Lunchbox Preamp Shootout

Testing some fantastic lunchbox Pre Amps , AEA RPQ500 ,APIc,Shadow Hills Mono Gama , Buzz Audio Elixir ,A Designs P1

[@HK-rd5pt]

It trains your ear to listen more which is what I like about these test. This test is particularly revealing in how subtle the differences are between high end pres. Most of the differences I hear are in the attack of the player (harder hits with the API/ Shodw Hills has a couple hard hits in there which makes it sound just like the API). In the end not a single listener is going to notice other than audio engineers. Most musicians could not even tell the difference. All of these sound good. All of them could be used to make a great album.

[@ndavies8]

True, 7 years on.

[@andrewman12]

That is the funniest looking drumming I've ever seen. Thanks for the upload.

[@Lexxo777]

good groove tho

[@YouriLigotmi]

Thank you for the test. The Coles 4038 as such a strong personality on the mono overhead test that it overtakes the différences in sound and character between the pres.

[@MrNicknayme]

Awesome! Thank you. Came here to check out the sound of the Shadow Hills pre, but was amazed with the API on snare, and got a good sense of what the Shadow Hills pre is about. Thanks!

[@andrewman12]

I was impressed by the buzz audio sound

[@angusfarheath]

Yes the Buzz has got so much going for it, :)

[@tradehut2782]

API 512c sounds the most musical to me

[@gutekzpoligonu]

Shadow Hills Mono Gama won IMO acoustic case. It's the mids/lows that made it sounded like warm summer rain but the diferences were just subtel. REASON FOR EDIT: I corrected the stupid grammar mistakes that I've made ;)

[@soslolosos]

That's right. But at the end of the day you don't want an acoustic guitar to sound like this in a final mix. You want a guitar sound like it sounds through the API 512c. Bright, clean and present.

[@GabrielEspinal]

warm summer rain

[@MotneNielsen]

to be honest ..i cant really hear a difference ???

[@experiment0003]

change careers

[@4711shaun2]

@@experiment0003 why be a dick? he's right.. the differences are so subtle it doesn't really matter.

[@marbar1844]

@@4711shaun2 all due respect, if you don’t have an experience where a change in preamp made all the difference in a mix... this does not in any way mean that a minute difference is irrelevant. They can all theoretically work, sure... but some work more. That’s no knock on anybody who doesn’t understand this. But it’s also in no way a dick move to suggest if you don’t hear a difference, you are not qualified to judge the value of the difference you don’t hear.

[@4711shaun2]

@@marbar1844 but he was an a-hole about it. The guy was just being honest saying he didn't hear any significant difference.. in this case it was miniscule... the "in no way a dick move" would be to point out something enlightening to help him.. not tell him to "change careers". And don't give me a condescending lecture on mic pres.. i've got a few.

[@martijn_nl]

All microscopic differences between those pre's are easily fixed using a bit of eq. The tonal balance of the API was most different from the others but I doubt who will hear that in a mix. These are all fine preamps.

[@NickAnanas]

there something very good in the overtones with the Buzz Audio Elexir and the AEA RPQ500

[@phuzbrain]

API for all... it is very clear, articulate and up front.

[@kpnutz52]

I really enjoyed the A designs on pretty much everythig. Followed by buzz audio and api.

[@choppie61]

All very good preamps. Thanks for the great shootout. A few I have in my studio. Actually I like them all. I am a drummer and use API512c and CAPI312 on snare but prefer the A-designs on overheads. Somehow they seems to have more space than the API. I also think that the Buzz and P1 are close in character. I could use each of them and finally be happy when it comes to mixing.

[@yannseiyann3169]

Thanx! amazed by the sound of the Coles on OH! Thats funny, I wouldn't have made the same choices as you did. Really liked the gama for taming transient opposed to the api. Really depends on what you need for your recordings...Personnaly i didn't like really much the buzz audio, for me it sounds "cheap" on almost every source. Except this one, all preamps sounded good depends on what you need...What were the settings on the gama? (nickel, steel dicrete?)

[@musicdriven888]

Thank you for the video. Very insightful!

[@JonnyDurango]

Also, the P1 sounded best in everything perhaps maybe snare, to me (I'd give the 512 the edge there). Thanks for the video though. Very cool!

[@TiplingRock]

Great comparison! The fast and seamless switches make it easy to hear subtle differences. Would you mind sharing how you split the signal from one mic into all of those preamps simultaneously? I'd love to know so I could run shootouts like this while reducing as many variables as possible.

[@angusfarheath]

+Tipling Rock We did it on the parallels on the patchbay, so it just duplicates the signal from the mic however many times to then go into each preamp separately. Think it's probably the most accurate way of doing that sort of test. The only slight disadvantage is that the impedance loading of the microphone won't vary as much as if the mic was plugged individually into each mic pre, meaning that the differences are probably a bit more subtle in the test we did using parallels. There will be info on how to make up parallels on the web

[@JonnyDurango]

What setting is used on the SH? Nickel, Steel or Discreet? Honestly, it seems kind of unfair to pick just one setting (if that's what was done)....one of the biggest advantages of this pre is that it offers 3 different characters to suit the application.

[@karlmoore6354]

The shadow hills was the only one that actually sounded different to me. It was a little fuller on the acoustic.

[@Lexxo777]

Very good point!

[@titansilva24]

What about the P-1? I thought is sounded great

[@thiago-kaz]

Thank you for this. I loved API (what are those mids?!?) and Shadow Hills. Shadow Hills seems to be more balanced. 1:47 2:00 2:13 2:26 2:40 2:57 3:10 3:24 3:39 3:49

[@angusfarheath]

You bet!

[@russellwilson9740]

Shadow and A designs for acoustic imo.

[@michaelc3747]

Was the Shadow Hills tested in its discrete mode?

[@davpaulaprod5362]

I really like the sound of that snare. Please, can you tell me more about it?

[@angusfarheath]

Hi , It is a Sonor Lite 14 inch maple shell , it is fantastic , every now and again you find Sonor lines for sale on eBay , solid stuff , it was sold in the 80's , if you find a whole kit , you should consider buying it , the whole thing sounded MASSIVE

[@huss03]

AEA...which I think was designed by Fred Forssell...no wonder it sounds good...

[@sebastiandiaz8989]

I know Api´s quality is great but I have also heard that the pad is terrible is it true?

[@angusfarheath]

+Sebastian Diaz The pad has never bothered me

[@omaralbertoduranlara5000]

the p1 a desing sounded great on everything no mamen!!

[@MattsterFelix]

i wish you did a vocal test too :/

[@RaJuRMusica]

I agree. not much different, which one of 2 things.......you have the same taste in pres OR someone didnt edit this video

[@stephenoconnor6756]

Was any Eq added or just straight preamps as I have the Aea 19 rack and the eq is great ??

[@angusfarheath]

Stephan , no eq was added , just the straight preamps ,but I agree the AEA eq is very nice

[@sebaslap]

P1 all the way

[@russellwilson9740]

I can work with any of them. Obviously.

[@christopherventer6391]

No fault of the recording, but man that blackstar sounds bad to me. I don't know what it is with them but they always seem to be very flubby and hazy.

[@RaJuRMusica]

I remember my Mono Gama Well!!!!!!

[@davideacme6964]

hahahaha alla fine il batterista è morto