Hey guys,

Right now I'm using my onboard preamps in my Tascam FW1884 and the Groove Tubes Brick. Here are the mics I'm using on drums:

D112
SM57's
Audix D2's
Rode NT5's
Beta52a
Sennheiser E609

I have a small room, but have adequate low end absorption and pretty much had to make the room dead because of flutters and low end build up. Make do with what you've got right?

Anyway, slowly I'm gaining more clients and want to improve in the preamp area. I love the Brick, but hate my Tascam pres. Here are some units that I'm looking at:

Focusrite ISA428
API 3124
Sebatron VMP4000

...and that's about it. Are there any you'd advise on? I record a lot of indie rock/metal bands so I want something with character and a decent price (within a few grand for 4 or more channels). The Sytek would've been listed, but I've read that it is only decent on OH's.

hey therecordingart,

i own an isa 428, and it is hands down the best pre in my otherwise modest collection. It is more colored than the sytek, but not as much as an api or the like. The online reviews always refer to the 428 as "clean, but musical". I always thought "What is that supposed to mean?" until I tried it myself. Its just not sterile, that's all it means.

To the point, I have tried brent averill api's on my kit and did not like them as much as the 428's. Fine on dynamics, but I thought they did not sound right at all on overheads. Not enough high end from the cymbals.

The guys at http://www.recording.org really love the Sebatron unit. Their pro audio moderator over there is like a bloody walking advertisement for the company. I've never used one, but I've heard it can range from clean to colored, and does it quite well. If I didn't need the a/d conversion, I likely would have tried that unit instead.

Hope this helps some!

Ha, I was just over at RO...and see you're already a member there. So my post was probably redundant to what you get there!

therecordingart wrote:The Sytek would've been listed, but I've read that it is only decent on OH's.

I would try one before thinking this. I don't agree.

I think the Sytek kicks pretty royal ass on toms. I got it, loved it for room mics and sometimes liked it on overheads, but thought that it would be WAY too transient-happy for toms. Boy, was I wrong. That's the coolest thing about it. I will eventually get another unit so I can dedicate a few of the channels to tom mics during tracking sessions.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

I just used my sytek along with the 428 for a drum micing setup. The sytek did tom duty for me as well. I'll try and post the song when I'm done with it. (I'm not much of a drummer, but there's a tom hit here & there...)

edit: I'm not much of a recording engineer either...