Preamps for <$1,000?

[Tabnetic]

What types of pre-amps do people typically use on this board and what can you recommend for the ballpark of $1,000?

 

 

I'm looking for a mono pre as I only track one channel at a time, and am looking for something that "sounds like something," not something completely transparent like an Avalon. I'd like a good all-around pre that is particularly good at acoustic guitars, vocals, etc. and decent at other stuff.

 

So far I've been looking at Universal Audio and Great River mono models. I hear...well..."great" things about the Great River. I'll be using it to go into a MOTU 828MKII...

 

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks...

 

T

[sondod]

Black Lion Audio is supposed to have a really nice mod for that 828. May be worth looking into on your budget.

 

http://www.blacklionaudio.com/black_lion.htm

[Tabnetic]

interesting idea....have you heard any of these mods in action?

 

thanks

[Holger Lagerfeldt]

I wouldn't call Avalon transparent..

 

Great River has a very nice Nevish sound, can be quite fat actually, I love mine. Even though it seems quite simple you can really manipulate the sound using a combination of input gain/output, and switching between the various impedance and loading characteristics.

 

Sounds great with sE Titan or SounDelux U195, but less so with some Neumanns like TLM-103. No low cut on the GR, so it's nice to have one on the mic.

 

Another option is the Rupert Neve Portico, smooth and clear, but not boring and sterile like API (in my opinion of course).

[Tabnetic]

i 've been hearing lots of good things about great river, i think i need to A/B with something more expensive like a chandler, etc.

 

the portico is nice, but way out of my price range.

 

thanks

T

[estorian]

I'm using TL Audio pre-amps, they are not expensive and qualita is good, i'm happy with

[Tabnetic]

TL audio...which one do you use? i'm not familiar with their stuff....do you use the PA-1?

 

 

thanks

T

[estorian]

Hi,

 

I'm using Ivory quad 5001 (2x for drums) and 5050, they are made in england, go to their site:

 

http://www.tlaudio.co.uk/tlaudio/docs/home/home_1.shtml

 

 

Regards,

 

Estorian

[Pindy]

One of the best things you can buy these days is an API-compatible lunchbox (they go for around $499) and add pres (and EQs and compressors) to it little by little. Most pres for the 500-series lunchbox format go for between $550 and $750 per channel. Once you buy the lunchbox itself, you've just purchased enough power supply for 6 units, so it's very cost effective.

 

All 500-series modules

 

I highly recommend the Brent Averill gear (lunchbox and 312A pre), the Shadow Hills MONO GAMA pre. The A-Designs gear probably impresses me more than any other—beautiful stuff—I'll be adding a couple of those when cash permits. Of course, any API stuff is pretty much classic gear.