Mic Preamps

[mightymike]

Are they that great? Are they "the way to go" when
micing a cab? Who here uses them and how?
Also which Mic Preamps are the ones to get? What should I look for in price, features, and construction?

Rank your top 5 Preamps if possible.
Or if you have a link with this kind of info please post it.
Maybe this can become a sticky on the subject.

The reson I'm asking is I'm wondering how much of a difference one would make, if I used it between my Shure 57 and my Spirit Folio Sx mixer - verses - My current setup, with the mic going directly to my mixer.

(My mixer might have a mic preamp built in. where it says "ultra mic"
I don't know. )

[flemingmras]

Well, first off, most mixers DO have onboard mic preamps.

Now here's the beauty of going with mic preamps...you don't need a mixer to get the recorded signal to tape! That's all a mixer is used for when used to record a signal. If you go with mic preamps, the only thing you'll need a mixer for is for the mixdown itself.

Jon

[mightymike]

Can the same be said if your going to the comp instead of tape?

[flemingmras]

By going to "tape", that's a general expression for whatever your recording device happens to be. Be it your computer, DAW, DAT machine, etc etc...when you're recording a mic signal to a recording device, I call that "printing to tape" or "going to tape".

So yeah that applies for whatever your recording device happens to be.

Jon

[mightymike]

They have a shit load of them at the various Musician Online
Stores. From $50 to thousands in price
Some even have a spidif out.
I have no idea which is good other than Neve.

Which ones do you like?

[flemingmras]

Any one that works. LOL

Audition some...it all comes down to what YOU like.

Jon

[Eoin]

The basis of a mixer channel strip is the preamp, you can't ampilify a microphone without one. If there's a gain control, then there's a preamp.

Most of the cheaper ones, including the ones built into the cheaper mixing desks, are going to be more or less the same thing. And they'll probably sound quite alike.

You get more distinct differences when you start getting into preamps with input and output transformers, valve gain stages etc. I know it's generalising, but none of the outboard preamps worth less than around $250 (per preamp) that I've tried have been significantly better than the preamps in a budget mixer. Obviously there's hundreds that I've never even seen, but as a general rule I'd avoid any outboard pres that aren't getting onto the more serious side.

I owned an SPL Goldmike for a while which sounded almost no different to the pres on my Behringer mixer. I presently own a DBX 386 which has a similar spec but is quite distinctly nicer sounding that my mixer preamps.

I've loved any Focusrite preamps I've used. But I'd still be a little dubious about the more budget stuff... maybe without cause.

[Billy Batz]

The basis of a mixer channel strip is the preamp, you can't ampilify a microphone without one. If there's a gain control, then there's a preamp.

Most of the cheaper ones, including the ones built into the cheaper mixing desks, are going to be more or less the same thing. And they'll probably sound quite alike.

You get more distinct differences when you start getting into preamps with input and output transformers, valve gain stages etc. I know it's generalising, but none of the outboard preamps worth less than around $250 (per preamp) that I've tried have been significantly better than the preamps in a budget mixer. Obviously there's hundreds that I've never even seen, but as a general rule I'd avoid any outboard pres that aren't getting onto the more serious side.

I owned an SPL Goldmike for a while which sounded almost no different to the pres on my Behringer mixer. I presently own a DBX 386 which has a similar spec but is quite distinctly nicer sounding that my mixer preamps.

I've loved any Focusrite preamps I've used. But I'd still be a little dubious about the more budget stuff... maybe without cause.

I agree. Those cheap tube preamps are worth les then even cheaper normal preamps. FWIW I think the preamps in the soundcraft mixers sound great and Im constantly amazed by all the uses and sounds you get with that Avalon half rack space preamp. Its marketed for DI bass and guitar but it sounds better on everything then most preamps even though it doesn have tons of knobs.

[Eoin]

Yeah, I'm severely tempted to get a U5 alright. I've never heard a bad word about them anyway.

[mightymike]

Since I have a SM57, I might be leaning towards getting one of the Preamps listed in the below paragraph from mojo pie. I will definately take a closer look at some of the pres you guys recommended as well.
My goal being to make my recorded tone, as dynamic as it is standing
in front of the amp. Lofty I know.

http://www.mojopie.com/sm5758.html

"Like most dynamic mics, the Shure SM57 and SM58 come to life through nice mic preamps. Some nice mic preamps that work well with these mics are the A Designs MP-1 and MP-2, the Great River ME-1NV and MP-2NV, the Grace 201 and 101, the FMR RNP and the Speck Mic Pre 5.0. While they'll work fine with a Mackie, Behringer or M-Audio level of preamp, the Shure SM57 and SM58 open up to a higher sonic level with better mic pres. "

With some of the newer mic pres, (There's so many) you can hook directly to the comp's spidif or line in. That would be very convienent, as long as it did fart up the tone.

Here's another helpful link..
Preamp buyers guide.

http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/studio/p ... -guide.php

Man I'd like to try this one

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MP2NV,

and the Avalons,Manleys, ect..