Wayne wrote:

FWIW, There really isn't a good or bad tube preamp, only different. Buy
the one that has the sound you hear and want.

Listen to a Manley or a Fearn and an ART or a Behringer.

THEN come back & say that.

Betcha won't.



Application, application, application!

There are folks on RAP that either like or dislike all four of the preamps you
referenced. That doesn't indicate good or bad, just a different preference.
The same thing is true with mics and everything else we use in our studios.

Personally, I don't have any of the four your mentioned. I do however have a
VMP-2 modded by Stephen Sank and a Aphex 107. One a full tube, the other a
hybrid. They both have their uses and mostly I prefer the VMP-2 over the 107.

I had a Rolls RP220 and sold it because I didn't have many uses for it.
However, on some things it did a very good job so it's not trash.

Of course, financial limitations factor into everything we purchase. None of
my mics cost over a $1000 and that has not been a limiting factor on making
quality recordings. We have to work around issues in all our studios and I
happen to think it makes us better audio engineers. Just because I might have
a Manley or D.W. Fearn does not guarantee a "better" sounding session than I
could get with an Art or Behringer.

Scott summed it up nicely when he said we need to get over the tube thingy and
look for the best sounding preamp we can afford to buy.

As long as what I have recorded sounds better than what's playing in the
studio, I'm not interested in spending the mega bucks for high dollar "brand
names".

Just my view. :)

--Wayne

-"sounded good to me"-