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Favorite mic preamp for DI bass?

NKBassman

NKBassman

Jun 16, 2009
16,500
32,881
42
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
#1
Besides the obligitory REDDI and Avalon U5 suggestions, wondering if anyone has a particular microphone preamp that they love for recording DI bass?

Right now I'm liking my Universal Audio M610, but it's the only "nice" mic pre I've ever owned so I don't have much basis for comparison. I'm looking to transform my office into more of a dedicated music workstation later this year, and would consider buying one really nice preamp or channel strip for tracking DI. I've considered selling the M610 and picking up either one of it's big brothers, an LA-610 or 6176, but wondering what other options are out there.

Curious about stuff like the Chandler Germanium ($$$!), Warm Audio Tonebeast ($$), various API or Neve clones, etc. Also wouldn't mind starting down the whole 500 Series rabbit hole, either.
 
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#2
Here some I find awesome.

* My favorite was the mic pre of a SSL AWS console.
* audient asp880
* The DI input of my RME babyface
* spl gold mike
* TL Audio 5001


Except for the last two, most of those preamps are very clean and don't color the sound. So you get the pure tone of the bass you playing. Perfect for active basses with Humbuckers

The last two are tube preamps, great sound for passive jazz basses.

The SSL pre has a very characteristic sound, but I find that most of the coloring comes from the SSL bus compressor that the console has built in. I believe that the VHD API 500 module sounds pretty similar to the preamp, but it does not have the compressor.
 
#3
Thanks for the suggestions. Haven't heard of many of those (no surprise, getting in to pro audio is a BIG learning curve), but did see a racked SSL channel strip for sale on Kijiji recently. I also had a buddy offer me his Avalon 737 for a good price a while back.

I think I'm kind of into the channel strip idea right now, if anything just to save on rack space. I also don't much care for using plugins, as I tend to get distracted by the infinte tweakability and never end up actually finishing anything. The way my brain works, it's much healthier for me mentally to just commit to a tone on the way in. :p

Speaking of tone, I think I'd prefer something a little more to the versatile side, leaning towards a sort of saturated thick sound, instead of just clean clean clean.
 
#5
Believe me, I understand where you're coming from, but I lean more towards the "get it sounding right on the way in" side. I'd also be taking a clean DI track in parallel with any heavily effected (overdriven, compressed, etc) tones. I have a few nice "clean" DI's already (Radial JDI, Countryman Type 85), so now I'm looking for a preamp that will still deliver DI clarity but with more character.
 
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#8
testing1two said:
The 6176 is stellar on bass. The 737 is very cool too but more hi-fi in its character. Both have made many hit records. A Neve 1073 or 1082 clone also works awesome. That said if you're unsure I would start a 500 series rack. The cost per module is less and you can mix & match your preamp, eq, and compressor.
Click to expand...

jg42 said:
Great River ME-1NV <<-- doesn't get much better than this. gives you that "iron" foundation like no other. :bassist:
Click to expand...


Thanks for the comments and suggestions, guys. Fuel for the fire.
 
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#10
I'm having extremely good results with the Sonic Farm 2di4. It's a tube DI that offers two modes: pentode and triode. It also has a line out that simultaneously drives a power amp. I love it so much that my Puma 900 is now the backup amp. The amp I'm using is a QSC PLX3602.

I did a review of the SF 2di4 in this thread, including sound samples of the DI and the power amp driving a mic'd Greenboy Audio Fearless 110 cab. I have previously owned two REDDIs and while that is an excellent DI, I prefer the performance of the Sonic Farm 2di4.
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/sonic-farm-2di4.1078495/page-2#post-16649886

proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fdavebuerger.com%2FSonicFarm%2FDIs-and-H6.png
 
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#11
The Groove Tubes Brick is really nice too and affordable. Its very similar to the Reddi in design but its half the price. Slightly different EQ. The Reddi has a stronger midrange with a lot of low end. The Brick EQ is a little more even but still sounds great.
 
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#12
You're in the same boat I was, I think. I did a recent shootout here with some various mic pres to discover which I liked as well.

I send a clean DI line from my Reddi to the board, and also run through the Reddi to either a Vintech 573 (neve clone) or a Great River MP500-NV mic pres. Definitely add a lot of color in their own flavor. I also suggest the lunchbox direction because it's compact, portable and offers a lot of options. My 2 cents.
 
#16
+1 on the idea of a 500 series rack. My favorite preamp for pretty much anything, but especially bass is the Classic API VP28. It is a kit, so it takes a bit of time to build, but it's dirt cheap for how good it is. It sounds huge, with clarity and muscle. If building a pre is intimidating, there are a ton of great options for preamps in the 500 series form. But seriously... the VP28 is amazing.
 
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