can anyone recomend a good tube mic pre for about $500?

Buy two Electro Harmonix tube pre's (12ax7 I think it's called) and you might have some change left for some Mc Donald's. mmm......

What about The Brick?

Not trying to be a dick, but, why do you need a budget tube mic pre?
First, there are a lot of good sounding solid state. Second, crappy tube equipment won't give you "that tube sound".

With all that said, the Groove Tubes Brick does seem like an interesting pre..

eliya wrote:First, there are a lot of good sounding solid state. Second, crappy tube equipment won't give you "that tube sound".

Currently, I'm rolling with an Aphex 107 and the pres in my Mackie 1402-VLZ. There is not a dramatic difference between the Mackie and Aphex pres, but the Aphex seems a little quieter and smoother. Either way, I wish I had more gain, and more character. For me, this reinforces the point Eilya brought up. In this price range, I'd probably look at the RNP or something.

eliya wrote:First, there are a lot of good sounding solid state. Second, crappy tube equipment won't give you "that tube sound".

What he said.

Lazybones wrote:...difference between the Mackie and Aphex pres, but the Aphex seems a little quieter and smoother.

Shit. I just did an A/B with my Martin, and I had that all backwards. The Aphex is sort of "spikier", has slightly scooped mids, and looser bass, when compared to the Mackie pres. I actually prefer the Mackie pres. More fodder for Eliya's argument!

I've read great things about these, (it is a kit) if you know your way arround a sodering iron. The instructions are suposidly good and they help you if you have problems putting it togeather.

http://www.hamptone.com/

I have been saveing to get one for a while.

Rodabod wrote:

eliya wrote:First, there are a lot of good sounding solid state. Second, crappy tube equipment won't give you "that tube sound".

What he said.

At $500, though, he could get something that doesn't suck. The Brick is supposed to be quite good, as are those E-H 12AY7 things, as are the Hamptone kits (which wouldn't break his budget thaaaat much and have two channels), so it's not like he'd be getting some Behringer POS with a glass tube and an LED.

I have the EH preamp. Don't buy it unless you have balanced inputs after it. I have a soundcard which annoyingly has unbalanced inputs, so I need to use an isolating transformer after it.