I've have heard so much about people using Neve preamps on bass but I know nothing about them. Can somebody enlighten me. Models, what they sound like...anything! Thanks everyone!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Neve preamps
- Thread starter elliottjazzbass
- Start date
Searching for the Holy Grail are we? Rupert Neve is one of the old timers that first started building recording consoles and designed some of the more revered systems of mic preamps, EQs and compressors. Many of the old consoles have been ripped down and are used as channel strips in a lot of newer studios and some of the old consoles are still in use. Rupert Neve is still making equipment that is highly sought after.
Wikipedia is your friend - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neve_Electronics
The 1073 and 1081 preamps are simply stellar. The key difference between the two is a HP filter section that is on the 1081 preamp as well as some of the sonic variance between the two. The 1272 preamp is basically a pre that was taken from the talkback circuit of the big Neve consoles. They have their own color but usually are without an EQ section, all it is is gain.
The original Neve is now branded as AMS Neve. Rupert Neve is no longer with the company and started Rupert Neve Designs based out of Wimberly, TX a few years back. There are a great many imitators and designs that have been influenced by Rupert's designs and thoughts. None of them come close to the magic that a good old fashioned hand wired 1073 can do though.
The 1073 and 1081 preamps are simply stellar. The key difference between the two is a HP filter section that is on the 1081 preamp as well as some of the sonic variance between the two. The 1272 preamp is basically a pre that was taken from the talkback circuit of the big Neve consoles. They have their own color but usually are without an EQ section, all it is is gain.
The original Neve is now branded as AMS Neve. Rupert Neve is no longer with the company and started Rupert Neve Designs based out of Wimberly, TX a few years back. There are a great many imitators and designs that have been influenced by Rupert's designs and thoughts. None of them come close to the magic that a good old fashioned hand wired 1073 can do though.
The only thing I know about neve is the reputation and some good recordings. But I figured I'd throw this out there: Golden age pre-73. It's basically a copy of the neve 1073 circuitry. Of course it's not the real deal and there has to be some shortcuts, but for about 300 it's a bargain and I consider it to be one of the best vocal pres in the less than 600 or so category and to my ears it sounds wonderful with bass.
Yeah, neve stuff is amazing, however they are not casual purchases, with a 1073 costing about 3 times as much as I have ever spent on a car! and thats a newer one too, the old ones will be more.
Neve pres ARE great for bass, but essentially they are great for anything, they are certainly not a bass specific thing. They are amongst the highest 'high end' gear you can get, well, the big ones anyway. Neve pres are especially noted for the high and low end, as opposed to say API's which have a super detailed mid. They are both great across the spectrum, however, they just have something extra special going on in certain areas!
Very general comments though, so general as to mean nothing. The type of sound you are after dictates, and both of them (and all the great pres) will sound stella on pretty much anything with the right mic and source. Just a case of if you have the luxury of both then they shine even more on certain things, like any piece of recording gear!
After the original neve company Rupert Neve started to design for a lot of different companies, he still puts work into modern gear, I have a pair of neve designed Amek purepath preamps, and he has just finished designing his first microphone! Pretty much everything he puts his name on is great, but often very different, he certainly hasn't just found a winning formula and stuck with it, always the innovator!
The big neve pres have already been mentioned, AMS neve makes the 1073 dpa which is essentially 2 1073's complete with A/D converters. Neve/audio gear purists will say that they are not the same as the original (just like any audio gear!) which is probably true (very slightly), but doesn't take away from how good they all sound!
Its difficult to explain how they sound, close to perfect, but only in context of whats possible with audio gear. So its hard to explain unless you have used a fair bit of high end gear and then you just end up with comparisons rather than concrete sound descriptors!
There is a lot of odd gear around too, like the 1272 aBoMoFo mentioned. The original neve circuits were very simple, very cleverly designed with only the best componants. People soon realised that the amp in the 'aux' knob on the desk was pretty much the same as the preamp circuits. At the time seperate pre amp modules were around but not en vogue, it was the whole desk that was the focus. People started to rescue old neve desks and make useable modules out of each section, guys like Brent Averill did this, made some great gear and made a killing and eventually AMS Neve joined forces with him and sold his stuff officially under the name 'neve'. His stuff is expensive but very close to original neve stuff!
These days pretty much all neve stuff has a bit of a price hike on it compared to its audio equipment contemporaries, there are not so many uber bargains to be had now but it is still amongst the best sounding gear in the world. There was a time when stuff was being given away from broadcasting stations. The BBC in my home city was GIVING away a neve desk a few years ago, just needed a van and an engineer to help take it apart. They were going to dump it! i didn't get there in time though, very unfortunate!
Neve pres ARE great for bass, but essentially they are great for anything, they are certainly not a bass specific thing. They are amongst the highest 'high end' gear you can get, well, the big ones anyway. Neve pres are especially noted for the high and low end, as opposed to say API's which have a super detailed mid. They are both great across the spectrum, however, they just have something extra special going on in certain areas!
Very general comments though, so general as to mean nothing. The type of sound you are after dictates, and both of them (and all the great pres) will sound stella on pretty much anything with the right mic and source. Just a case of if you have the luxury of both then they shine even more on certain things, like any piece of recording gear!
After the original neve company Rupert Neve started to design for a lot of different companies, he still puts work into modern gear, I have a pair of neve designed Amek purepath preamps, and he has just finished designing his first microphone! Pretty much everything he puts his name on is great, but often very different, he certainly hasn't just found a winning formula and stuck with it, always the innovator!
The big neve pres have already been mentioned, AMS neve makes the 1073 dpa which is essentially 2 1073's complete with A/D converters. Neve/audio gear purists will say that they are not the same as the original (just like any audio gear!) which is probably true (very slightly), but doesn't take away from how good they all sound!
Its difficult to explain how they sound, close to perfect, but only in context of whats possible with audio gear. So its hard to explain unless you have used a fair bit of high end gear and then you just end up with comparisons rather than concrete sound descriptors!
There is a lot of odd gear around too, like the 1272 aBoMoFo mentioned. The original neve circuits were very simple, very cleverly designed with only the best componants. People soon realised that the amp in the 'aux' knob on the desk was pretty much the same as the preamp circuits. At the time seperate pre amp modules were around but not en vogue, it was the whole desk that was the focus. People started to rescue old neve desks and make useable modules out of each section, guys like Brent Averill did this, made some great gear and made a killing and eventually AMS Neve joined forces with him and sold his stuff officially under the name 'neve'. His stuff is expensive but very close to original neve stuff!
These days pretty much all neve stuff has a bit of a price hike on it compared to its audio equipment contemporaries, there are not so many uber bargains to be had now but it is still amongst the best sounding gear in the world. There was a time when stuff was being given away from broadcasting stations. The BBC in my home city was GIVING away a neve desk a few years ago, just needed a van and an engineer to help take it apart. They were going to dump it! i didn't get there in time though, very unfortunate!
I would only add that I have been using the Neve 8801 in my bass rig for about 2 years now... GREAT Pre! It is essentially a COMPLETE Channel Strip from the newest Neve console (and BEST analog console I and many other top name engineers have ever heard) the 88R. It has a pre, EQ, (PLUS FILTERS) the BEST compressor/Limiter and a KILLER Gate/Expander. It can take mic and line level and has a selector to choose. It can take a guitar cable input on the front of the unit or a guitar/bass/instrument input or Mic input on the back. REALLY cool feature for racking!! I have used most of the units mentioned here and own or have owned many as well. For applications for use as a strip for bass the 8801 has NO competition in my opinion. I have tried most everything out there and this is what I chose over them all...VERY clear and focused sounding but still warm and absolutely HUGE. I can not recommend it enough!
Peace,
T
Peace,
T
I'd give my left big toe to have one of the new Portico II's.
Or a 5015 coupled with a 5033.
Hey! I can dream if I want.
Or a 5015 coupled with a 5033.
Hey! I can dream if I want.
Neve 1073 and 1081 preamps are the best preamps on the planet for every instrument and all vocals!
Most of the best studios use Neve mixers and preamps like Avatar Studios in NY.
Everybody wants neve, but the $....
Most of the best studios use Neve mixers and preamps like Avatar Studios in NY.
Everybody wants neve, but the $....
The early Neve mic pres are wonderful things be sure. There are actually newer production mic pres I prefer, but still love cutting records through vintage Neve stuff.
Its important to remember that the Neve name on something does not really tell you what it sounds like. As much as people revere the early Neve modules, Rupert Neve spent decades designing mic pres that were in stark contrast to those early designs. And of course Rupert Neve has not been part of the "Neve" company for many many years
Its important to remember that the Neve name on something does not really tell you what it sounds like. As much as people revere the early Neve modules, Rupert Neve spent decades designing mic pres that were in stark contrast to those early designs. And of course Rupert Neve has not been part of the "Neve" company for many many years
svtb15
Inactive
- Mar 22, 2004
- 13,004
- 4,741
- Disclosures
- I play it all. Whatever works for the gig. Q+
Well OK its sort of OT. But I have a Vintech Neve clone and it sounds great..
Is there an I/O device besides a Protools converter that would not loose the Neve tone in the digital to Sonar recording software.
Would a Presonus FP10 suffice?
Is there an I/O device besides a Protools converter that would not loose the Neve tone in the digital to Sonar recording software.
Would a Presonus FP10 suffice?
There is plenty of choice for I/O converter options, but like most things you pay for what you get. A Pro Tools converter, even the HD ones (which are much better than the mbox etcconverters), are not the holy grail of conversion. There are devices by Apogee, Metric Halo, Lynx, Prism and loads of others that are very much in the same territory as pro tools HD, both in terms of sounds and cost. (though to be honest even the highest or high end systems like the ULN-8 by metric halo are still cheaper than a pro tools HD rig! and the ULN-8 smokes the pro tools 192 cards!)
But as I say, they are all pricey. The apogee duet is one of the best cost/quality ratio producs out there, great converters, though you are paying for a pair of preamps as well which you may not need.
That said, I don't think even the cheaper ADC you mention will ruin the TONE of the preamp exactly. I think its slightly misleading to think of the effects a preamp has on sound and the effects a ADC has on sound as the same thing. The tone of the preamp will always be captured, but the lower quality ADC's will have a slightly flatter and dimensionless quality. It will still be the tone of your preamp!
Personally, I am not OVERLY concerned about converters. They are very important to making a great record when all things are considered, but modern converters are all pretty good. Most will do a half decent job if money is tight.
So yeah, I reckon the presonus will suffice, but for a few steps up look at the apogee duet. Less I/O, but a nicer converters.
There is always the option of getting any interface with a digital in, buying a standalone ADC and going preamp>converter>interface digi in.
Its a little more complex to set up (clocking etc) but means you can have one really nice signal path for all the overdubs, but also a lot of inputs for not too much money when tracking drums etc. That may be good compromise.
The one you want is the 1290. It's a high-gain 1272, with a slightly different input design that makes it oh-so-sweet for bass guitar.
You can build one yourself, they're not all that hard, the parts are readily available (except for the transformers, but they're making several re-issues that sound just about right to my ears). You can find the circuitry at [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] or a number of other places online, and go to his Vintage Tech Forum if you want to talk about it, Brian is one of the world's few remaining experts on the vintage Neve electronics and he can tell you where to get all the parts. He's a nice guy, a little flaky sometimes (I hear he's been sick, maybe that's it), but if you can get to him you can learn a lot.
You can purchase authentic 1290's occasionally from Dan Alexander, he racks them up himself from old console modules, but he charges an arm and a leg - the good thing about him is the stuff is mostly original (which also means it needs TLC sometimes). The 1290 has a sweet spot right around 40 dB of gain, it sounds MUCH better at that gain setting than a comparable 1272.
I wouldn't waste any money on a 1073, the EQ is worthless for bass guitar, but I remember seeing a circuit on Brian's site at one point for a 1290 mod that gave you all the right stuff for bass, don't know if it's still there but you can ask him if you don't see it. Neve stuff is swee-e-et, it makes anything you plug into it come out sounding a lot better.
i dunno. i have a TNC ACMP-73 which is a chinese neve 1073 clone and i have it as the center of a secondary bass rig and the tone is fantastic. the eq points are awesome ans way more flexible than most 3-4 band fixed eqs. as a DI neve pres are simply amazing. for micing instruments and vocals, my chameleon labs neve clones are my go to pres.
rich
