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Post by enlav on Jun 4, 2021 9:17:22 GMT -6
First off, I wanted to note that I've been a lurker and have appreciated a lot of the advice and opinions shared here, so much thanks for all the advice you unwittingly have given me in some purchases in the past (actually waiting on a Heiserman H47 fet at the moment).
To the point, preamps! I've gone through a handful of microphone preamp threads as of late, some a few years old, but I don't know if any address current stock/availability issues and how they may factor into the current selection/availability with stock/part shortages.
I'm basically looking for a pair of preamps (or more, but basically something that'll fit on one outlet). If stock wasn't an issue at the stores/sites I currently frequent, I'd probably have a Great River MP-2NV in my possession, and this conversation wouldn't be happening (I prefer to buy new).
The GR has plenty of tonal options that are appealing to me - Gain/Output controls, Loading/Impedance options, and the second output that (IIRC) comes before the output transformer. The only con's are the price point and lack of HPF, neither of which are deal breakers. For my uses, this seems like one of the best options on the market.
I'm only reading good things about CAPI kits, but I currently don't own a 500-series chassis (and from the looks of it, some of the CAPI kits are out of stock on some components).
LTL Chroma+? - Certainly more affordable, plenty of tonal options, but I'm sort of hesitant it'll be enough gain for some of the lower output mic's I have (RE20, SM7B).
<Insert any number of Neve-style alternatives, like the Vintech 273>
I'm currently happy with a single Daking Mic Pre One - the Mic Pre IIT looks interesting, but I sort of hate the power connector compared to what the Mic Pre One and Mic Pre IV have, and we're awaiting the next iteration of the IV later this year...
Perhaps I'm just looking for confirmation bias with the MP-2NV... but would you all have some recommendations that are available "today" or soon? Maybe something that would offer a nice alternative to the Great River once I'm able to get my hands on one down the road? Thanks in advance for any opinions or advice.
Mic's that would be in use: TLM103 (primarily VO), RE20, Vanguard V13, MKH416 to name a few... |
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 4, 2021 9:25:47 GMT -6
I use the Chroma with SM7b all the time. No issues. I imagine the Chroma+ would be the same.
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Post by brenta on Jun 4, 2021 10:30:04 GMT -6
I think the Great River is still one of the best and most versatile preamps around. If I could only own one preamp, that would be the one. It can get pretty clean or it can get colored, plus it has the various tone options you mentioned. It's color is usually described as a Neve sound but I think it sounds different than any Neve I've heard. Also, Dan Kennedy provides great support in the rare circumstance you would need it. Furthermore, I unfortunately built a studio in a bad EMI and dirty power environment a few years ago that was causing a lot of noise issues with preamps in particular. The Great River was by far the quietest of all the pres I tried in that studio.
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Post by ragan on Jun 4, 2021 10:35:29 GMT -6
Nothing to add really except that the Great River MP-2NV is my go-to. Love it.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2021 14:03:40 GMT -6
I follow everyone else's sentiments, the GR MP-2NV has the price / performance thing nailed. There are a few boutique strips I prefer but we are talking silly money.
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Post by enlav on Jun 4, 2021 14:04:45 GMT -6
Nice point EMI/dirty power note, brenta - I'm not working in project/commercial studios as of late so that's a great plus side for the GR.
If I can't find the GR in the short term, it's good to know the Chrome+ will work for those quieter mics, so that seems like a safe pickup... whether now or down the road. Will likely end up getting one eventually even if I get a MP-2NV; really interested in the modules and options.
Thanks again everyone!
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Jun 4, 2021 14:30:38 GMT -6
Welcome, the only possible knock on the GR is that for a vintage Neve influenced design it’s probably the cleanest out there. That’s me playing devils advocate because it’s a great pre!
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Post by Tbone81 on Jun 4, 2021 14:35:24 GMT -6
Welcome, the only possible knock on the GR is that for a vintage Neve influenced design it’s probably the cleanest out there. That’s me playing devils advocate because it’s a great pre! You know, I love my AML ez1073’s, but sometimes I wish I had a pair that were the same, only cleaner lol. |
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Post by plinker on Jun 4, 2021 17:19:08 GMT -6
Thanks for posting about the Great River MP-2NV. Oddly, they rarely come up in discussion here -- I've looked before  I don't own one, and am getting off the preamp train, but it's great to read other's opinions here about it. |
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Post by Darren Boling on Jun 4, 2021 18:45:32 GMT -6
Welcome, the only possible knock on the GR is that for a vintage Neve influenced design it’s probably the cleanest out there. That’s me playing devils advocate because it’s a great pre! I'm remembering this is why I let mine go when I got a BAE. These days after a decade or so with the BAE I want the opposite. Got some vocal tracks in recently that used the GR that were amazing so I went back and pulled up some old sessions. After listening to what I recorded with it I'm not really sure why I sold it, it's one solid pre. |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Jun 4, 2021 20:56:22 GMT -6
Welcome, the only possible knock on the GR is that for a vintage Neve influenced design it’s probably the cleanest out there. That’s me playing devils advocate because it’s a great pre! I'm remembering this is why I let mine go when I got a BAE. These days after a decade or so with the BAE I want the opposite. Got some vocal tracks in recently that used the GR that were amazing so I went back and pulled up some old sessions. After listening to what I recorded with it I'm not really sure why I sold it, it's one solid pre. You know the truths you really really want both😁 |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2021 21:06:40 GMT -6
Welcome, the only possible knock on the GR is that for a vintage Neve influenced design it’s probably the cleanest out there. That’s me playing devils advocate because it’s a great pre! I'm remembering this is why I let mine go when I got a BAE. These days after a decade or so with the BAE I want the opposite. Got some vocal tracks in recently that used the GR that were amazing so I went back and pulled up some old sessions. After listening to what I recorded with it I'm not really sure why I sold it, it's one solid pre. Just like the RND (Portico) / Trident stuff.. Sometimes the cleaner section just sounds right. Many seem to overlook RND because it's not "classic" Neve although I always liked them despite having a few Shelfords (which is a bit more vintage sounding). I definitely wouldn't say no to a Trident 78 console, can't justify it like but they sound great.. |
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Post by notneeson on Jun 4, 2021 22:40:52 GMT -6
Love the Great River, but only have a little time on one. Another one I still like a lot is the TG-2. My personal go to pres are vintage Quad Eights, similar to what inspired the A Designs Pacifica that was so popular for a minute. If anythign, the flavor of teh month status kind of did these a disservice, they're all great.
I'd be happy with any of them, so I'm not much help.
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Post by reddirt on Jun 5, 2021 3:59:27 GMT -6
I have the single with the eq patched in but normally bypassed to give it another transformer - it's one of those pieces you simply don't second guess and the support is tops
Cheers, Ross
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Post by Guitar on Jun 5, 2021 6:17:13 GMT -6
For years I used the SCA N72. You could get the "one shot" chassis, a pair of these, or start the whole SCA rack. Fantastic mic pre for lead vocals, bass, whatever you like. Can be ordered pre-built if you don't want to solder. Rather bulky sounding, big low end, some air on the top, really strong sound, has some power to it. Can be aggressive if you want it to.
I currently use a Five Fish NK-72DI with OA10 op amp from GAR/CAPI. It's a little prettier than the SCA but still kind of huge sounding. 500 series.
I'm interested in Avedis, haven't personally used one. Also 500 series. Maybe someone here has used one for real information. Get the Great River, haha!
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Post by enlav on Jun 6, 2021 7:34:26 GMT -6
Oddly, they rarely come up in discussion here -- I've looked before Wait, is this sarcasm?  I thought it was one that was mentioned quite a bit, though I may also be overlapping other forums into the equation. I sort of expected a couple familiar names to pop up in the thread to sort of verify the longevity of the product (Ragan) - it's a huge confidence booster to see people use a product as their go-to for multiple years. When I started looking into upgrading preamps a couple years ago I was mostly focused on VO... but at some point you meander into different threads and see all sorts of opinions and products, and Great River was a name that I noticed a lot. Ultimately, I sort of realized my clientele probably wouldn't notice the difference between tracks recorded on my Daking vs. a new Millenia or Hardy when it was ultimately going to end up on local radio or youtube. Fast forward to present day, I've come to terms with the fact that any more gear purchases are only to keep me entertained. Do I really -need- a pair of SDCs right now? Those AT4050's should be "usable" for whatever applications I need a pair, but... look at the options on the Vanguard V1S, listen to the Soyuz 013 samples, gasp in awe over the price/performance on the Warblers!
For years I used the SCA N72. You could get the "one shot" chassis, a pair of these, or start the whole SCA rack. [...] I'm interested in Avedis, haven't personally used one. Also 500 series. Maybe someone here has used one for real information. Get the Great River, haha! Thanks for the recommendation, I think I had seen this company in the past but had forgotten. Really affordable and would give me some more wiggle room for other purchases. I really appreciate that there are so many smaller companies out there offering such a wide variety of products now. I wish I had been a more informed buyer when I started this journey.
I'll hopefully hear what the turnaround times are on the MP-2NV tomorrow and have a game plan from there.
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Post by plinker on Jun 6, 2021 14:07:55 GMT -6
Oddly, they rarely come up in discussion here -- I've looked before Wait, is this sarcasm? I thought it was one that was mentioned quite a bit, though I may also be overlapping other forums into the equation. I sort of expected a couple familiar names to pop up in the thread to sort of verify the longevity of the product (Ragan) - it's a huge confidence booster to see people use a product as their go-to for multiple years. When I started looking into upgrading preamps a couple years ago I was mostly focused on VO... but at some point you meander into different threads and see all sorts of opinions and products, and Great River was a name that I noticed a lot. Ultimately, I sort of realized my clientele probably wouldn't notice the difference between tracks recorded on my Daking vs. a new Millenia or Hardy when it was ultimately going to end up on local radio or youtube. Fast forward to present day, I've come to terms with the fact that any more gear purchases are only to keep me entertained. Do I really -need- a pair of SDCs right now? Those AT4050's should be "usable" for whatever applications I need a pair, but... look at the options on the Vanguard V1S, listen to the Soyuz 013 samples, gasp in awe over the price/performance on the Warblers!
For years I used the SCA N72. You could get the "one shot" chassis, a pair of these, or start the whole SCA rack. [...] I'm interested in Avedis, haven't personally used one. Also 500 series. Maybe someone here has used one for real information. Get the Great River, haha! Thanks for the recommendation, I think I had seen this company in the past but had forgotten. Really affordable and would give me some more wiggle room for other purchases. I really appreciate that there are so many smaller companies out there offering such a wide variety of products now. I wish I had been a more informed buyer when I started this journey.
I'll hopefully hear what the turnaround times are on the MP-2NV tomorrow and have a game plan from there.
Haha! Nope; I wasn't being sarcastic.
I haven't seen any posts about the GR preamp in a long time -- kinda figured maybe they were out of fashion here. |
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Post by jmoose on Jun 6, 2021 14:14:48 GMT -6
Welcome, the only possible knock on the GR is that for a vintage Neve influenced design it’s probably the cleanest out there. That’s me playing devils advocate because it’s a great pre! That's more of a high compliment then a knock. Honestly it kinda bugs a little to see people refer to the MP2NV as a "Neve" design because its not. It was originally a "Mercenary Edition" piece and was custom designed from a clean sheet of paper... There's a nod to 70s Neve gear but that's about where it started and ended. We looked at schematics of old Neve designs... talked about what we liked & didn't like... then threw 'em all to the side and started fresh. The goal was to come up with something that had the size & weight of old Neve iron but move beyond that. Have something without the low-mid haze & buildup, more clean gain available for things like ribbon mics & modern digital recording... and finally more tonal options from super clean to crunchy. Something that could very well be a desert island preamp to cover all sorts of ground. IMO it was pretty successful in meeting those goals. Its an excellent design and excellent designs rarely go out of style. Wish I had bought a couple before I left Mercenary but why would I buy them when we always had them on the shelf and in the studio racks?! Frankly if it were my only preamp, 8 or 16 channels on hand and had to cut a whole album I wouldn't feel that I'm missing anything. If someone wants an "old Neve klone" there are plenty of 'em out there but the MP2NV? It isn't one of 'em. |
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Post by kcatthedog on Jun 6, 2021 14:18:10 GMT -6
^^This^^ You have definitely peaked my interest !
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Post by keymod on Jun 6, 2021 14:25:11 GMT -6
For years I used the SCA N72. You could get the "one shot" chassis, a pair of these, or start the whole SCA rack. Fantastic mic pre for lead vocals, bass, whatever you like. Can be ordered pre-built if you don't want to solder. Rather bulky sounding, big low end, some air on the top, really strong sound, has some power to it. Can be aggressive if you want it to. I currently use a Five Fish NK-72DI with OA10 op amp from GAR/CAPI. It's a little prettier than the SCA but still kind of huge sounding. 500 series. I'm interested in Avedis, haven't personally used one. Also 500 series. Maybe someone here has used one for real information. Get the Great River, haha! Five Fish gear is really quite good, under the radar and reasonably priced. |
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Post by jmoose on Jun 6, 2021 14:36:00 GMT -6
^^This^^ You have definitely peaked my interest ! Best to judge the MP2NV on its own merit. If someone digs it that's rad and if they don't that's rad too! Its really its own beast. If you go in thinking it'll match or equal tones of 70s Neve gear, your probably not gonna have a good time. Certainly it can make nods in that direction, a solid tribute, but can also do so much more. |
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Post by kcatthedog on Jun 6, 2021 14:39:45 GMT -6
All good: am not chasing a neve sound actually. The range of the pre you described sounds more like what I am interested in. Trying to get better gear, but want higher quality and versatility.
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Post by Guitar on Jun 6, 2021 15:08:41 GMT -6
For years I used the SCA N72. You could get the "one shot" chassis, a pair of these, or start the whole SCA rack. Fantastic mic pre for lead vocals, bass, whatever you like. Can be ordered pre-built if you don't want to solder. Rather bulky sounding, big low end, some air on the top, really strong sound, has some power to it. Can be aggressive if you want it to. I currently use a Five Fish NK-72DI with OA10 op amp from GAR/CAPI. It's a little prettier than the SCA but still kind of huge sounding. 500 series. I'm interested in Avedis, haven't personally used one. Also 500 series. Maybe someone here has used one for real information. Get the Great River, haha! Five Fish gear is really quite good, under the radar and reasonably priced. That thing is a monster, I have a pair of them. Was thinking about 2 more. The only thing a bit sub par is the DI input, oh well, I have plenty of great direct boxes. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2021 15:26:19 GMT -6
All good: am not chasing a neve sound actually. The range of the pre you described sounds more like what I am interested in. Trying to get better gear, but want higher quality and versatility. If you want high quality and versatile without breaking the bank Trident / Daking all the way, I'd put them in the same boat as API / Neve / RND / GR in terms of "snob factor". They just seem to be cheaper.. They're big, they're "pro" sounding whatever that means and work with just about anything. We all have our preferences but there's no real reason IMO to ever upgrade them. |
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Post by gouge on Jun 6, 2021 15:43:09 GMT -6
Daking has an input hpf which is very useful. Tone wise it sits halfway between neve and api. Love the dakings. Nice round bottom end with clean mids and top. Slightly punchy. Daking stacks really well.
For some people daking is too clean but i like how they get out of the way and can be used anywhere.
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