Mic pre amps

[JamesDC]

I'm running my sousaphone through a Yamaha 2 channel mixer, and as I'm completing my effects chain finding that it takes up too much unused space on the board- an unused channel etc,,. I'm wondering two things.

1) are there smaller mic pre amps that are significantly better than the on board pre in the same price range (100-200)

2) are there bomb mic pre amps that are small that anyone reccomends?

If I can cut the footprint in half, I'll have just enough room for the last two pedals I want - other than that,I'll just get a bigger board- are there specs I should be particularly aware of when searching out a solution for a bass horn? Thanks for any advice,

 

[Rocksolid]

Do you need Eq capabilities on your Mic Pre?

ART Studio MP is the first that springs to mind...

 

[JamesDC]

I've been looking at those, as well as the new eventide mixing link. I barely tweak my eq now. Except to accentuate lows on a tune or too that are dubby,

However I got robbed a few hours ago and lost my entire pedal board and amp and cables so now I'm free from fretting over whether to replace my mixer....ah destitution, exhilarating... I'm not worried. Being a full time musician, of course I'm flush with funds to rebuild my 2000 set up before weekend gigs,

Is it accurate to say that an uncolored pre amp will pick up bass overtones better? Or is there a significant difference? What specs should I look for and lastly, if I have something bringing my mic level to instrument level is there a use for a bass preamp? It seems A Sousa seems to have tons of bass naturally and need support for mids. I don't know if that's accurate - but it's what my ears seem to tell me,

thanks.

 

[Rocksolid]

Sorry to hear you got robbed man - that really sux.

Maybe if it is mids you want to tweak you need to look at something like a Tech 21 Para Driver: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I have the Rack mount version (RPM) and really has a large spectrum of sounds to draw from.

 

[JamesDC]

Sorry to hear you got robbed man - that really sux.

Maybe if it is mids you want to tweak you need to look at something like a Tech 21 Para Driver: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I have the Rack mount version (RPM) and really has a large spectrum of sounds to draw from.

Sorry, I'm causing confusion. I call my horn a bass, sound guys always look behind me like, "where". I'm looking at at something with an xlr input - sansamp is just line level- but those features look like they would help with sub issues I've asked about before, thanks

 

[Rocksolid]

No I understood, I actually thought the Para Driver could take a Mic level also. MY bad.

With your requirements - the products that spring to mind that would work are things like a Presonus Studio channel, and other 1RU Channel strips, or 1/2 rack units like a Joe Meek 3Q. Not what you are asking for. The ART Studio MP with a EQ running after it might be one of the better options if you definitely don't want rack mount.

I have a Yamaha MG06 2 channel desk I use to run my IEM. Great little desk, with a small footprint. I run a Rode M3 thru 1 of the Mic Pres to pick up drums and stage sound. Very easy to pull good tone in this application.

 

[JamesDC]

You haven't commented on the eventide mixing link :

I'm assuming that's because it's new and you haven't used it, and. I keep coming back to the ART as well. Thanks for the reccs. - I got homework,

As an aside. I have a free hand and and play Latin percussion - I'm thinking rack mounting my bells and some specialty cymbals/accent stuff around a table with the pedal board in the middle at waist level , maybe using kaos pads etc and being more agressive with the knob tweaking. I assume rack mount wouldnt be as conducive to that. Also - is it true that rack mounted effects and stomp boxes aren't that different in quality nowadays?

I wish I could make a guess looking at specs and circuitry but I don't understand impedance, frequency, sensitivity kHz MHz.,line/instrument level or really a damn thing about signal chain and how to keep it clean and hot, other than to make is as short as possible. I wish there was one site that could lay this out so I could make decisions based on specs instead of bugging audio competent people about it, thanks for your help.

 

[Roland GR 88]

You might look at a small Mackie mixer as well. They have decent pre's for the money and lots of routing options. They have handy diagrams to help with the set-up on their web site as well. To help more we would need to know what kind and brand of mic you use and anything else you plan on putting in the signal path. Let us know and we'll do the best we can.

 

[JamesDC]

Thanks man, but, until lost it, the problem was footprint, mackie and Yamaha basically have the same footprint on my board.

As I said, the original question was rendered moot yesterday when ghetto came calling, I got nothing now, fortunately having nothing. I can do anything! I run 7 effects, fuzz, filter, bit crusher, looper,freeze hot hand, and compression, was in need of an octaver when the robber hit, and considering a bass pre for overdrive. Fuzz on a horn sounds a little semi musical to me, and I've had engineers get a growl that kicks balls, so a hot as hell mic ending with some tube goodness and compression tightening my mids will bring the booty down. Grail baby! Bongomania pointed out the importance of keeping the path short – so I'm on the fence about bass pre. But now I'm building a whole new rig based on a epifani 2x10 which they didn't get. I'm playing my sons rig tonight....the knobs all feel like old skittles have been smeared on them,,,kids...

 

[Roland GR 88]

I would like to hear that set-up in all it's nasty glory Good luck and have fun building.

 

[Rocksolid]

The Eventide mixing link looks amazing! I couldn't look yesterday, I was at work. Sorry. The switchable effects loop seems ideal for you. If you got one of these and a Zoom MS-60B you would be covered for everything. You could set up all the patches in the zoom you could ever need, and then scroll to it with the effects loop switched off, and then click it in when needed. That's how I run mine and it works a treat! I have to use a boss ls-2 though.

 

[JamesDC]

"In all it's nasty glory" dude you have no idea,,,, I had just tightened my set up, got rid of the spaghetti look, solved my feedback Issues- both front of house and amp related, and beginning to get comfortable. Last nights hit with kid rig was interesting tho, old SWR got some comments and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the tone as compared to the micro amp I had before.

So far everything new and lightweight - neo cabs and now micro amps though great and convenient for load in is losing my heart in favor of ceramic drivers and tubes. I guess with bass produced by an air column transparency *** that actually means I don't know) is redundant. No problem with heavy load ins if the sound is bumpty.

One thing I want to figure out is how to get a similar sound as this Invalid Link Removed

I had the amp overdriving gain up, bass boost off (I keep it on live) and bass eq along with mids boosted a bit, I had tiny bit of fuzz, but the remix guy maxed my growl in a way I like, same with my conga parts - much hotter than the studio - when I asked what he did he said nothing - just compression ... But I can't get that much of a growl with my compressor, so I'm assuming mic plus bass pre amp is worth trying,