I Compared My DIY MIC PRE to a REAL NEVE 1073 and Was SHOCKED!

[@Meteotrance]

The Neve have a crazy good mid range the high and low frequency are a bit smooth, but what make this sound cool is the smooth mid range that was surprisingly very detail in this time of everything is digital and neutral clean it give that old mixing desk warm .

[@jacobseal]

Both sound great to me. Diyre is a solid company. Its a good product. Sounds way better than the GAP pre-73 in the same price point....assuming you can solder.

[@jongriffin2608]

I like this DIYRE, excellent value, been tempted. The Neve, is a touch more refined, noticeably so in the highs but likely across the frequency spectrum. £3000 better? Well, I’ve always considered this to be a strange way to evaluate high end against budget. If product A is better than B, its better. Typically, what we are really noticing is one product is ‘perfectly realised’ while the other approximates that ‘perfection’. To that end : Yes, the Neve is better and it is worth the extra cost.

[@Soso-km8er]

AMS Neve knows what they are doing. I have vintage 1073 modules but would not worry to change them against AMS Neves top of the line stuff. As these modules were about the price as the remakes back then I happily keep them. That said, a Neumann V476b does make me just as happy with their lively vibe and those were much more affordable.

[@garyshirinian]

For the price, I'll take DIYRE 73P. THE ONLY THING, I WISH IT HAD XLR IN THE FRONT PANEL. THX FOR SHARING

[@strayesignal9312]

DIY sounds a bit brittle and less low end maybe- could change after being broken in- would need more comparisons - good job still! CAPI does some good DIY stuff allegedly!

[@simmermusic3894]

Great comparison, really enjoy these types of videos and DIY equipment! I would say that for the money that DIY pre is impressive! I could picture using a whole bunch together as a budget solution to track drums and getting analog Neve style flavour going. If I'm going to be picky about it, the Neve does sound somewhat smoother and less harsh to my ears but I also have the Neve 1073 at my home studio so maybe I'm biased lol!

[@ThemFuzzyMonsters]

The AMS-NEVE seems more “scooped” and therefore a bit more pleasing. The DIY is more “mids fowards”. They both have their place, but are not substitutes for one another. It shouldn’t be too hard to make the DIY sound like the AMS.

[@thomasvopstal]

How would you go about the process of making the DIY sound more like the neve?

[@BonziRecording]

I'd like to see all these people who hear differences go through a blind test. I personally don't hear that much difference between the 2 pres.

[@thomasvopstal]

I’ll just swap them next time and see how many of them still prefer the neve😅

[@ludovicmorelon6771]

The neve sounds larger, has more low end and more mid range magic. But the neve is also 6,5 times more expensive.

[@Mr_A99]

The AMS Neve, sounds a bit bigger and has a little more low's (not much tho') but just a tiny bit more than the DIY 73 overall

[@kevinbatchelor9566]

The AMS sounds cleaner on the vocal, to me. The kick doesn't really reveal much. The DIY kit is probably a great value and I am sure it was fun to build. Win, win.

[@AnwaarAliOfficial]

Can you do a comparison of Neve preamp vs the preamp on an average audio interface?

[@craigligman]

The DIY does not sound the same as the Neve but pretty close. If the DIY was your only pre you might want to rethink it, but I would just use it and consider it another flavor much like you would using a different pre or mic for the job needed i.e. brighter darker or little more grit etc!

[@rocketsauce5067]

Do a null test.

[@Rhuggins]

Hey can you please share your honest opinion of that Warm 1B? I know you have spent a lot of time with the original and I trust you

[@thomasvopstal]

I like it for what it is, but it’s not a cl1b replacement

[@G_handle]

Does the AMS sound 'rounder' and the DIYRE 'sharper'. The DIYRE vocal sounded more 'urgent' and upfront to me, while the AMS more relaxed. But a Neve is 'supposed to be' more Rolls Royce is it not. For an edgy urgent Pre, I think you'd reach for something else traditionally, no?

[@Tzwaans]

Now do an AML with the EQ addon! And compare all of them :)

[@thomasvopstal]

Definitely looking into trying the AML

[@Tzwaans]

Can you shoot me a Dm? I have a few of them. If you want you can test ‘m out. 🎉

[@BenCohen-q7v]

I think they sound the same. The mic is far more important and there’s already a great transformer in the diyre

[@ssserotonin1373]

Good content

[@lmrecordings]

Ams has more body and grit but I still like the bae version much better

[@FortheSoulFtS]

The diy stuff sounds better to me on the vocal lol. I cant hear the difference on the kick.

[@braxal6983]

I see you have a Cranborne HE2. Do you like it? Please advise.

[@thomasvopstal]

Got it on demo for now. Haven’t spent enough time on it yet to advise

[@stevedoesnt]

I’ll bet they sounded as similar as the AMS Neve to any other AMS Neve.

[@thomasvopstal]

Ill try with my other one😅

[@teddycook1299]

The really funny thing about everyone saying the AMS clearly sounds better is it’s actually much less authentic than the DIYRE clone. AMS has gone all-surface-mount with their components, completely changed the layout, and started outsourcing their transformer production to China; whereas the DIYRE clone uses Carnhills, which as I understand it are made on the same machines by the same blueprints as those who made the St Ives transformers found in most vintage Neves. They also made an effort to put “correct” component types at crucial points in the circuit (tantalum caps, closer transistor selection, etc.) Remember, AMS owns the name, but they’re building clones at this point as well. The BAE unit is much closer in terms of layout and component selection than anything else…including anything from AMS. I have used vintage 1073’s and 31102’s, and have built several AML ez1073’s. I’d like to build the DIYRE kit as well, and maybe buy a BAE or two someday. But I will never buy a product from AMS as I believe they’ve been disrespectful to Mr. Neve by changing his designs so much and trying to sell them as the same product. This goes for the 1073, 2254, 33609, all of them. Not to say they sound bad, but to say they sound exactly the same is a bit silly.

[@thomasvopstal]

I believe you’re referring to the 1073N, which is a fair bit cheaper than the classic module. I’ll open it up to confirm, but i believe the classic module is handwired and through hole, like the original.

[@lilwombat]

The DIY sounds less saturated maybe drive it more and compensate after

[@twitchbook-1]

i wonder how performs with the emi filter?

[@thomasvopstal]

Which emi filter is that?

[@twitchbook-1]

@@thomasvopstal emi filter tame the dc noise in the signal, difference between are dc noise in the signal and low mids increase between 200 and 420 hz, pretty good measure current consumption between the 2

[@ParadNorthProd]

Hopefully, at some point, someone will doing a comparison where they ACTUALLY use the preamp, instead of just running line-level audio through it.

[@mirkomarkovic3438]

And how would you do that?

[@ParadNorthProd]

@@mirkomarkovic3438 a splitter is one way. A reamping box is another way. 2 of the same mics is a third (depending on how close the mics are matched)

[@mirkomarkovic3438]

@@ParadNorthProd and neither will work. A splitter will load a mic differently so it won't sound right. A reamp box is for getting a line signar to an instrument signal (level, impedance...) and 2 of the same mics won't capture the source the same because they can't be in the same spot. That is why most people are doing it this way

[@thomasvopstal]

Oh i will definitely do that at some point! i just didnt have the time for it (as i also mention in the video) and just my voice isnt that great of a comparison either i feel

[@thomasvopstal]

That’s why the best way is still doing 2 seperate takes. Same mic, just a different pre. And yes, a different performance, but if the dofference is not night and day, i’m not spending an extra $3400 on something

[@Madrrrrrrrrrrr]

Night and day but you don't feed a line input into 1073. You use a very good mic. This is a mic pre! And best is a vintage one to get the sound of a certain time period and also compare it with another cheaper or different mic pre so you have a better feeling what a 1073 does! Also that kick had no transients. I don't dislike the kick but a lot of clones of vintage gear have that bass and high boost while a lot originals have that magic mid range. On a full freq kick you hear much better what the clone does. Anyway I understand this takes a lot of time but i rather wait days for a good video then people just trying to flood the content stream. White Sea Studio gives me that same vibe and a lot of audio and gear channels do this too. And most of them feel like a sale pitch and entertainment instead of serious about audio and in depth info. Also a bit typically Dutch. I rather watch a German channel where they go all the way and is a surprise for my ears and mind.

[@thomasvopstal]

All good, everyone is entitled to their own taste. I like to do things my way, if that’s not for you, it’s not for you🙏

[@nath7185]

Can hear the transient difference on that kick quite a bit actually. AMS kinda bounces back - listen to the kinda "slap" after the initial transient. Still there in the DIYRE but much less pronounced. On the vocals, the AMS sounded less bright and as if the funamental of the vocal was a little more present. Either way it's a 5/10% difference that you could account for with other processing. Just one less thing in the chain with the AMS

[@Vocalisto]

17:25 if you want to skip all the bla bla and just want to hear them in action ;)

[@thomasvopstal]

Bla bla

[@AOEarlobe]

It's not that bad a unit the DIY RE, has only slightly less body.. But who would know in the mix! like anyone cares what you have used as long as the finished song sounds good?

[@eancurtis9333]

Diy definitely thin sounding

[@extendeadclips8210]

Diyre sounds way less 3D than AMS neve 1073

[@rtd1052]

So close

[@Bauf_Beats]

Neve Clean - DIY noisy (