What Outboard Preamps, Compressors, and EQs are you using?

[jim1960]

Since the Masterlist has been granted sticky status, I'm going to expand the list to include the outboard gear we're all using and would recommend to fellow AGFers.

If the gear you list is still available to purchase as new, please provide me with the price one would pay for it today. If the gear is no longer available new, you can skip the price and I'll try to find a range for it.

Please do not list preamps that are part of your interface unit.

Here are the categories. Feel free to copy and paste this into your post if needed:
Preamps
500 series Preamps
Compressors
500 series Compressors
Equalizers
500 series Equalizers
500 series chasis

Channel Strips will be listed with Preamps but identified as Channel Strips with an *

Preamps
Presonus RC500 ($400-1000 used) (rockabilly69)
Audient Mico ($450 used)
FMR Audio Really Nice Pre ($500) (RRuskin)
Focusrite ISA One Digital ($600) (rockabilly69)
Black Lion Audio Auteur Quad ($800) (midwinter)
Speck MicPre 5.0 ($800) (ChuckS)
Focusrite ISA Two ($900) (midwinter)
Presonus ADL600 ($1000-1350 used) (rockabilly69)
Summit Audio 2BA-221 ($1000) (KarenB)
Daking mic pre II ($1100) (gwlee7)
Universal Audio LA-610 ($1100-1600 used) (midwinter) (rockabilly69)
Great River MP2-MH ($1200-$1500 used) (rick-slo) (Doug Young)
Pendulum SPS-1 ($1200-$2000 used) (alohachris)
Sebatron VMP 2000e ($1400) (DukeX)
AEA RPQ ($1500) (Doug Young)
BAE 1073MPF ($1500) (rockabilly69)
dbx 786 ($1500-1850 used) (sdelsolray)
*Manley Langevin Dual Vocal Combo ($1500-1800 used) (KevWind) (rockabilly69)
Spectra Sonics 101 ($1500 - $3000 used) (RRuskin)
*Empirical Labs EL-9 Mike-E ($1700) (Cocobolo Kid)
Hardy M1 2 channels ($1700) (jim1960)
Neve Portico 5012 ($1700) (rockabilly69)
Sebatron Axis 200VU ($1800) (jim1960)
Sebatron VMP 4000e ($1900) (midwinter) (rockabilly69)
A-Designs Pacifica ($2100) (alohachris)
*Louder than Liftoff Silver Bullet ($2100) (gwlee7)
Drawmer 1960 ($2200) (rockabilly69)
Great River MP-4 ($2200 - $2400 used) (RRuskin)
Demeter VTMP-2c ($2300) (jim1960)
Great River MP2-NV ($2300) (alohachris)
A-Designs MP2A ($2600) (KevWind)
*HendyAmps DaVinci ($2850) (jim1960)
Gordon Model 5 + Gain Control ($2900 + $300) (ChuckS)
Pendulum Audio MDP-1a ($2900 used) (sdelsolray) (alohachris)
API 3124+ ($3100) (alohachris)
Millenial STT-1 ($3150) (alohachris)
Neve 1073 CV ($3300) (alohachris)
Manley Voxbox ($4200) (rockabilly69)
Great River MP-2 (price n/a) (DukeX)
Millenial HV3 (price n/a) (alohachris)
NPNG DMP-2NW (price n/a) (rick-slo)
True Systems P2 (price n/a) (Cocobolo Kid)

500 series Preamps
API 512c ($850) (midwinter)
Great River MP-500NV ($900) (RRuskin)
Heritage Audio HA73jr ($900) (midwinter)

Compressors
FMR Really Nice Compressor ($185) (KarenB) (RRuskin)
Allison Research Gain Brain ($250 used) (RRuskin)
AudioScape Buss Compressor ($700) (jim1960) (gwlee7)
Drawmer DL 241 ($850) (midwinter)
AudioScape 76A ($900) (jim1960) (gwlee7)
AudioScape Opto ($1000) (jim1960) (gwlee7)
Drawmer DL441 ($1150) (midwinter)
AudioScape V-Comp ($1400) (jim1960)
dbx 165A ($1600 used) (RRuskin)
IGS Tubecore Mastering Vari-Mu Compressor ($3200) (KevWind)

500 series Compressors
AudioScape V3A ($800) (midwinter)
API 527 ($1050) (midwinter)

Equalizers
Orban 672A ($200-600) (RRuskin)
Audioscape MEQ-A ($900) (gwlee7)
Audioscape EQP-A ($1100) (gwlee7)
Warm Audio WA273-EQ ($1500) (Mike McKee)
Kush/UBK Clariphonic MS ($2000) (jim1960)
Speck ASC (price n/a) (RRuskin)

500 series Equalizers
Kush/UBK Electra 500 ($550) (jim1960)
Wunder Audio Allotrope ($950) (midwinter)
Elysia Xfilter ($1000) (jim1960)

500 series chasis
Lindell 506 ($230 used) (RRuskin)
CAPI 511-VPR DB25 Rack Bundle ($299 for DIY kit, $100 for psu) (jim1960)

[ChuckS]

Hi Jim,
Below are external preamps I am currently using and recommend.

Preamps
Gordon Model 5, 2 channels, with GC32 Gain Control ($3200) (ChuckS)
Speck 5.0 MicPre, 1 channel ($779) (ChuckS)

[rick-slo]

Preamps: Great River MP2-MH and NPNG DMP-2NW.
If you're lucky you'll find a used one of these for sale.

Everything else except already covered ADCs is in the box.

[MikeMcKee]

Preamp: Warm Audio WA273-EQ...$1499..

[Doug Young]

I also use the Great River MP2-MH preamp that rick-slo uses.
Also the AEA RPQ preamp (meant for ribbon mics, but just a super-clean high-gain preamp) $1500

[gwlee7]

Mic preamps:
Daking mic pre II $1199
LTL Silver Bullet $2099

Compressors:
Audioscape Buss $699
Audioscape Opto $999
Audioscape 76A. $899

EQ:
Audioscape EQP-A $1099
Audioscape MEQ-A $899


** I sorta dig Audioscape hahahaha

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by gwlee7

** I sorta dig Audioscape hahahaha

I accept no responsibility for that.
Also, I was told there would be a mastering EQ coming out this year. This year is running out of time.

[gwlee7]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I accept no responsibility for that.
Also, I was told there would be a mastering EQ coming out this year. This year is running out of time.

There have been some nice things out over the past couple of months. I am glad you turned me on to this company. Great stuff!!

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by gwlee7

There have been some nice things out over the past couple of months. I am glad you turned me on to this company. Great stuff!!

There have been some interesting new offerings and I'm sure they're top notch just everything else they make, but the mastering eq is of special interest to me.

[KarenB]

Preamp--Summit Audio 2BA-221 (2 of them) $1000 each one (Yikes! When I bought it they were $400 Each)
Compressor-- Really Nice (FMR audio) $185

[DukeX]

Sebatron VMP 2000 ($1000-$1200)
Great River MP-2 ($1000-$1200)


While I'm at it, here are my SDCs:
Sennheiser 914e ($275-$375)
AT 4041 ($200-$300)
Shure SM137 ($225-$300)
Oktava MK-012 ($150-$200)

My interfaces are too old to mention.

[midwinter]

Originally Posted by DukeX

Sebatron VMP 2000

I have the 4000. Man, that thing is BUTTER.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by midwinter

I have the 4000. Man, that thing is BUTTER.

The Sebatron has emerged as my favorite preamp to pair with my Flea 47 for my own vocals. It's a really fantastic pre.

[sdelsolray]

I am currently using these external preamps:

Pendulum Audio MDP-1a ($2,900)
dbx 786 (discontinued $3,500 new - $1,500 used)

[midwinter]

Originally Posted by jim1960

The Sebatron has emerged as my favorite preamp to pair with my Flea 47 for my own vocals. It's a really fantastic pre.

I have it and a pair of LA610s as my tube pres. I use the Sebatron when I want whatever that magical warmth + sheen that it has over the LA610, which is more, uh, "pillowy and thick" and tubey. Lately, I've been using the LA610s for my vocals and one of my bandmates' (pretty much regardless of mic, but usually a 414) and the Sebatron more for instruments.

But if the LA610s are coloring the vocal too much, I go right back to the Sebatron.

With that said, I built a little 500-series strip a while back (Heritage Audio 73jr > Wunder Audio Allotrope > AudioScape V3A) that I'm loving on one of my other bandmates when paired with the Amethyst Violet Vintage.