Comments on: Preamps Don’t Matter?

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:19:16 +0000

I absolutely think the quality of preamp matters. I have used low end preamps from onboard Tascam mixer pre’s, to Focusrite twin track, up to API3124 and Vintech x73i. The Vintech and API’s BLOW AWAY the Tascam and Focusrite stuff I used in the past. The clarity, detail, and “smoothness” are astounding, and it really brings out the character of each microphone going through them. To me, the lower end pre’s sound low end, they lack fidelity. Don’t get me wrong, I have done good mixes with low end pres…but the mixes with the higher end pres need less EQ and processing and seem to fall in place better. I simply can not agree that the pre doesn’t matter…..

Take a poll of your favorite high end pre at recordordie.com !

By: challman

challman — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:26:23 +0000

I am new to high end recording, so don’t profess to be an expert, but my take is this. Nearly all amplifiers (pre amps are just amps) are hundreds of times more acurate than any speaker or Mic. Mechanical things just have their own resonances, period. So, If I am going for great sound here are my priorities.

1. Something great to record
2. Room acoustics
3 Mic Positioning (2 and 3 are directly tied together
4 Acceptable quality mics (Mic selection being most important)
5 Being able to track enough tracks, and providing the musicians with a monitor mix which makes them perform up to their best standards
6 Good mixing area and quality monitors (this saves time more than anything
7 various environments to review your mix in (car, home stereo, computer etc
8 amplification (pre post you name it)

everything can make a difference, but if you are in a studio doing an a/b test on $4,000 studio monitors to hear a difference in slight pre amps, you can bet your but that the guy driving down the street in his car won’t be able to tell the difference.

These are things I believe, not because of any experience I have but logic and knowlege of electronics and physics lead me to these conclusions.

So
Call me tin ear but I will not spend a whole punch of money on pre amps. If I need more gain, I will stack cheep ones.

By: Mr. Dub-C

Mr. Dub-C — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:08:04 +0000

After listening to all the songs, I think that… “A Good Mix Is More Important Than Having Expensive Preamps.” To me all of their songs share a common thread.
1. They don’t sound like they were recorded on Fancy Preamps
2. Every Instrument, Vocal, and Element had it’s own place in the mix. Whether it was panned hard left or right; you heard it, clearly.
3. It had a very warm analog-like quality; maybe they recorded through a mixingboard before going to tape.
4. They had very good, disciplined recording techniques. All of their songs had a good balance of the lead vocal in the middle, guitars placed left or right, and drums placed with the snare in the center with just a hint of the rooms natural reverb to add color to the other instruments.

By: Three Cee

Three Cee — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:30:30 +0000

I have wrestled with this for a while. I have always been in the gear doesn’t matter category. I have changed a little but the final judgement will be based on your objective. With MP3 being the new mass standard and people trying to get as much music on the iPod as possible, it doesn’t make sense to use high end gear and huge sample rates to make music. If the objective is to make recordings that sound as good as the recordings you love as an artist you need the gear. I recently brough two high end mic pres and now my vocals fit in the mix better. They also sound more like the vocals on the recordings I love. I still like the vocals I recorder on my Presonus digimax but they don’t sound like comercial recording. I didn’t buy the preamps until I upgraded my daw and studio so I could take advantage of the differences when I mix. One mail vocalist still sounded better on an SM57 so you have to go with your ears. Music is still about a personal connection and It leaves room for everyones opinion. I love this site because the passion for music is what really matters.

By: Justin Patton

Justin Patton — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:49:07 +0000

I use a PreSonus Firestudio and Apogee Duet, and have a pair of loaned API 412b mic pres. Once I get my ears dialed in, I can hear the differences. The APIs do sound better – but not “hit you over the head” better. The basics (mic placement, great instrument, great player, great room) are always the most important elements. Beyond that, my most dramatic audio trickery happens via “mastering” plugins. If a project isn’t going to get professionally mastered, I can do a little hack work. Those changes are always more noticeable than choice of mic pre.

By: Expensive Studio Gear, What Is It Good For? | MOONPORT.SE | A blog about home recording, songwriting and music culture

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:17:03 +0000

[...] reading this article I started to think about my studio gear. I got a 200€ sound card, a pair of monitors worth [...]

By: Bill1

Bill1 — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:10:00 +0000

To Acoustic. you can get the demos of waves free for i think a couple weeks. Go for the BIG ones .API< SSL 4000< V- series,and those new ones . other small plugins you can check out too.
I think you can demo few at a time.

By: deepthoughts

deepthoughts — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:42:09 +0000

good question..ask brandondrury our surpreme comander overlord.

By: acoustic

acoustic — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:31:31 +0000

question can you get into trouble by giving plugins away say to your bro or a pal——acoustic

By: deepthoughts

deepthoughts — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:12:29 +0000

Man! must be nice to be able to afford Wave plugins!!!..some of us aspiring musicians/engineers/producers have to struggle twice as much and find all kinds of innovative solutions to even come close..i wonder if i have a rich relative out there lol!!! i wish in my deepthoughts only lol!!