pete wrote:
So why is there the obsession with preamps? I see all the time the
comparisons... this vs. that, the supposed classic Neve 1073 sound,
this one is best on vocals, that one is best on drums, all the
overwhelming preamp choices, the "vintage" sound, the "tube" sound,
preamps better suited to rock, preamps better suited to folk...is it
all just overblown hype?

It's not all hype, and it is sort of nice to have a few different colors
to work with. And the truth is that most cheap gear today has really
awful built-in preamp sections, so there is a need for outboard gear.

But most of it is marketing, yes. It's easy to sell someone a preamp
and hard to sell them a new room.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."