What do you think of the ART tube MP pre amp?

[Newsboy]

Well, I got the ART tube MP project series model and I must say I'm impressed with the extra little nudge of ****th it adds to my vocal and guitar tracks. The difference is quite noticable in a good way.

[brandondrury]

Maybe I should give these little boogers a try. For $30, I don't see how I could go wrong.

Brandon

[Soumitra]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

Maybe I should give these little boogers a try. For $30, I don't see how I could go wrong.

Brandon

Could you check this out ? Soumitra

[fmw]

Tubes do add a "dimension" to recorded sound. That dimension is more accurately termed harmonic distortion. I have an ART MPA Gold rackmount two channel preamp. Like any preamp it is quiet and capable of bringing the output of a mic up to line level. It also has a gain control like a guitar amp. So it is possible to adjust the amount of harmonic distortion injected into the audio. It doesn't overdrive like a guitar amp but it can get somewhat **** sounding with the gain turned up. I particularly like it because it has two big lighted meters.

Having said that, I tend to agree with Brandon. A preamp is a preamp. It is an old and perfected technology that has less to do with the final mix than almost everything that comes after it or before it in the audio chain. If you want to change the sound of your mixes use a different microphone or use different effects on your tracks. That will make a much more meaningful difference than a preamp will. Let me know if you need a very pretty gold colored two channel preamp with big lighted meters. I could let mine go.

[zildjohn01]

Well, since this thread is gravedug anyway:
1) LOL at anthony leaving the forum
2) Brandon, did you ever check this preamp out? Any thoughts on it? Reading through good reviews on 4 of the cheap ART Tube preamps, I read that the sound is very affected by the choice of mic, which (I'm assuming) is a very good thing.

Also, off-topic, how does the instrument/"voicing" dial on one of these things work? I'm guessing "WÀRM" is enable or disable the tube, "OPL" is output protection limiting, but what are all the instrument settings? Does it affect the character of the tube somehow? Or is it just some kind of preset EQ?

[brandondrury]

Tubes do add a "dimension" to recorded sound.

Yes, No, and Kinda.

A full blown tube ciruit will do what a tube circuit it supposed to do. However, just because "tube" is in the name doesn't necessarily guarantee that there is anything special about any given product.

All amplifier circuits I'm aware of have buffer circuits to optimize input and output impedances. (My electronics is very rusty these days.) A designer could toss the tube there even though the tube itself is not really doing the boosting. This stuff gets complicated and the tangible effects of these designs is subtle regardless.

Brandon