Recording direct thru a GOOD instr. pre

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 27 Dec 2006 8:23 pm

What has worked really well for you men and women out there?

Al

Tony Dingus · Post by **Tony Dingus** » 27 Dec 2006 9:02 pm

I've used a PV Tubefex, Evans pre, a Genesis 3 and at the time I'm using a Roland GP100. I know you asked for pre-amps but, these units have good pre's. The POD XT seems to be well liked also. Some have used bass pre's. Mesa Boogie Studio pre is one that Paul Franklin and Mike Johnson use. The ones I've used have worked great for me.

Tony

T. C. Furlong · Post by **T. C. Furlong** » 28 Dec 2006 7:41 am

I have heard a solo recording by Randy Beavers playing direct through a Revelation Tube Pre that sounds fantastic. Many direct recordings, to me, sound a little brittle and sterile. That's why a lot of guys haul an amp around to a recording session. I have played on lots of TV and Radio spots and usually by the time it gets mixed and then to a TV or Radio speaker, you can't really tell much difference, so I go direct on those types of sessions. Usually with a decent direct box. For a record session, I almost always take an amp. I think that the sound of the speaker and the "air" between the speaker and the microphone are part of the sound I like to go for.

I have listened to some recordings that have been made through the amp emulation type boxes like POD XT and others. I just don't think they sound as good as the real deal. I did a couple of sessions direct where the engineer used Guitar Rig by Native Instruments. That was pretty cool. He asked if I would stay and play with different amp/speaker combinations to achieve the right sound for the record. It was fun!
TC

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 28 Dec 2006 8:11 am

Tony -- thanks for the suggestions.

T.C. -- I'm in agreement with you in that what I ultimately like is the sound of a miked amplifier (with a ribbon). However, my home studio is just that -- a little 8 x 10 room, and to get the volume that brings out the sound/output for the mike, it's not the best conditions to try to listen back to what you've laid down when the amp is overpowering the headphones! So, in some situations (and even considering what my wife has to go through to hear me lay down amped tracks), going direct is an option I'd like to have, but with compelling results--not that I'm tonally competitive with anyone, but I need all the advantage I can get. I'd like a pre that has e.q. control in the very least.

Al

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 30 Dec 2006 8:17 am

Al,
Another shameless plug here for the company I work for....
The Millennia Media TD-1 preamp is an awesome product.
You can choose either tube or solid state pre, and even choose a transformer coupled input on either tube or SS.
Not only that, it has a two channel eq that lets you dial in anything you want. The eq is very powerful.
The instrument input has three different impedances, there is even a 'soak' input designed to capture the sound of your amp.
Not to mention phantom powered mic input, line input, balanced and unbalanced outputs, headphone output....
This thing is in a class by itself.
OK, plug over

Jay

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 30 Dec 2006 7:47 pm

Jay,

That sounds like a great pre--thanks for that shameless plug!

Actually, I stumbled upon an established builder by the name of Jim Frenzel. He's been making tube amps since the 50's, and instead of going for one of his pres, I went for his super deluxe plus. Here's a liink to his home page. The amp I'm getting is at the bottom of the page. Click on it for details.

http://www.frenzeltubeamps.com/

Al

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 30 Dec 2006 9:34 pm

While preamps like Jay's are great, you may want more of a steel voiced preamp for going direct. I have two direct rigs that I keep on hand--one is an Evans preamp that drives straight to tape just fine--no additional preamp needed (though it sounds even better running into a Neve on the way). The other I carry is a Roland GP100 that Bruce Bouton turned me onto (in fact, I bought one of his spares). Also works great and is stereo, too. Both of these are great and give you that voicing that works well. Running my steel into a great studio preamp like a Neve 1073 sounds good, but still not where I want it without some voicing/eq in front of it.

I still prefer to cut with an amp and speakers, but have had some really great sounds with both the above...

YMMV...

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 2 Jan 2007 10:04 am

Al, you might investigate a 'silent' speaker box or 'amp coffin' like this one from Demeter: Demeter silent speaker

I've used them before (with a ribbon mike of course) and they sound great, much better than any direct solution I've tried (and I've used them all).

Mark Butcher · Post by **Mark Butcher** » 2 Jan 2007 2:19 pm

I've been miking up my Roland Micro Cube. Sounds good, not loud you can hear your headphones, doesn't rile the neigbours. A bit of tweaking once its on the Mac. My favourite thing about the Mirco Tube is there is no hum at all, you would not know its on.

Mark

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 3 Jan 2007 8:02 am

You guy's always have the option of running BOTH the direct sound and the mic'd sound ....You don't have to choose either, when you have BOTH...Track 2 channels at a time, and mix and match from both setups .....The "Silent Box " is a great option, but if you don't want to spend the money, put your amp in a closet, put your favorite mic on it at the angle you want , and throw a blanket over it if you have neighbors that don't share the same idea of music that you do ... You want more of a live sound ??....Put your amp in your bathroom and close the door !!
You have many options right there in your home ... Put your amp in your car ( preferably when it's not raining or snowing ) !!!...Run a mic from there to your mixing board !!.... There are plenty of options ... Think outside the box !!... Sincerely, Jim

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 3 Jan 2007 10:21 pm

Dan -- Ah, a little late, but a great idea. I've already commited with the Frenzel amp. With his "head," you get the output tube overdrive, which you don't get with pres (if you're recording direct), or at least that's my limited understanding. This guy is a fanatic, and has been since the 50's, and the amp I'm getting evidently gets an incredible array of tones with many options.

James: I think recording both direct and miked is the ultimate way to go, as I like qualities from both (but prefer miking), and have done that many times. I just don't have space to cover it up or stash it away, and I like to have it at a good volume when recording direct just to get the richest tones. Though I know it won't be like miking an amp (ribbons capture amps incredibly), using Frenzel's FM 5E 3 sounds promising. The maker told me, when explaining about the output tube overdrive, that the FM 5E 3 has "a post output transformer Line Out jack with auto internal load if a speaker is not plugged in. The internal load will give you a loaded output signal that simulates the load of the speaker." The amp also has a level dial for the output jack. This guy seems really with it and honest, and he knows what I'm looking for, so I feel fairly confident that I'm going to be pretty happy with his amp.

Al

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 4 Jan 2007 12:01 am

I found that with all the high end studio mic preamps and DIs I've ever tried,the best recorded steel sound I ever got direct or miced was the XLR direct preamp out of a Fender Steel King going straight to the recording device.

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 4 Jan 2007 6:11 am

I really like the little AT Tube MP Studio - it really warms up the sound and the noise level (assuming a good preamp tube) is zero. Works great with dynamics, condenser and even my old RCA ribbon mics. I'm just getting started with my own setup, but have used it in other "closet studios" with great results. I'm running mine into an M-Audio Mobile Pre USB...the software I have now is Reason and Garageband...for now Garageband is the only thing I can work with, as I am not well-versed in digital recording and especially inserting drum tracks, so Reason is a little over my head.

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 8 Jan 2007 6:08 pm

FWIW
I sometimes record thru an Avalon 737 to a Yamaha 2816. When I want to keep the sound level low for the sake of the neighbors.

I like to record my practice sessions. Ouch.

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 8 Jan 2007 8:24 pm

I've gotten good results with the Revelation Pre and a Demeter Real Reverb in the loop.

The Millenia is also on the "want list".

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 9 Jan 2007 2:19 pm

When I have to go direct to the board, my Revelation Pre with the TC-M300 works very well. I still prefer to use my Amp as well, but the Rev Preamp is very very very good mate !