kind of boring. Not bad but not exciting. This time, I tried the Daking. I was super impressed. It gave me enough of something special to work with. It seemed punchier and a bit thicker than the other preamps gave me. It handled EQ really well too. Now, I'd like to add another Daking to my drum channels. $$
The only downside to this Daking praise- I used the Daking to do a DI on a passive Jazz Bass part. It's not so good there. The HIZ input is really <300k. That's too low for passive pickups. The results were not what I hoped for and went back to another DI with a 1M ohm input and was much happier.
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Post by Tbone81 on Oct 21, 2020 14:46:38 GMT -6
Digging up this old thread. I did a session last week and used the Daking on a kick drum (22x14 Ludwig Classic Maple). I only used an outside the kick mic (AT4047) this time around. I never have got great results with the AT4047 in that same position in the past. It always seemed kind of flat. I've tried the Hardy M1 as well as the Midas XL48 on that mic. Just kind of boring. Not bad but not exciting. This time, I tried the Daking. I was super impressed. It gave me enough of something special to work with. It seemed punchier and a bit thicker than the other preamps gave me. It handled EQ really well too. Now, I'd like to add another Daking to my drum channels. $$ The only downside to this Daking praise- I used the Daking to do a DI on a passive Jazz Bass part. It's not so good there. The HIZ input is really <300k. That's too low for passive pickups. The results were not what I hoped for and went back to another DI with a 1M ohm input and was much happier. I've used them on kick and snare a few times with good results but wasn't in a position to really A/B them with anything. Would love to try them out more. |
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