Hello, I am in the market for purchasing a 4 input mic pre. I was looking
for recommendations for this group. I am not at all professional, this is
for a home studio that records in digital only, and I have gear that doubles
as gear for LIVE situations. The recordings I do are pop, rock, Latin, and
experimental, all with vocals. Right now, I have a Mackie 1202 VLZ, whose
shrill output bothers me (but I like it's 3 band EQ), and the Presonus Tube
Pre, which really warms up the recordings, but is one channel only.

I have no ribbon mics, and don't see one in my future. I don't need 90db of
super clean gain, therefore. I do have some decent LDCs and SDCs and the
normal stable of dynamic and condensers.

I am VERY comfortable with vintage equipment, I think tube warmth is very
important in circuitry, but I don't understand or know if Class A FET mic
pre's (or whatever) can simulate that same warmth very well or not. I also
don't have the exposure in real studios to be able to test a range of
equipment first, nor do I have buddies that can help. I am sort of shopping
blindly here.

With the Presonus, I can really HEAR the difference the tube warmth makes,
and I don't mind the coloration. I like WARMTH and MANAGEABILITY in tone
most of all. I like to gain ride my input to hear the way the output is. I
like simple big knobs and VUs and 3 page manuals, not black digital shrill
80's-style LED read-outs. Etc.

Online, I am scouring through OLD Altec pre amps, Soundtracs mixing
consoles, the Sytek MP-4a, etc, looking at specs and wondering which would
be correct. I think I have about $400 - $600 to spend, which I realize
isn't much, and puts me in the used, not pro range. That's OK. I am
intrigued by the Studio Projects stuff, the Behringer stuff, and wondering
if I could be happy with that. I am not a connoisseur of anything but wine,
so these brand names don't bother me. I have looked at 7th Circle Audio and
Hamptone, which are unfortunately way out of my price range - can I get 90%
of the way there?

I do have access to a good tech who can do modifications and upgrades, a la
new ICs, tubes, etc.

Any help is appreciated. Also, if you think I should be looking at
different criteria, please let me know.