Adding a little flair with Mic Pres

Hi All,

So I've been adding a lot of analog gear to my studio lately via my new found hobby of DIY.

I make mainly internally sequenced music and I was wondering if it is at all valuable to run different stems say "Hats" or 'Synths" out into various mic pres and then right back in? I know I love my new GSSLs and EQs and such but I was wondering if this process will prove to be useful.

I know this is up to the person doing it but I wanted to just get some opinions of the Re-micpre-ing process with existing content and if anyone does it. Cheers!!

JB

if it sounds good it is good!

it can be a great way to beef up sounds. i've done it, i know plenty of others who have done it... but only you can find out if it's the right thing for you and your music.

you'll get generally get more noticeable sound changes with circuits that involve transformers and discrete or tube amplification stages, and lower amounts of negative feedback. but pretty much anything you run your signal though will change it in some way, so you have to experiment.

most designs here have a input pad of around -20db or there abouts - this can be handy if you want to avoid high levels of distortion, although sometimes that's what you want...

also look for designs with a output attenuator, or make a stand alone output attenuator - that way you can get the sound you want and also the level you need to return it back to your computer.

off the top of my head, i've had success with the following preamp types (diy and commercial): hamptone (both tube & jfet), classicapi's 500 series preamps, gyraf G9, neve 1290 (and variants), emi tg, helios etc.

reamp

shabtek said:

reamp

Click to expand...

But then it's going through a reamp and a mic pre. Maybe even a speaker and a mic too.

Just a preamp? Sounds sort of unconventional but who ever said there any rules?

Cheers,
J

Could sound good but as said, if there's Transformers and/or a nice coloured discrete circuit
it will be more useful then "flat and neutral" type pre's

I use my D-AOC for colour amongst other things, also an old "Energy VKP1" organ preamp
from the early 90's - can dirty up a drum loop or synth in a nice way - that's valve based too.

Good fun !
M

Try it. There may a subtile change in sonics based on the pre used. There may be a huge change to sonics on the pre used. Best to try and see if it works for u.

Synths from ITB always sound great when running through my 1084's! The transformers in there definitely make it feel thicker and bigger than it does ITB. You could also run your stems through transformers. I have 4 Neve T1453's for such a purpose.

I always find synths and things sound better through (tube) amp, speaker, mic & pre.

Ampegs are good!