A preamp for direct recording?

F

foo3001

New member
With my new soundcard on it´s way I´ve decided to get a new recording preamp too. I´ve fed up with my el-cheapo V-Amp 2, and am thinking of getting something more decent this time around.

I really don´t need the effects, so I´m looking for something else than a POD.. IMHO the pod´s effects are really nothing that special, I already have plug-ins that work better for reverb, delay or compression than the POD.. The ´Black Panel´ setting is decent, but I ´m looking for something a bit more, well, pro.

So what do you recommend / what have You been using for Your direct recording needs?
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

a microphone. :laugh2:

typically, guitar doesn't sound it's best when recorded direct. is there anything stopping you from mic'ing up an amp?
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

It depends entirely on your budget. The Mesa Recto pre is great, as is the Triaxis. The Marshall JMP1 is great, too. Those are all fairly expensive. The old Mesa Quad Preamp can be had for $450-$650 used, and offers four combinable channels of MKII and MKIII variations.

In lower budget preamps, look for the Hughes & Kettner Attax, or any Tubeman item, either old generation used or even the new footpedal Tubeman. The Peavey Rockmasters are supposed to be great, too.

If you want solid state, the Rocktron ProGap was great, and it's around $100-$150 used, or get the Sansamp PSA-1. Both do a good job of kicking modellers butts for Solid State tube amp simulation.

Telling him to use a microphone doesn't do any good, there's obviously a reason he's asking. With a high quality tube preamp, direct recording doesn't have to sound lousy. You just have to know what you're doing. I could probably record two tracks of the exact same sound patch, one direct and one miked, and fool all of you. That being said, I still mic my cabinets for my "real" recordings.
 
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Re: A preamp for direct recording?

muttonchopsrule said:
typically, guitar doesn't sound it's best when recorded direct. is there anything stopping you from mic'ing up an amp?
Click to expand...

Yeah.

As much I´d like to record my every demo with my ´64 bassman it´s not a good idea living in a flat.

What I´m looking for is a small, good quality pre-amp which has some kindof speaker emulation built in.

I´ve heard good stuff about the award-session jd10. Any experience?
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

I'll second the H&K Tubeman - fan bloody' tastic, i tell ya !


Oh i have sooo much GAS for a TUBEMAN !!!
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

If you don't like the sound of the POD direct, you pretty much won't like any direct sound.
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

sometimes I'll just use a pedal and a behringer ultra-G. works fine usually.
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

ratherdashing said:
If you don't like the sound of the POD direct, you pretty much won't like any direct sound.
Click to expand...

I don't think that's true. I can't stand Pods, and I get a great direct sound from my tube gear. There was a thread awhile ago where a guy posted "amp clips" of different amps, and then later confessed it was a Pod. Man, I knew immediately they were Pod sounds, but I didn't want to post it (first in case I was wrong and they were just lousy recordings, :laugh2: ) because I figured I'd sound like some know-it-all or arrogant tone snob who just has modeling biggotry.:) But the truth is, I thought they sounded lifeless and Pod-ish. Hitting a real tube preamp, and using the right kind of contouring and processing on the back end produces a better result IMO than a Pod.

Sorry for making it a "Pods vs. tubes" thread, we probably shouldn't turn it into that, because he's looking for honest suggestions. But I just disagree that if you don't like a Pod direct, you can't like another direct sound.
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

foo3001 said:
Yeah.

As much I´d like to record my every demo with my ´64 bassman it´s not a good idea living in a flat.

What I´m looking for is a small, good quality pre-amp which has some kindof speaker emulation built in.
Click to expand...



Get a Powerbreak or a Hot Plate....some kinda attenuation device...


And THEN build a speaker coffin. AKA; an iso cab.

Or you can buy one.

The Randall is pretty hip & isn't too expensive here in the States...you said flat...are you on the other side of the pond?!

It'll be under $1000, maybe even under $500usd if you can build the cab yourself and have a speaker...

I've pulled that off in hotel rooms at 2am...

Nary a complaint unless someone REALLY had a bug up their butt...

'Cause in most cases we were running 40-50 watt heads into a single Vintage 30...amp is somewhere between 7 & 10...and with the box closed you can EASILY talk over it without having to raise your voice.


The Palmer is pretty hip too.

Cheers!
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

If you get a Weber Mass it will attenuate enough to disconnect the speakers. You can then use and Ultra G or a ADA Microcab to runt he signal to headphoens or a board.
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

The mass has a direct input jack. I did not like it, but I should not have bought a mass for the sound I was after. I wish I had it now though since I have more money.
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

Try the Damage Control Demonizer or Womanizer. They are preamps and speaker sim and can also be used as stompboxes. I thought the Demonizer I tried sounded very good. MF has them as B-Stock items for a little over $200.

http://www.damagecontrolusa.com/
 
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Re: A preamp for direct recording?

+1 on the Damage Control Womanizer, or Demonizer as your needs dictate. I have a POD, but much prefer the warmth and dynamics of the Womanizer for direct recording. It is much more amp-like in feel and response, and delivers far better clean tones than any modeller I've heard. It also is an excellent tube OD and compressor in front of an amp. If you don't need reverb or other effects, then the Womanizer will provide clean to distorted tones with a great opto-compressor to boot. Of course, you can always run pedals in front of it for additional tone shaping, too. It's well worth the < $300 price that most places charge, and a B-stock item for < $200 makes it a no-brainer.
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

I have the Vox ToneLab table top version. It is a really asskicking amp modeler/cab simulator. The built-in effects are cool if set to more subtle settings, but they are not as satisfying as real stompboxes. However, the ToneLab works really well with pedals connected before and after it. The modeling capabilities and effects layered up sound cool through headphones, but there is such a big improvement when plugged into a tube amp. The dynamics of a real tube overdrive with real speaker breakup can not be replicated by any modeler, and if they can, Vox comes closest in my opinion. The tabletop ToneLab can be used with an optional foot controller, but the price of both together is about the same as the floor-based ToneLab.
 
Re: A preamp for direct recording?

V-Stack has several very good sounding pedals. All their clips are recorded directly into the board, so what you hear is what you get ! Expecting you have a decent guitar and decent recordingskills. :)

They have a VOX / Brian May sounding one, another one that sounds like a Marshall (the only pedal that does a classic Marshall sound better than the BSIAB if you ask me) and a TS + Tweed Fender one.

http://www.v-stack.com/index.htm
 
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