Golden Age Premier

I have a 500 chassis with 6 pre 573 premier preamps along with several other neve clones. When the project series came out I purchased 8 for drum tracking and it was a game changer. Previously, I worked at several larger studios in Arizona and had plenty of experience with 80 series preamps. The project series was great and provided that neve weight I was desperately searching for when I moved to more meager accommodations. Upgrading to the premier series was definitely a big step up in clarity and track stacking. Some people may suggest that stacking tracks of most neve series preamps can turn into a muddy mess, but you have to know what you're working with. The same can be said of a painter using the wrong brushes, it can become a muddy mess. In the hands of someone with experience the premier series can be fantastic. I have since replaced all my project series. One thing that everyone is correct about, you cannot push these as hard as a real 80 series, they get pretty nasty when pushed too hard. But, I rarely used that sound when I had access to 1073's, MAYBE 2 times out of 100 recordings. And I am talking flat out distorted, not blissfully pushing into harmonic distortion.

I listened to a ton of comparison videos before purchasing the 573 premiers:

WA73's
IGS 573
Vintech 573
Five Fish
Sound Skulptor
AML
Don Classics

Really you cant go wrong with any of these, they all get you into that "sound with weight" ballpark. The Five Fish X72 was slightly different, due to its topology, using an API style opamp, it has a different top end that I liked so much I ended up buying 2 of those as well. Probably similar to a LOLA which I have not had the opportunity to hear yet.

Hope this helps someone.

So true theshea. Something many people starting out may not realize when using neve style preamps. I use them to fatten a signal or sound source that needs it. If you use them on something that at the source already sounds dark, these preamps for the most part will only enhance that darkness. When pushed too hard, even with an 80 series pre, you get a grainy top end with delicate sources. The premier series does go grainy before the 80 series. But at a fraction of the cost, I absolutely love them and use them in their sweet spot almost daily for drum tracks that call for that sound.

CAPI covers the other side for me.

You hear it over and over on these forums, but it holds. You need a wide swath of preamps to cover all the bases. Dark, mid forward and clean preamps. Then add tubes and...it never ends does it.

Probably not saying anything that hasn't been covered many times over. But I do enjoy the discussion.

Agreed. You will need a variety of mics in the long run but you can make a career with one pre. Most of the studios thru out time have had one pre, a desk of them but none the less, one pre, one sound. 

No question, one pre is all that is needed. A single working channel of a mackie vlz 1202 and you're making records. It really is that simple.

I get what you are going for, don’t get me wrong.

But I’d say the pre has the least impact on your chain unless you are driving them hard where you will find more noticeable differences. The source, mic, compressors and of course eq (in case you have a channel strip in the chain) will mostly define the sound. In your example I would firstly pick the right compressor to cut it thru.  

The pre will for sure give an overall identity to your sound to some extent, but rather than from a track to track basis, I would say the choice of preamp will show itself and make an actual impact thru the build up across the complete production. This is also where I think the consistency of the gear chosen becomes relevant and contributes to the coherence of the final product.

But It’s just one point of view. And It wouldn’t be the first time I have been wrong and learned something along the way. 😂
 

I agree the source is the most important aspect. Additionally, any transducer will impart its sonic character on said signal. The thread was about Golden Age Premier series, and while nick8801 has since parted ways with the preamp, others who are searching for the same or similar answers may want to know what this preamp does to their recordings. 

The "need" part was a bit sarcastic, which I felt was somewhat obvious with the added "it never ends". But chastising someone who was merely attempting to help not only nick8801, but others with similar questions, isn't that why we are here?

Maybe I do need multiple types of preamps, maybe others do too. Just because you do not, does not make it so. I have made albums with mackies and neves. The neve albums, to my ears sound better. The mackie albums sound smeared and cloudy. In that context, I need specific preamps (and mics) to attain what I view as a bare minimum. Others will agree. 

Its all about context.