#31
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Something else to consider: I read somewhere that a high end preamp will also allow better results in recordings that contain multiple tracks, the argument being that whatever harmonic distortion there may be in a low end signal will get multiplied, causing a less desirable mix as far as track separation and clarity. I have done recordings with 8 to 10 tracks here at home, and each track is distinctly audible and clear. If you use a preamp like the Avalon AD2022, which is known for being very clean and transparent, along with nice microphones, AD/DA conversion, and good monitors, you will notice the difference. I imagine that, in studio situations, when dozens of tracks are stacked up, this becomes more obvious.
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#32
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Isn't that a bit of a myth? As you add more instruments, each individual instrument - and its noise floor - will get turned down in the mix, otherwise you'll start clipping.
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#33
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The way I interpreted what I read, it made sense. Even turned down, the noise floor is still there.
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#34
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Great thread and a shot of reality to a guy like me who gets a little envious of other people's gear.
I wish I was more of an A/B test kind of guy. The truth is, I'm not. I'd rather write a song. But I appreciate the work some of you have done. Maybe I'm now done buying recording gear. Maybe. |
#35
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Quote:
Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi Slack Key in California - www.kaleponi.com My YouTube clips The Homebrewed Music Blog Last edited by Fran Guidry; 01-05-2012 at 01:18 PM. |
#36
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Also, I would not claim the cheapest pre will achieve transparency, but that transparency is available at a very low price point. There are some very inexpensive preamps that don't even aim for transparency, but are designed to _add_ distortion. Those will not be transparent. And finally, my real point is that listening to same performance level matched clips is useful and listening to different performances on different days is not. Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi Slack Key in California - www.kaleponi.com My YouTube clips The Homebrewed Music Blog |
#37
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Take 2 identical mics, and place them as close together as possible, run mic A to preamp A, mic B to preamp B, record a performance. Make sure levels are matched, and that everything else in the chain is identical (same A/D converters, for example). Now, for good measure, swap the mic cables, so you record mic A into preamp B, and mic B into preamp A. Record again. Now you have 4 mono recordings, two different performances. If, in a blind ABX test, you can pick out both instances of preamp A a statistically significant number of times, I'd say the difference between preamps outweighs the difference in performance. If not, I'd say that the difference between preamps is less than the difference between 2 performances and isn't very interesting. Of course, assuming you can pick out the difference, then we get to the "which one is better" debate, which is a whole different can of worms.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#38
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And second, your contention that you play the same and do your recording without any difference over a number of years doesn't match my experience with the way we humans operate. We can't help but learn. Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi Slack Key in California - www.kaleponi.com My YouTube clips The Homebrewed Music Blog |
#39
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It seems like a lot of fiddling around, but eliminating these extraneous variables lets me hear the _real_ differences. Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi Slack Key in California - www.kaleponi.com My YouTube clips The Homebrewed Music Blog |
#40
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Getting back on topic guys I note a fair few of you have admitted to having outboard preamps. I, alas, do not. I'm not going to go out and spend a four figure sum, but from what I've read in books and magazines and on-line, a decent mid-range preamp should give me noticeably better results, no? I see quite a few people (in this thread and others) have mentioned stuff like the DMP3 and the ART MPA, the RNP and the GAP Pre 73. Should I be thinking about any of these, or aiming higher at stuff like the UA Solo or Twinfinity? I feel the urge to buy something real soon!!
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Gary Stewart Smith sings - writes songs - does other stuff http://garystewartsmith.com/ |
#41
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The passive splitter I use is the Coleman Audio LS3 http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LS3 Wow, did I really pay $100 for this little box of switches?? I think it was less when I got mine, but I needed a way to switch monitor chains and my earliest interfaces didn't provide it. Doug Young offers an alternative with a very useful twist: http://69.41.173.82/forums/showpost....6&postcount=37 Using two mics, even very fine and closely matched mics like a pair of Schoeps, would reasonably be expected to introduce more variability than a pair of transparent preamps, since transducers are orders of magnitude less linear than modern electronics. But he compensates for this with his four way comparison - clever guy. I would add reference tones to his procedure and go that way before I'd spend a bunch on a splitter, but if you have some kind of splitter available, using a single mic simplifies things a bit. Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi Slack Key in California - www.kaleponi.com My YouTube clips The Homebrewed Music Blog |
#42
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If you really feel the urge, :-) go for it. There's no substitute for personal experience. I'd suggest finding a place that will let you try and return things. With higher end gear, at least, many stores are good about even shipping you several items to do your own shootout. Then you can decide, which, if any, you prefer, and return the rest (or all of them). Hopefully the side-discussion in this thread will alert you to the challenges of even knowing if whatever you get is really better, or if you're just imagining it. I personally have no problem even with just "imagining" something is better. If you believe it, and it helps you make better music, no harm.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#43
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What about DIY? You can buy a FiveFish kit from the US for about £200 by the time you've paid all the import duty.
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#44
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Gary Stewart Smith sings - writes songs - does other stuff http://garystewartsmith.com/ |
#45
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That's cool if it's your idea and you're happy with a placebo effect, but I'm a little leary of telling someone to go spend money on gizmo X, when I suspect it won't actually make any difference. There are tons of good ways to improve the quality of your recordings, but few people ask "what can I do to get a better sound?", they want to ask "what preamp can I buy?", "what mic can I buy?", "what guitar can I buy?". Sometimes a new gizmo's the right answer, often it's not. But hey, new toys are fun. I've bought more than my share.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |