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Post by frans on Jul 27, 2024 9:28:40 GMT -6
Duh, i take this as a reminder to fill my half-empty 4ch M1 with two more preamps ...
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Post by ironinthepath on Jul 27, 2024 14:28:58 GMT -6
The Gordon is pricey, totally agree, but I had a special motivation to save up for it that’s not typical of most people. I had been studying electronics for several years and in 2011 I met Grant Carpenter (he basically is Gordon) at the NY AES convention: he spoke to me for nearly an hour about the design philosophy of that pre and other electronics techniques. After that, I knew I wanted to buy one, in part to hear it and also to support him. The one thing I can say is that from a design perspective it is completely unique as far as I can tell. I waited over ten years to finally pull the trigger: was worth it for me but the trade-offs likely different for others.
Two pres that are also really nice (especially for ribbons) but a bit more budget friendly are the Buzz Audio Elixir and RND 511, these both present relatively high input impedance to the mic and essentially replace need for cloud lifter, etc. (and avoid that bit of degradation that I’m convinced is included with those tools, at least the two I’ve tried). The fancier rack versions of these pres I’m sure are also steller.
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Post by Mister Chase on Jul 27, 2024 15:11:34 GMT -6
The development of the 990 amp with it's 600 ohm ideal matching input impedance allowed this matchup to happen, which conveniently solves the problem of loud sources and hot mics too, since there's not much transformer gain. The rack versions with 27dBm rating are basically line amps if you want to use them that way, nice low minimum gain setting available. Ribbon mics? I dunno, much to be said for a high ratio step-up transformer in that case, since it's 'free' gain, which often out-competes a low ratio transformer or transformerless type pre for noise, even if the high ratio is some old crusty tube thing with 'terrible' noise specs on paper. Classic Neve isn't really made for ribbons either. I don't think anyone has mentioned the Hairball Gold 500, another Hardy/990 type. I had a HB Gold for a bit. I replaced it when I got my Hardy M-2 - but they aren't really the same sounding. The HB Gold is not quite as large sounding. It has a sweetness to it where the Hardy is more authoritative, IMO. |
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Post by Mister Chase on Jul 27, 2024 15:12:51 GMT -6
Duh, i take this as a reminder to fill my half-empty 4ch M1 with two more preamps ... Same with my M-2 here. I can't let it stay that way. *shudder* |
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Post by EmRR on Jul 28, 2024 6:18:30 GMT -6
I don't think anyone has mentioned the Hairball Gold 500, another Hardy/990 type. I had a HB Gold for a bit. I replaced it when I got my Hardy M-2 - but they aren't really the same sounding. The HB Gold is not quite as large sounding. It has a sweetness to it where the Hardy is more authoritative, IMO. Interesting. It does have an additional output stage since there’s an output fader, and a capacitor in that path. Jensens in it. Comes with the Hairball 990, the one I’ve used has a Hardy 990C in it. |
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Post by Mister Chase on Jul 28, 2024 8:45:47 GMT -6
I had a HB Gold for a bit. I replaced it when I got my Hardy M-2 - but they aren't really the same sounding. The HB Gold is not quite as large sounding. It has a sweetness to it where the Hardy is more authoritative, IMO. Interesting. It does have an additional output stage since there’s an output fader, and a capacitor in that path. Jensens in it. Comes with the Hairball 990, the one I’ve used has a Hardy 990C in it. Yea, mine had the HB op amp. I would like to build two again(dead simple to build) as they offer a similar but different flavor to the Hardy that I could see being nice. Interestingly, when I split mic tested my IAA QPP against the Hardy, there were a lot of similarities there. That's a killer set of preamps and really at a great price. |
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Post by doubledog on Jul 28, 2024 10:01:39 GMT -6
I was thinking the Hairball Lola (with 990's) was sort of in that same camp? Maybe similar to Gold, but differential circuit, and obviously different transformers (not Jensen).
for ribbons I've been using a Focusrite ISA Two. It's got 80dB gain, transformers, and sounds good to me whenever I use it for ribbons. have not really tried it much for anything else though but that's ok as I've got a bunch of other stuff I use.
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Post by ironinthepath on Jul 29, 2024 11:13:02 GMT -6
Agreed, ISA two with the selectable input impedance settings seems like a good ribbon choice too. (I have an old ISA428, I should try it and compare)
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