kbb
Junior Member
Posts: 82
|
Post by kbb on Mar 30, 2024 18:16:09 GMT -6
I recently got an M49 style mic. Long search. Mission accomplished. I plugged it into a BAE 1073 pre and it sounded great. Great!
Today, I plugged it into the AEA RPQ and am excited that it sounded "just right" IMO through that clean pre for vocals. I also put a 57 through the RPQ for snare the other day and was surprised by the comparative clarity. It's nice that the AEA pres can really shine when you least expect them to. Respek!
|
|
|
|
Post by andersmv on Mar 30, 2024 18:36:17 GMT -6
I recently got an M49 style mic. Long search. Mission accomplished. I plugged it into a BAE 1073 pre and it sounded great. Great! Today, I plugged it into the AEA RPQ and am excited that it sounded "just right" IMO through that clean pre for vocals. I also put a 57 through the RPQ for snare the other day and was surprised by the comparative clarity. It's nice that the AEA pres can really shine when you least expect them to. Respek! I had the same reaction running my Vanguard V13 through my AEA TRP, that can be an amazing combo. Some tube mics just need something that gets out of the way sometimes. It’s a sweeter mic on top, the high impedance opens the high end up nicely. |
|
|
|
Post by drbill on Mar 30, 2024 19:00:44 GMT -6
Today, I plugged it into the AEA RPQ and am excited that it sounded "just right" IMO through that clean pre for vocals.! Not "top shelf hot garbage"?  Sorry, I tried but I just couldn't resist after reading your other post.... Haha |
|
|
|
Post by hadaja on Mar 30, 2024 19:22:44 GMT -6
Yeah I struggle a bit with this impedance stuff.
AEA TRP 100,000ohm input impedance.
I thought the mic has to see 10x its own 30-200ohm when going into a preamp meaning most preamps are 300ohm to 1200/1500/2000 ohms.
Doesnt this 10x matching of impedance give the best "Full" sound/signal of the mic ?
The more higher the Preamp impedance the less low end and more high end the final signal will be - was my understanding.
Are you AEA people just saying that "you are loving the extended high end clarity" that you are hearing?
Is that what I take away from this or I am I too much of a novice in the audio world to really understand what is going on? (Which could be quite possible).
Please enlighten this "Grasshopper".
|
|
|
|
Post by andersmv on Mar 30, 2024 19:43:37 GMT -6
Yeah I struggle a bit with this impedance stuff. AEA TRP 100,000ohm input impedance. I thought the mic has to see 10x its own 30-200ohm when going into a preamp meaning most preamps are 300ohm to 1200/1500/2000 ohms. Doesnt this 10x matching of impedance give the best "Full" sound/signal of the mic ? The more higher the Preamp impedance the less low end and more high end the final signal will be - was my understanding. Are you AEA people just saying that "you are loving the extended high end clarity" that you are hearing? Is that what I take away from this or I am I too much of a novice in the audio world to really understand what is going on? (Which could be quite possible). Please enlighten this "Grasshopper". Don’t think that hard. Just try it, if you like it use it. At some point, you have to stop looking at the paper and hear stuff for yourself when you have those chances. My philosophy has always been “Is it going to blow up? No? Ok let’s see what happens”. |
|
kbb
Junior Member
Posts: 82
|
Post by kbb on Mar 30, 2024 19:55:43 GMT -6
Today, I plugged it into the AEA RPQ and am excited that it sounded "just right" IMO through that clean pre for vocals.! Not "top shelf hot garbage"? Sorry, I tried but I just couldn't resist after reading your other post.... Haha LOL It's true! Mostly with drums though. Vocals and guitar I can get away with. Kinda. I can't wait to get a place and treat it. |
|
kbb
Junior Member
Posts: 82
|
Post by kbb on Mar 30, 2024 20:09:39 GMT -6
Yeah I struggle a bit with this impedance stuff. AEA TRP 100,000ohm input impedance. I thought the mic has to see 10x its own 30-200ohm when going into a preamp meaning most preamps are 300ohm to 1200/1500/2000 ohms. Doesnt this 10x matching of impedance give the best "Full" sound/signal of the mic ? The more higher the Preamp impedance the less low end and more high end the final signal will be - was my understanding. Are you AEA people just saying that "you are loving the extended high end clarity" that you are hearing? Is that what I take away from this or I am I too much of a novice in the audio world to really understand what is going on? (Which could be quite possible). Please enlighten this "Grasshopper". @ansersmv is right, my experience is exactly what he described...the AEA pre just "gets out of the way", but it depends on the mic. A lot IMO. While impedance affects frequency response, the response characteristics of the mic is a more impactful variable. A U87ai through the RPQ? No thanks. In fact, I didn't like the Flea 47 through it either. I'd guess that I probably wouldn't like it with any condenser with high mid or high freq bump. The Flea 49, on the other hand, is a lot more subdued in the upper register, and has a lot of low mid bloom. IME, it's very tube mic-sounding tube mic. Through the BAE, it sounded good because what doesn't sound at least "good" through that pre, but plugged into AEA, you get just enough clarity in the top (for me, anyway, but I don't like bright sounding mics for what I record), more headroom (to my ears, anyway), and that mic's bass response is tailored to kind of high pass at the mic. It sounded exactly what I bought that mic to sound like. It was the first time I haven't wanted to EQ my vocals other than by changing my from the mic, but if I've learned anything on the search for a vocal mic it's that it's always a function of the voice, mic, and preamp, and you're just pulling the slots until something lights up for you. FWIW, IME AEA mics really really do open up through the TRP/RPQ. Enough that I think of AEA mics and the TRP/RPQ as pretty much inseparable. Mine stay permanently plugged into them, but again, just my taste. A Coles 4038, on the other hand, doesn't benefit from the TRP as much IMO. It still sounds good, but the Coles 4038 (mine are 300ohm) really love the BAE 1073's 300ohm...they sound the richest and most present to me. Is the difference subtle? Absolutely IMO. Is there a difference? Absolutely IMO. |
|
|
|
Post by EmRR on Mar 31, 2024 9:16:39 GMT -6
CAPI Heider preamps are 1:1 matched loading, as are most Altec tube pre’s and all vintage multi-input remote mixers.
10x (bridging) is predominantly thought of as the minimum required to minimize loading losses. 20k is bridging. 100k is bridging. 1M is bridging. They all may or may not affect response of any particular mic at varying frequencies. Can be good can be bad. Sometimes a 150 mic into a 50 pre is a glorious mangling.
Transformer versus transformerless input is another set of wrenches in this works.
|
|
|
|
Post by vintagelove on Mar 31, 2024 15:50:09 GMT -6
I really like the TRP. I use it regularly beside some other very nice preamps (which cost a lot more...). I actually quite like bright mics through it. Both an Innertube modded 87 and a Sony c800g sound great through it. Really gives a "vocal jumps to the front of the mix" sound when you bring up the fader.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mister Chase on Mar 31, 2024 20:36:37 GMT -6
All I know is some of the most beautifully clean sounds I've gotten are from my AEA RPQ 500. I need to try some condensers and not just ribbons through it.
|
|
|
|
Post by thehightenor on Apr 1, 2024 2:39:27 GMT -6
I have an RPQ 500 it sounds very similar to the solid state path of my Millennia STT-1.
No surprise, both are Fred Forrsell designed J-FET pre amps (the Millennia has more headroom as it runs on higher voltage rails)
The RPQ sounds great with ribbons due to its very high impedance, great with dynamics too.
I find it a little bit too clinical for LDC’s unless you’re going for something absolutely squeaky clean!
|
|
|
|
Post by thehightenor on Apr 1, 2024 15:14:06 GMT -6
Yeah I struggle a bit with this impedance stuff. AEA TRP 100,000ohm input impedance. I thought the mic has to see 10x its own 30-200ohm when going into a preamp meaning most preamps are 300ohm to 1200/1500/2000 ohms. Doesnt this 10x matching of impedance give the best "Full" sound/signal of the mic ? The more higher the Preamp impedance the less low end and more high end the final signal will be - was my understanding. Are you AEA people just saying that "you are loving the extended high end clarity" that you are hearing? Is that what I take away from this or I am I too much of a novice in the audio world to really understand what is going on? (Which could be quite possible). Please enlighten this "Grasshopper". @ansersmv is right, my experience is exactly what he described...the AEA pre just "gets out of the way", but it depends on the mic. A lot IMO. While impedance affects frequency response, the response characteristics of the mic is a more impactful variable. A U87ai through the RPQ? No thanks. In fact, I didn't like the Flea 47 through it either. I'd guess that I probably wouldn't like it with any condenser with high mid or high freq bump. The Flea 49, on the other hand, is a lot more subdued in the upper register, and has a lot of low mid bloom. IME, it's very tube mic-sounding tube mic. Through the BAE, it sounded good because what doesn't sound at least "good" through that pre, but plugged into AEA, you get just enough clarity in the top (for me, anyway, but I don't like bright sounding mics for what I record), more headroom (to my ears, anyway), and that mic's bass response is tailored to kind of high pass at the mic. It sounded exactly what I bought that mic to sound like. It was the first time I haven't wanted to EQ my vocals other than by changing my from the mic, but if I've learned anything on the search for a vocal mic it's that it's always a function of the voice, mic, and preamp, and you're just pulling the slots until something lights up for you. FWIW, IME AEA mics really really do open up through the TRP/RPQ. Enough that I think of AEA mics and the TRP/RPQ as pretty much inseparable. Mine stay permanently plugged into them, but again, just my taste. A Coles 4038, on the other hand, doesn't benefit from the TRP as much IMO. It still sounds good, but the Coles 4038 (mine are 300ohm) really love the BAE 1073's 300ohm...they sound the richest and most present to me. Is the difference subtle? Absolutely IMO. Is there a difference? Absolutely IMO. I have one of those Cloudlifter variable Z impedance units. It's very surprising how a change of impedance alters the response of a mic - more than I thought it would! |
|
kbb
Junior Member
Posts: 82
|
Post by kbb on Apr 1, 2024 22:21:32 GMT -6
@ansersmv is right, my experience is exactly what he described...the AEA pre just "gets out of the way", but it depends on the mic. A lot IMO. While impedance affects frequency response, the response characteristics of the mic is a more impactful variable. A U87ai through the RPQ? No thanks. In fact, I didn't like the Flea 47 through it either. I'd guess that I probably wouldn't like it with any condenser with high mid or high freq bump. The Flea 49, on the other hand, is a lot more subdued in the upper register, and has a lot of low mid bloom. IME, it's very tube mic-sounding tube mic. Through the BAE, it sounded good because what doesn't sound at least "good" through that pre, but plugged into AEA, you get just enough clarity in the top (for me, anyway, but I don't like bright sounding mics for what I record), more headroom (to my ears, anyway), and that mic's bass response is tailored to kind of high pass at the mic. It sounded exactly what I bought that mic to sound like. It was the first time I haven't wanted to EQ my vocals other than by changing my from the mic, but if I've learned anything on the search for a vocal mic it's that it's always a function of the voice, mic, and preamp, and you're just pulling the slots until something lights up for you. FWIW, IME AEA mics really really do open up through the TRP/RPQ. Enough that I think of AEA mics and the TRP/RPQ as pretty much inseparable. Mine stay permanently plugged into them, but again, just my taste. A Coles 4038, on the other hand, doesn't benefit from the TRP as much IMO. It still sounds good, but the Coles 4038 (mine are 300ohm) really love the BAE 1073's 300ohm...they sound the richest and most present to me. Is the difference subtle? Absolutely IMO. Is there a difference? Absolutely IMO. I have one of those Cloudlifter variable Z impedance units. It's very surprising how a change of impedance alters the response of a mic - more than I thought it would! I also had one for quite awhile and I couldn't agree more! I can't imagine buying any other cloudlifter, actually. |
|
kbb
Junior Member
Posts: 82
|
Post by kbb on Apr 1, 2024 22:26:23 GMT -6
I have an RPQ 500 it sounds very similar to the solid state path of my Millennia STT-1. No surprise, both are Fred Forrsell designed J-FET pre amps (the Millennia has more headroom as it runs on higher voltage rails) The RPQ sounds great with ribbons due to its very high impedance, great with dynamics too. I find it a little bit too clinical for LDC’s unless you’re going for something absolutely squeaky clean! Interesting you mention the Millennia...I had an STT-1 for awhile, and I was pretty flabbergasted at the sound of that preamp. My impression was that it had its own thing next to the RPQ...maybe a little more linear? But yes, certainly more like RPQ than it was different. My ham-fisted characterizations aside, the Millennia sounded amazing, and I haven't really cared much for intended-clean sorts of designs over the years. So so nice. The STT-1 was more than I needed, but it was hard to part with; I can't believe they aren't fawned over more...between the different preamp topologies (that really do sound different IMO) and the flexibile input scheme that allows leaving a direct, mic, and line input connected simultaneously, it's a single-channel at a time, home-tracking wonderbox. Couldn't agree more on the LDC's, except for the the tube 49 type mic I have...already really smooth/warm in the first place; the RPQ lets it shine without heaping on more color. |
|
|
|
Post by thehightenor on Apr 2, 2024 1:14:19 GMT -6
I have an RPQ 500 it sounds very similar to the solid state path of my Millennia STT-1. No surprise, both are Fred Forrsell designed J-FET pre amps (the Millennia has more headroom as it runs on higher voltage rails) The RPQ sounds great with ribbons due to its very high impedance, great with dynamics too. I find it a little bit too clinical for LDC’s unless you’re going for something absolutely squeaky clean! Interesting you mention the Millennia...I had an STT-1 for awhile, and I was pretty flabbergasted at the sound of that preamp. My impression was that it had its own thing next to the RPQ...maybe a little more linear? But yes, certainly more like RPQ than it was different. My ham-fisted characterizations aside, the Millennia sounded amazing, and I haven't really cared much for intended-clean sorts of designs over the years. So so nice. The STT-1 was more than I needed, but it was hard to part with; I can't believe they aren't fawned over more...between the different preamp topologies (that really do sound different IMO) and the flexibile input scheme that allows leaving a direct, mic, and line input connected simultaneously, it's a single-channel at a time, home-tracking wonderbox. Couldn't agree more on the LDC's, except for the the tube 49 type mic I have...already really smooth/warm in the first place; the RPQ lets it shine without heaping on more color. I bought my Millennia many years ago second hand from a dealer I trusted - it was a seriously bargain price at the time - $1500! So I’ve kept it around for classical guitar, percussion and some female vocals (using the tube path) But it’s main use for me is as a bass DI and pre-amp - I have never had a better bass sound out of anything else I’ve ever owned or used. As for your tube 49 …. I’m envious. I’d love to own a great 49 (I’ve not had the budget for one, maybe one day  Coincidentally, I also have a BAE 1073 (the 500 series with the EQ 1073D) Seems we have very similar taste in pre-amps  |
|
|
|
Post by paulcheeba on Apr 2, 2024 8:20:36 GMT -6
They sound amazingly open and clear like my Forssell. Just perfect.
|
|
|
|
Post by teejay on Apr 2, 2024 8:25:07 GMT -6
Recently picked up an RPQ 500. My only other preamp at this point is the Coil CA-70S. I wanted to see what the RPQ could do for my vintage RCA 44A. I'm still experimenting, but finding some great sounds both standalone as well as putting it in front of the Coil. I'm also finding it to offer some good options for both my REDD and 017 tube mics. Also provides additional options for tracking with my V-Comp and Opto if I want to use less tube in the chain.
|
|
|
|
Post by thehightenor on Apr 2, 2024 15:50:05 GMT -6
Recently picked up an RPQ 500. My only other preamp at this point is the Coil CA-70S. I wanted to see what the RPQ could do for my vintage RCA 44A. I'm still experimenting, but finding some great sounds both standalone as well as putting it in front of the Coil. I'm also finding it to offer some good options for both my REDD and 017 tube mics. Also provides additional options for tracking with my V-Comp and Opto if I want to use less tube in the chain. Yeah the RPQ is kinda straight wire and gain. I must try using it with my tube gear - I haven't tried that yet. |
|
kbb
Junior Member
Posts: 82
|
Post by kbb on Apr 3, 2024 2:27:58 GMT -6
Interesting you mention the Millennia...I had an STT-1 for awhile, and I was pretty flabbergasted at the sound of that preamp. My impression was that it had its own thing next to the RPQ...maybe a little more linear? But yes, certainly more like RPQ than it was different. My ham-fisted characterizations aside, the Millennia sounded amazing, and I haven't really cared much for intended-clean sorts of designs over the years. So so nice. The STT-1 was more than I needed, but it was hard to part with; I can't believe they aren't fawned over more...between the different preamp topologies (that really do sound different IMO) and the flexibile input scheme that allows leaving a direct, mic, and line input connected simultaneously, it's a single-channel at a time, home-tracking wonderbox. Couldn't agree more on the LDC's, except for the the tube 49 type mic I have...already really smooth/warm in the first place; the RPQ lets it shine without heaping on more color. I bought my Millennia many years ago second hand from a dealer I trusted - it was a seriously bargain price at the time - $1500! So I’ve kept it around for classical guitar, percussion and some female vocals (using the tube path) But it’s main use for me is as a bass DI and pre-amp - I have never had a better bass sound out of anything else I’ve ever owned or used. As for your tube 49 …. I’m envious. I’d love to own a great 49 (I’ve not had the budget for one, maybe one day Coincidentally, I also have a BAE 1073 (the 500 series with the EQ 1073D) Seems we have very similar taste in pre-amps
RE: taste in preamps, ha, yes! I've always like Neve/vintage types, but lately that BAE has assumed direct bass duties like your Millennia...I'm not sure I see that changing since I really like mics/pre combos I've settled on. What, NO NEVE? Abandon ship! lol RE: the 49 type, it's by no means a real one...it's a nice clone that I found at a good price. It's been a departure too; while I used to go straight to the 47 types for vocals (and other things), years later, that LITTLE bit of zip in the highs in the clones I tried kind of drove me crazy. I really wanted one vocal mic in my life that I liked pretty close to 100%, and it turns out the 49 "sound" (or at the least the version of it I can afford) is more my jam. Even moreso through the RPQ which has been an unexpected bonus! :-) |
|
