GalenH
Well-known member
Hi,
I'm wondering what information is available for a preamp design that I would use as all rounders for folk music. Vocals, acoustic instruments.
I really love the sound of the recordings I made with ART MPA II preamps, with the tubes swapped for rca blackplates. I know they are cheap but they are not starved plate which makes a difference, and the recordings sound great with the tubes upgraded.
Ideally I would like to achieve fairly low noise, good matching, stepped gain for stereo use, 65+ db of gain. I would need phantom power, polarity switch.
As I am a beginner, I'm curious if this is even possible, or if there is a recommended kit.
I like the sound of high impedance, 10k+ ohm preamps like the AEA trp on the mics that I have. I think the TRP is a bit too transparent maybe on these transformerless mics?
I have 8 ll1517 output transformers that I could use to make preamps, if those were useful.
Portable is necessary, I like the 500 series format.
I wonder if I could modify a kit with better transformers to sound better, I don't know. Really a beginner here and I suspect I may be biting off more than I can chew.
Maybe I could gut a cheap mixer and replace the guts with good transformers, etc? Really have no idea.
Alternatively, I'm thinking of getting 4 channels of RND 511, or on the soupy total opposite side of the spectrum, go back to mpa iis. I know these are wildly different preamps.
I like the way the MPA II preamps (with tubes upgraded) sounded round on vocals, taking out harshness, and adding a richness that was very musical to me.
I am trying to give you an understanding of the sound character I am looking for
Weighty, round, full, but open, realistic, not muffled or obviously distorted. Many preamps sound on the harsh side to me. RME onboard preamps are a good example of the harshness that I run away from.
I want something to sound real, but friendly. Does this make sense?
Let me know if you have any suggestions.
I'm wondering what information is available for a preamp design that I would use as all rounders for folk music. Vocals, acoustic instruments.
I really love the sound of the recordings I made with ART MPA II preamps, with the tubes swapped for rca blackplates. I know they are cheap but they are not starved plate which makes a difference, and the recordings sound great with the tubes upgraded.
Ideally I would like to achieve fairly low noise, good matching, stepped gain for stereo use, 65+ db of gain. I would need phantom power, polarity switch.
As I am a beginner, I'm curious if this is even possible, or if there is a recommended kit.
I like the sound of high impedance, 10k+ ohm preamps like the AEA trp on the mics that I have. I think the TRP is a bit too transparent maybe on these transformerless mics?
I have 8 ll1517 output transformers that I could use to make preamps, if those were useful.
Portable is necessary, I like the 500 series format.
I wonder if I could modify a kit with better transformers to sound better, I don't know. Really a beginner here and I suspect I may be biting off more than I can chew.
Maybe I could gut a cheap mixer and replace the guts with good transformers, etc? Really have no idea.
Alternatively, I'm thinking of getting 4 channels of RND 511, or on the soupy total opposite side of the spectrum, go back to mpa iis. I know these are wildly different preamps.
I like the way the MPA II preamps (with tubes upgraded) sounded round on vocals, taking out harshness, and adding a richness that was very musical to me.
I am trying to give you an understanding of the sound character I am looking for
Weighty, round, full, but open, realistic, not muffled or obviously distorted. Many preamps sound on the harsh side to me. RME onboard preamps are a good example of the harshness that I run away from.
I want something to sound real, but friendly. Does this make sense?
Let me know if you have any suggestions.