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10.27.13

Mic preamps for a guitar amplifier.

Now we're moving along. Since the last time we went through this, I've picked up an AEA TRP, a mic that's been designed specifically for use with ribbon microphones. Out of the box, there's two reasons why this is apparent - it doesn't offer phantom power and it has a lot of gain (about 83db). Does it also make ribbon mics sound even more wonderful than whatever we'd been using? We'll see ...


LOW FREQUENCY CABINET

Same deal as before: most of the sound coming out of this cabinet is felt more than heard, and especially in that it doesn't much help to distinguish between notes. Live, the addition of the bottom end on the guitar helps to provide extra impact and we want that to translate into the recording. But there's not much difference between gear choices for how this cabinet translates so it's easiest to just pick something simple. In this case that's the Sytek's BB channels: they haven't been committed to anything else and they are good with LF sounds. The Earthworks mic is plugged into that and it's done.


HI FREQUENCY CABINET

Three choices, each handling the beyer m160 and the Coles 4038 at a 50/50 ratio:

1. AEA TRP
2. A dbx 786
3. FMR TRP

I had to reamp the guitar which always gives more squeal-y feedback than I'd like and I didn't feel like chasing down the problem. So sorry that the guitar sounds like it's sitting on top of a kettle of boiling water.

I have to tell you: I've listened to this a few times and can only tell the barest difference between these three. Maybe the difference gets clearer with a treble-ier guitar part.

These are basically the same. Maybe the AEA's benefits to a ribbon are felt when it's a much quieter source or not quite as forward sounding as this screeching electric guitar. But each of these sound just fine for the job at hand. I'll use the AEA because I have it, but I'd truthfully be fine with either of the other two.


DECISION TIME

- The mics for the guitar's high frequency cabinet will go through the AEA TRP.

- The mic for the guitar's low frequency cabinet will go through the Sytek MPX-4A, BB channel.


Next: Time to start singing. Vocal preamps.

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The three preamps of comparison: the dbx 786 (top), FMR RNP (bottom left) and AEA TRP (bottom right).


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