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Topic: Recording Pre-amp |
Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
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Posted 6 Apr 2004 1:40 pm |
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Lately, I've been seeing quite a few small tube pre-amps for sale by internet based music equipment stores. Most of them are advertised as "mic pre-amps" for recording.
I'm not familiar with recording, so I'm wondering what does the use of the tube pre-amp actually do? From what little I've read, it seems that they "warm up" the vocal sound. What exactly does that mean? Are there any descriptions that you could provide to explain it?
Also, could you, or would you want to, use such a pre-amp for instruments such as guitar or base, etc? If so, and you still wanted to use effects that are built into an amp, for example, where would you put the pre-amp? Would you put it before the amp, or after it? Also, could you use the same pre-amp for vocals, bass and guitar, or are they frequency specific? That is, do you have to have a special pre-amp for vocals and a different type for bass and yet another for guitar etc. Thanks for the input.  |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 6 Apr 2004 1:55 pm
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I use an Art Studio V3 as a general purpose home studio preamp. It's affordable (~$150) and has many vocings for different instruments.
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 9 Apr 2004 1:57 am
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Tom to get to your question rather than recomendations; which have both been good.
Transistors can sound sterile or even harsh, a tube had a very different way it amplifies the sound, almost inverse technique in many cases.
It also has a different way it goes into distortion, much smoother.
This many feel is more natural to the ear and more forgiving when you run a hot signal into it.
Especially when digitally recording the tube will add a small amount of "distortion", but this is a pleasing natural type of distortion.
I try to always record trhough my tube pramps if possible.
Also Brad's Black box for steel or any guitar, though it's optimized for steel, couples the tube stage to the pick up BEFORE your pedal and this makes for a much better interaction with the pickup.
This would run into the pedal and then ideally into a good tube preamp and your digital recording system.
Some high end tube preamps can run as high as $3,000+ but you will still improve your sound with one at $150+
Adendum : I was just pricing a Manley preamp... 8,900€ with he 192khz digital conversion package
That's around $7,002 and they do sell them. [This message was edited by David L. Donald on 10 April 2004 at 05:19 PM.] |
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Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
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Posted 9 Apr 2004 7:27 am
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| Thanks David, and thanks to Joey and Brad. |
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