PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

[ericmeyer4]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Live/Sound/Signal/Processors?sku=184125
I was thinking about getting this to help warm up and smooth out my direct recording tones. I've been running an eq and a big muff straight into the board and I've been pretty happy with the results, but I'm just trying to round it all out and make it not so harsh sounding. Will this help?

Thanks,
Eric

ps- if this idea works and anyone knows of a better mic tube pre that wont break the bank, please point me in that direction.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

It won't give you huge amounts of distortion, but I've used one or two, and they sound pretty good to me for warming things up. Plus they're phantom powered for condensor mics.

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

It won't give you huge amounts of distortion, but I've used one or two, and they sound pretty good to me for warming things up. Plus they're phantom powered for condensor mics.

Im not looking for them to be distorted.... I just need to smooth everything out.

 

[Marcel]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

you run it without a speaker simulation?
or does the DI have one built in?

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

you run it without a speaker simulation?
or does the DI have one built in?

I run it without a speaker sim.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

I've got the older digi-tube and as wiht most 'tubery' if you are just looking for an extra5% this might be it- Bet you can pick them up for nothing these days and it's a swiss knife in many ways.

But honestly, there's usually 50 things you can do that will get you more in the long run- I didn't look at your profile, but unless you have a lot of tube expereince, a $100 Yamaha magic stomp or a cheap pod might give you more opportunites to learn preamp, cabinet and micing characteristics, that these tubes will never 'teach"- Same true of plugins if you are recording.

Or if you want to avoid modeling a blues jr, or the little Vox tube (not the weird little Brain MAy preamp thing) provide tremenous fleibility in a small inexpensive package-

Dont get me worng, I like my digi tube but bought it for 25 reasons along with 'rounding' and I wouldn't want you to be disapointed-
Good luck!

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

How about the VTB-1? http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Live/Sound/Signal/Processors?sku=180360

I've read some good things here about it.

My acoustic and vocals could use some warming up too. So I think I am going to get a V-Stack for my guitar tones and feed everything into the mic preamp to give it a warm feeling.

Think it will do?

Thanks,
Eric

 

[Marcel]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

I run it without a speaker sim.

that's the reason it sounds harsh I guess!

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

that's the reason it sounds harsh I guess!

Thats what I was thinking. Like I said I think I am going to get the V-Stack and that should take care of my amp sounds and then run everything into a Tube Mic Preamp.

 

[seafoamer]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

I got one of those bad-boyz sittin' on the top of my pre's. I used it for vocals a bunch.

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

I got one of those bad-boyz sittin' on the top of my pre's. I used it for vocals a bunch.

How do you like it? How does it sound? Is it noisy?

 

[seafoamer]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

I lyke it a lot. I've find it funny that I have a few thousand dollars worth of mic pre's & mics, but for vocals lately, my "go to" chain consists of a SM57 into the TubePre.
It gives my vox a nice warm touch. I don't find it noisy, but lyke any tube pre, u gotta work the knobs for what kind of tone ur lookin' for.

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

I lyke it a lot. I've find it funny that I have a few thousand dollars worth of mic pre's & mics, but for vocals lately, my "go to" chain consists of a SM57 into the TubePre.
It gives my vox a nice warm touch. I don't find it noisy, but lyke any tube pre, u gotta work the knobs for what kind of tone ur lookin' for.

Thanks for the review.

I'll dig deeper into that model.

 

[Marcel]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

A speaker simulation or a generic guitar cab would could highs >5KHz
if you played an normal amp thru hifi speakers it would be just harsh
so that's the reason I suggest a speaker sim ...

 

[75lespaul]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

The Presonus is great but I feel that the VTB-1 is a tad better and the Groove Tubes Brick is fantastic!

I run my Line 6 Bass Pod through the Brick and it just completely warms up the bass. Makes it sound like I'm recording a real amp and pro bass (I use an SX!). The Brick is really money well spent, but you won't lose with the VTB-1 or the TubePre either. I would change the tube also. I changed the tube in my TubePre and VTB-1 and the sound got a lot better. I used JJ tubes.

 

[Koreldyre]

Re: PreSonus TUBEPre Microphone Preamp

Actually this is a topic I've been working heavily on myself lately, and it has a lot more to do with choice of microphones, speaker cabinet and amp settings, particularly midrange EQ. The average joe's scooped V-shaped EQ might sound okay in the room but tends to sound pretty flat on tape.