Newbie wants to build a mic pre

[therecordingart]

I'm not electronically dumb, but I'm also not seasoned by any means. I'm looking for a quality DIY mic pre for someone wanting to start getting their feet wet in building quality products. Is there a nice sounding mic pre that would be a decent starter? Also, is there a special type of soldering iron I should invest in? I have a Bluepoint butane soldering iron that I used when I was a mobile audio installer.

Thanks in advance!

 

[PRR]

> I have a Bluepoint butane soldering iron

I have a 20-pound short-handle hammer I use to take ball-joints out of cars. But that's all wrong for working on carbs.

Get a proper small-parts soldering iron, one that uses wall-electric (which you normally have in the shop) instead of making fumes. I like the crude old 27W-45W "pencil irons", but more refined folks like the irons in this thread.

 

[Kev]

Welcome

I've said it many times and I'll say it again .... :wink:

I like the basic Weller Iron.
I like the Green-pre.

There are many underlying reasons to these suggestions that I am happy to expand on ... if people think it is worth while.

 

[NewYorkDave]

Don't assume that the guy knows what you mean by a "green pre." Notice that it's his first post here.

Frankly, I barely know what a green pre is. I know a bunch of you guys were building them, but I never bothered to look into it.

 

[Kev]

I don't advertise any of my pages.
I try not to post links to any of my pages within the forum unless asked too.

google search of ... green pre
still gets a result on the fist page even though it is now 8th down.

people may not know what an LA2 is BUT
a simple google search for ... diy la2
will get a result


There is a reason so many people came to this forum as fast as they did earlier this year.
There were many years of work of a quiet community in a handful of active forums that brought this group of people together.
Lots of word of mouth and some that chose to make an effort to do some NET searches.

It is always worth while to spend some time on the NET in search of new stuff.
The LAB is not the centre of the universe.

If you don't know what an ssl9k is or a G9 or a Calrec EQ ... or even a PRR/Kent VariMu ... then do a search right here.

OR go to Mark B's newbie Meta Thread.

After all that there no problem with starting a thread by asking for peoples opinions or current thinking on all things. We get the same questions again and again AND I try to give the same answer with the same enthusiasm each time. The trick is not to dis-courage the newcomer from asking more.

Now you might be able to see the method and thought in the typical Kev answer.
:green:
Even if the newbei doesn't do the google or LAB search it is likely that the next question is going to be ....

... what you mean by a "green pre." ....

:green:
correct

devious aren't I ... :wink:

 

[SSLtech]

Kev, you unassistive, obstructive, cantankerous, devisive idiot.

-I love ya, buddy!

Beers are on me when I finally meet ya! :guinness:

:green:

keef

 

[Mbira]

yea, Green pre!

Joel

A great thing to start with-and I'm still starting with it! :guinness:

 

[kato]

Kev is right. You will learn buttloads more from doing a search here than you will from this thread.

Good starter pres:

- the aformentioned "Green" Pre
- the Hamptone JFET Pre
- the API 312 clone

All three of these projects make terrific sounding pres and have a great support base right here at the lab. I think you'll find dozens of people are currently building all three.

Have fun! Kato

 

[Kev]

[quote author="SSLtech"]... you unassistive, obstructive, cantankerous, devisive idiot. ...[/quote]
:green: :green: :green:

... and grumpy too


seriously though ... the API312/project 2 sort of thing is very cool but I just worry that if the newbie had bought the two trafos and a gain block at top dollar it could be a very bad experience if it all went wrong. I don't think it should but you never know.

the most important things is to ... ask lots'a questions first !