Turtlerock Forum

I currently own great river and daking pre's, both I'm extremely happy with but I'd like to add a tube flavor to my selection and was wondering what the brain trust of TR opinions are.

Unfortunately my budget is not great at this time say around 1kish.

The UA610 comes to mind but what else is out there.

As always thanks in advance.

http://www.sebatron.com/2000eVU.html

If you are patient, they often pop up on ebay for a bargain ($800ish)...

You could get a V72 for that if you look hard enough. They are as good as everybody says they are. Might not get one that is racked with phantom etc. Did Angus sell his?
Somebody was selling a Mercury M72 on Gearslutz recently, but it's a little more ($1400). I haven't heard them.

Sammas wrote:http://www.sebatron.com/2000eVU.html

If you are patient, they often pop up on ebay for a bargain ($800ish)...

Mmm.

Don't really want or need stereo and as much as I respect sebatron there is something about the sound that doesn't quite do it for me, never been able to put my finger on it though.

Chinagraf wrote:You could get a V72 for that if you look hard enough. They are as good as everybody says they are. Might not get one that is racked with phantom etc. Did Angus sell his?
Somebody was selling a Mercury M72 on Gearslutz recently, but it's a little more ($1400). I haven't heard them.

A V72 would be near the top of my list. I've only ever used one once but I must admitt, it has 'the mojo'.

I thought they would be way out of my price range.

Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Thanks.

Hi Mark,

It's nearly impossible to say exactly what "tube flavour" is - or if it even exists really, there being tube pres that are on the super clean and transparent side, and others that provide various (starkly different) flavours of thick, edgy, creamy or distorted - and everything in between. So - pretty much the same range and variation as we all experience with SS preamps.

But regardless, if you chance to stumble on a used GT ViPre (they're discontinued and don't come up all that often) you could do a lot worse. The ViPre is very solid, lots of tubes, lots of options/variations, big iconic sound, it does some things that most other pres don't (variable impedance etc) and well worth the coin they go for!

Cheers,
Ray

Hi Mark,

I suggest having a look at Analogue Addicts rebuilt vintage gear - I have a few of his units (multi-tube pre, multi-tube 'verbs and a germanium pre) and they sound very nice if you like that big, vintage sound
e.g.: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/9910326/Vintag ... %20mix.jpg

I haven't used a lot of pres, but if you can find a Rola 77 mkIII that has had the Rob Squire treatment, you're in business...

If only... /drool

http://www.turtlerockmastering.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6864&p=57874&hilit=v72#p57874

There's been a bunch of good stuff for sale on ebay recently, can't believe some of the prices either.
Another one to keep an eye out for is the Dex audio valve preamps. I have one and I love it.

Here are 2 worth considering, I have no connections with these...

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/150946946046 ... 500wt_1182

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/A-Designs-MP ... fe2&_uhb=1

we have V76, V72, Byer66, Rola 77, LA610, UA6176.. all valve..

i love them all..
the V76 are fat, V72 perfect (or not as fat), the byer is nasty (i love it) the 77 is as good a they get, i love the LA610 on bass and vocals and the 610 side of the 6176 is great on guitars.

vocal pre, V76 or V72, LA610, usually in that order for me...

I have the Mercury M72 which is based on the V72. It runs with the EF86 tubes. Has all the bits you need, I.E phantom, DI, Pads & phase. It's in a 2 space rack. Sounds fantastic. Super clean if need be or dirt it up to suit.

You can pick them up second hand for a very reasonable price.

http://www.mercuryrecordingequipment.com/products/m72s/

i've had a few of the above.

well i'm sellin my v72 (to phil here on forum).

it sounded much better than the m72 that i once owned which was wooly to me. that one i had used to belong to aearth here and he really liked it at the time? for me it was good not great.
the tab funkenwerk v78m was really nice at lower gain settings and more like the v72 to me, but kinda big on upper mid when pushed. the switch was very noisy too.
if this had di on it i wouldve kept it, but ended up wanting the real thing instead, with bells and whistles?

if i were better at mixing i could definitely use them all no issues.
i think, think. not sure that the mercury and tab have way more clean gain though?

alas, i almost always use api preamps now or variants of. it gets me closer to the sound i want, at the moment. funnily enough, i like the seventh circle a12 better than the api real thing because of output and input trim, instead of 20db pad option. they sound 99% the same.

if i had bags of money, i'd keep the v72's as they're a classic.

but if you want a thick sound, try strapping a compressor not doing much on your vocal. i've found this does more to thicken than a mic pre can.

+1

LA 610 on bass and female vocals + La2a for me

headman

People seem to have different experiences with the same pres, I wonder how much would be down to the age/ condition/ choice of tubes?

age / condition of the operator?

rob wrote:age / condition of the operator?

Mark, did you find a pre? I have a Sebatron Thorax bought new , about 5 years old and barely used - my desires were bigger than my needs. It's in perfect nick and wasting away doing nothing , Has a great opto-comp built in and serious VU metering.
Am after around $1100 for it , it needs to go to a good home.
Cheers, Ross

reddirt wrote:Mark, did you find a pre? I have a Sebatron Thorax bought new , about 5 years old and barely used - my desires were bigger than my needs. It's in perfect nick and wasting away doing nothing , Has a great opto-comp built in and serious VU metering.
Am after around $1100 for it , it needs to go to a good home.
Cheers, Ross

I havent found one yet, but I'm looking into options ATM.

I will decline on the thorax.

Cheers.

I'll chip in for the Avalon 737

Real nice open sounding valve pre, very usable EQ, very usable compressor too - I especially love chasing it with the Retro STA or LA2A. I find the pre just the tiniest bit light in the mids, but with a forward sounding mic it completely changes its tune.

Excellent DI for bass/guitars also, can't argue with the bang for your buck- and build quality is fantastic

Reason I'm suggesting it here Mark is because I find it particularly great with a nice U87

oh ... Avalon 737. If interested in a fully refurbished 737 with proharmonic warranty, shoot me an email.