hello

i plan to buy a Coles 4038 someday and i was wondering which mic pre would suit it best ?

my budget is 800$ / 500 euros

i plan to buy an Universal Audio Solo 610 cause i'm interested in that "tube character" and also to fatten things up a bit.

i don't know if it's the right choice for a ribbon mic. it has 61db of gain, but does it mean 61db with the tube cranked ?

would the Coles benefit more from a solid state preamp ?

i don't want something super clean sounding, i want something that has character, yet that can be used on pretty much everything... overhead, amp miking, vocals, acoustic guitar...

here are my other mics :
- 2 X oktava MK-012
- AKG D112
- Beyer M201

any advice ?
thanks

4 channel Sytek MPX-4Aii for 889$?

thanks

i don't need 4 channel, one is ok, two would be great, but i prefer to have one solid pre that two average ones.

i don't know this unit, is Sytek a good brand ?

bigramp wrote:thanks

i don't need 4 channel, one is ok, two would be great, but i prefer to have one solid pre that two average ones.

i don't know this unit, is Sytek a good brand ?

the answer is probable: yes

I wouldn't match something like a Solo 610 up with a Coles. Maybe that's just me. I have a regular M-610 and it doesn't always play nice with my Coles. Too much girth, too easy to distort in unpleasant ways, too close a sonic character to the mic itself. Like loading up low EQ on something that already accentuates low end.

Find a good SS amp would be my choice. Maybe the Solo 110 if you're fixated on the new UA gear. Real Universal Audio 1108 modules sound great with the Coles, but those are out of your price range. Can you find a used Hardy M1? Or, really, the Sytek mentioned even though it's a 4 channel. Those do sound good and are easy to move as a used unit for very little investment loss. The other things I'd suggest are about $1000 a channel unfortunately...

i'm not at all fixated on the UA stuff. in fact i'm a bit skeptical about the 610 cause it's so.... popular ? dunno how to put it.

i've read tube preamps tends to soften transients, and that's what i'm looking for. but i'm also concerned about the tubes overdring the signal too much. i want to fatten things up, but i don't want something too muddy... so maybe it's not a good choice for a 4038

the legend says : tube = warm and characterful, solid state = neutral and fast transients

is that really true ?

subsidiary question : what's so special about the neve sound ? never heard one...

bigramp wrote:
the legend says : tube = warm and characterful, solid state = neutral and fast transients

yeah...not strictly true. I mean, you got your Fearn VT series amps (all tube, not even hybred tube like the UA M610) and those are clear, distinct, and have limited character. You'll hear similar arguments about well cared for Telefunken V72's. In solid state world you got stuff like the API 312/512 amps which can handle some transients, but are filled with character. And the "sainted" class A and AB Neve stuff which is supposedly loaded with warmth and character. Not that I've ever had a chance to sit behind an 80 series desk, but that's what guys I know who've flown one tell me.

I dunno. Maybe I just like my tube amps to be driving a guitar cab, rather than a tape machine input. I have more old SS mic amps than tube or modern designs, and most of them are more character type pieces...

are there any affordable neve clones or neve inspired pres ?

bigramp wrote:are there any affordable neve clones or neve inspired pres ?

the men that used to work for Neve that frequent audio messageboards generally have issues with the way the "clones" are built. I guess some folks miss some important details, particularly when tyring to take things like the 1272 line amp design and make it a microphone preamp. I'm not smart enough to know details but I gather much of the voodoo is in interstage coupling and impedence matching.

For good products overall and a well regarded Neve inspired design, you should check out these guys:

http://www.seventhcircleaudio.com/

They sell DIY kits, but I think may also build for you. If the N72 (their "Neve-like" design) is as close to the real thing as their API inspired design, you'll be happy. I have real 1972 vintage API 312's and also some SCA A12's and they compare very favorably. Again, not cheap to buy, but the modular expandable system is handy, friendly, and has some resale value. This is NOT a fly-by-night company. They're helpful people and make products worthy of support.

Vintech also makes several "Neve-like" amps that are loosely based on the 1073 module. I've used one once and it was nice, but not mind blowing for the money. Since it's based on the 1073, there is an EQ along for the ride. These other things I've been yakking about are just mic amps. Again, I think the Vintech gear is just over your limit. You kinda gotta figure about a grand a channel for some of this stuff...

that DIY thing is great !

pre-assembled, that's 819 $ for a neve preamp... you have to assemble the chassis and put everything in it, but that's a great deal, especially when you can add an API for 538 $ ...

too bad UPS takes 180$ to ship to france...........