Ultimate Mic Pre Shootout!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 8 ноя 2023
- Today we will be recording multiple instruments through all the Mic Pre's I own. There are Mono and Stereo Recordings. This one is a little long but I figured it would give the most value running as much instruments through each of them.
For Mixing, Production, or Lessons Visit my Website
www.thirdislandproductions.com
API 512c
www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...
SSL SiX CH
www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...
Cranborne Camden 500
www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...
Rupert Neve 511
www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...
Audioscape Golden 58
www.audio-scape.com/products/...
Stam Audio 1073 Clone
stamaudio.com/shop/preamps-ch... 
Видеоклипы
Electric Guitar:
1:23 - API 512
1:33 - SSL SIX
1:43 - Cranborne Camden
1:52 - RND 511
2:02 - Golden 58
2:11 - SA1073
Acoustic Guitar:
2:21 - API 512
2:31- SSL SIX
2:40 - Cranborne Camden
2:50 - RND 511
3:00 - Golden 58
3:09 - SA1073
Electric Bass:
4:16 - API 512
4:27 - SSL SIX
4:37 - Cranborne Camden
4:47 - RND 511
4:58 - Golden 58
5:08 - SA1073
Many Thanks!
I liked the Rupert 511 best in the mono section, but the Camden took the prize in the stereo section. The mixdown of the Camden was the most surprising. That mix just had a lot more color and dimensionality to my ears.
Great demo! Thanks from France!🙏
512c is the closest to a nicely 'finished sound' on all sources to my ear and the Camden was surprisingly similar to the API, albeit a little less consistent. Nice work
API is just good on everything. SSL and Cranborne to me are just slightly above a standard interface pre but fine. I returned a 511.
The 511 is my personal favorite on almost everything. Was pleasantly surprised by the ssl and Camden though.
Yeah the SSL and Camden Suprised me as well. If anyone is on a budget, they are hard to beat.
That 511 sounded very nice on everything. Especially bass
Really impressed with the Cranborne!
Same!
Great demo mate, thanks for doing this.
No prob!
Thank you for a proper shootout, been very helpful
Great to hear! Thanks for the kind words.
as usual, the api has no competition.
Awesome video! Thanks for this insight!
My dude 🙏🏼
Dang…Cranborne was never even on my radar…but I love it!
Yeah honestly you could have a full chassis with the camdens and they would get you amazing recordings. Can’t beat em for the price and the mojo feature
@@thirdislandproductions9708 I’m currently using a WA273 with WA2A compressors. But I want to add 2 more channels of SOMETHING and a pair of WA1176 comps for a total of 4 channels. I was 99% gonna go with API, but I’m loving the Camden! 😃
@@thirdislandproductions9708The sad part of the Camden to me is that it makes no sense to have monitoring built into it at all unless you’re only a 2-track bedroom engineer. Imagine buying 8 channels…what a waste of all that monitoring. Silly. Plus, while the Camden greatly simplifies reamping, that output is located on the back…which is mostly inaccessible for the vast majority of people who rack their gear. If Cranborne makes standalone 2-channel pres without all the silliness, I’m all in!
@@michaelyolch79 or buy the 500R8 which is great
@@thirdislandproductions9708 cool :) what Pre would you suggest for the Bus? Cranborne? Api? :) great Job! thank you
The Cranborne punches above its weight. I liked the Stam the least, but I’d be happy with a rack of any of them. Great vid, thanks!
this is video is great and super helpful. thanks man!
They all sound great on different sources. Cranborne surprised me though while API sounds great on everything. I’d still go with the SSL as it has that undeniable punch that the others didn’t have.
Great time to be a producer/mixer.
Shows once again it's not just one piece of gear that makes the difference. It's the pairing of source, mic, pre,....and the synergy between them that creates the end result.
For Sure! Thanks for watching.
API 512C and Stam 1073 get my vote! Thank you for making this video!
i just want to have your knowledge and your preamps and mics! i will work so hard to make it real. thank you, love from Argentina.
Thanks for this brother
No problem man!
Excellent format to compare! Very interesting, That how, despite the different mic and source choices, I would be quite happy withe a Neve 511 console (wish you had the mixdown sample). It was my overall fav. #2 API.
I've recently switched from my API3124 to a Midas XL42 that I haven't used in years... maybe a little silkier up top. I'm very curious about the AEA RPQ2 and the Neve 1073. Thanks for the great listen!
Neve 511 Console would be insane! Thanks for Checking out the video.
First demo where I can finally understand and hear the SSL sound ppl like. Still a API fan though RND too
That's a chinese preamp with the cheapest parts available. Your standard interface most likely has the same quality pre if not better
SSL had the least resonances. Nice and smooth and musical. Good to know. Thank you.
Of course!
Both the SSL and the Camden did an excellent job. I prefered the Camden's in most of the parts. Surprised really I didn't favor the usual suspects. Was the camden with the mojo or cream engaged?
Yes! The Mojo was engaged but not by much maybe 9 o’clock. But yeah it suprised the heck out of me.
Great comparison! SSL me likes the best. Do you like the Neve for acoustic? It seems a bit modest to me... The Audioscape and the Stam sound bass heavy here. the Camden is nice and open... You forgot the Neve in the total mix section.... Or was this on purpose? Overall I like the SSL a lot. Especially at that price!
Thanks so much! I love them all and was super surprised by the Camden and SSL given the price range. The neve works great with everything honestly. I couldn’t pick a favorite.
I left the Neve out of the mix down because it’s the only Pre I didn’t have a pair of. I wanted to add stereo drum OH’s to the mix down. Thanks for checking it out!
All kinds of flavors there in that arsenal. The camdens are super clean, ssls too. What level did you have the mojo vibe knob at?
The APIs are punchy, the 1073 add color and bottom, the 511 too but a different flavor, with the silk option.
The camdens on mix down sounded most noticeable in comparison to its individual takes, really could tell its characteristics even moreso from that.
Lots of crayons here
For sure! Thanks for watching. The Mojos were at like 8 o’clock I believe. Both on the cream setting. I probably should’ve just left em off for complete transparency but figured it would be subtle and wouldn’t hurt.
That API sounded good on everything but I might spend my money on 2 Cranbornes, there's a reason you own 3 lol.
Average person: “They all do the same shit.”
I'm a neve fanboy but the api shines here
The Cranborne is a lot better than I thought it was, can see a lot of use cases for that one... here to see how the audioscape golden pre sounds.. lovely for some high end sparkle... it's best to have a good amount of choices as there's never any best ones, just what fits for that one bit of one thing in a track
SSL last in the list for me personally... but all have their own little sound which will compliment each other.
Cranborne was a surprise to me, a good work horse for sure!!
for acoustic guitar,,, I preferred the SSL, RND, Stam / Golden age tie, then API...
I just wanted to buy a RND 511, but I have to say it was in every category among the least favourable preamps, only the SSL Six and the Camden were sometimes worse, sometimes en par. The differences were rather big and audible - only on the snare every preamp sounded the same for me. Maybe cause the Audix has a very strong flavour on its own. The API was the best on everything with strings, a big surprise for me was the Audioscape. Almost won on every category for me. So Audioscape and API are the winners for me.
Yeah I was surprised about the 511. Expected more. Man when first heard the Audioscape I was blown away by it. I record vocals through it every time cause it’s simply amazing. Thanks for checking out the video.
it's fun, i almost think the exact opposite...except for the 511.. which i didn't like a lot the worst on almost evrything was the api...to bright ...my favorite was the 1073 and the camden, follow by the ssl one..
I'm assuming the silk was not used on the 511 nor the mojo style on the camden. Both sound really good but can get even better with these options.
yeah I had them both off for transparency but the both are great features
Wow, I hear significant differences on good headphones. API was tight and accurate sounding. SSL was solid, with a significant lift in the top frequencies (did you use it completely flat eq?). Camden messed with the low frequency transients, sounding woofy like boosting a bass eq. 511 was very saturated, almost overdriven, but with a modern character (did you use the "silk" knob?). Audioscape was way more compressed with significant top-end roll off. 1073 was super punchy in the low end with larger than life high mids. Very hifi "studio" sound.
great video!! mixdown was super helpful, those camden’s are no good
I like the sound of Stam and Api
Stam 1073 works the best for me.
I'm impressed by all of them. That Stam tho, holy. Sounded like it had a little EQ on it. Probably unavailable as you'd expect! I may just order the Cranborne, very interesting that one, seems like it can do a lot for the price, and bonus with the Mojo. Surprised how the SSL kept up with the API, and was a tiny bit scooped in comparison with a little extra sheen. The Neve is great on acoustic. I think the Golden 58 should be traded for something better, was the least impressed with that, only sounded good on bass and snare 1, OR I'm not getting what it's about. Thanks for your efforts!
actually I have one! lol
@@joshuastam7704I thought you’ve been waiting 9 years for yours!
Is this the Stam with Sowter or Carnhill output?
Hey man! The Stam is with the Carnhill output! Love the unit 🫡🙏🏼
Should run the exact same performance through each preamp, thereby eliminating possible differences in tone due to variances in perfromance.
And how would you do that? Using a splitter affects the signal so the pre would react differently
Mixdown 14:13
cranborne
SSL for me,sounded more natural
For sure. The SSL is great for the Price
@@thirdislandproductions9708 Facts i use my ssl big 6 pre amps and they sound great as well fam…
The differences are too subtle to be an important factor in the end goal of a completed work. Does the preamp provide clean gain? Move on. They all succeed.
I disagree. Did you listen on good headphones? The mixdowns were especially obvious. Very different transient response and frequency response for each preamp. The audioscape was compressed and has hf roll off. The 511 has a bunch of harmonic saturation. The Camden lowend was pretty "woofy" like boosting the lows on an EQ. SSL had way more top-end air. 1073 had incredibly tight low-end and lots of detail in the mids and highs, very hifi sounding. API was also pretty punchy and hifi
SSL fatter, API brighter.
Can't argue with that