Microphone Or Preamp? Money Saving Recording Setup!

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[@alphaomega6062]

I remember seeing a video where Young Guru recommended the best thing you could do was to get the best pre-amp you could afford so when you posed the question at the start of the video my hunch was that the pre-amp would be the determining factor. However the results you demonstrated were interesting. Thanks again.

[@WeissAdvice]

I think there's a degree of truth in that statement. But I think it's a little more washy than just spend the money on the pre.

[@yahsyout5450]

wish I had saw this video 2 years ago when I bought a TLM 103 and a focusrite 2i2. Safe to say I knew after a few months into recording that I had made a huge mistake lol

[@WeissAdvice]

the good news is that on the scale of microphones the TLM103 is not crazy expensive, and it's a solid microphone that will have plenty of use even if you get other microphones later. But ..... the Focusrite 2i2 is definitely... not great.

[@BillBene67]

Buy a used Universal Audio Apollo. Their Unison Pre-Amp plugins are incredible. A/D Conversion great as well. I have a 103 and some great hardware mic pres but the Unison pre-amps are incredible.

[@Mike_Benz_]

Another great video, you never fail Matt. I recently changed the tubes in my UA 610 Solo which I purchased a long time ago (12 plus years ago) because it was UA (I was young and wanted a good pre for around $900aud), the 610 was the only UA in that price range at the time, the UA Twin at the time was a few hundred more. Recently I was thinking of buying a new pre or changing the tubes in the UA 610 Solo, I decided to change the tubes as I don't want to get rid of the 610. I have always found the 610 to be a bit brittle/fizzy/sizzlely in the top end on vocals (which is what I primarily use it for and I have always felt a bit stupid for buy it for vocals) especially with cheaper mics. I replaced the tubes with Telefunken Tubes recently, a 12AT7 and a 12AX7, this made a difference in the overall sound of the pre, not massive to the average person, but massive for someone who uses this pre a lot (and knows its sound very well) as the top end is more controlled and the body of the sound comes across more natural. Changing the tubes (like having a good pre to begin with) has made my life easier down the road when mixing the sources recorded (vocals), less EQíng, DeEssing and handles processing a better. The UA 610 Solo is not the best pre (especially for vocals, nice on bass) but it is much better now with different tubes. I feel having a good preamp is very helpful in getting towards your end goal sooner, you can get some great mics for a decent price these days, and couple that with a good/great sounding pre and you will have some great sounding recordings if you are in a good/nice sounding (treated) environment.

[@WeissAdvice]

I kinda feel exactly the same way about the 610. It has a weird gloss to it - like the designer got a "tube" sound, and then said "but we can make it even tubier!". Unfortunately the stock tubes don't sound great in it, and they go out of spec pretty easily. It sounds good on bass and piano. And it's ok on anything else.

[@bamvoxstudios]

Awesome video. Once I got my Avalon 737, I've really had less desire for the super expensive mics.

[@WeissAdvice]

In a way what you are hearing is actually the preamp. The microphone really just supplies control voltage to the amplifier circuit.

[@MarcGallagherMusic]

An inspiring video. I currently use Ear Trumpet Labs and AKG C414 mics through my Focusrite 18i6. This has motivated me to get an outboard preamp now, not sure what to look for in the £500 range

[@IanJamesBeats]

I really appreciate the time spent to make this video. This is good stuff. 💪

[@WeissAdvice]

Thanks Ian!

[@michaelrice6620]

Definitely a better mic with no preamp is better than a cheap mic with a good preamp. But i will say for sure a decent sounding mic with a good preamp can do wonders!!

[@WeissAdvice]

"Better" of course being the operative word. Sometimes the cheap mic is better. But, yea, I would agree overall.

[@michaelrice6620]

@@WeissAdvice yeah i agree better doesnt necessarily mean more expensive mic. But it kind of does, which is my point. Example: there are tons of great mics around that $500-1k mark so it doesnt have to be expensive. That will do you better than running a $200 mic through a $3k preamp for vocals atleast. But to what your saying is right you can buy a 10k mic but if it doesnt fit your voice then its a waste of money.

[@AngloSaxon1]

I use a warm audio preamp, and it sounds great, it is the WA12.

[@WeissAdvice]

I've never used any warm preamps. I've used the LA2A clone... wasn't in love tbh, but seems like a pretty popular company.

[@AngloSaxon1]

@@WeissAdvice I find the warm audio mic preamps to be very smooth and warm. It is quite small, but that is something I like about it.

[@RedSpark_]

Super interesting demo. To me, the biggest change factors are room acoustics -> mic -> preamp. I hadn't thought of it that way but yeah, it totally makes sense to use cheaper mics so that you have options to match to the source.

[@WeissAdvice]

Room acoustics is definitely the unsung hero here. All of my voice overs sound pretty good no matter what mic and preamp combo I'm using, and that's because I have a super tight treated room. This allows me to get the ideal space from the microphone and the cleanest image of my voice coming in. A cheap set up will still perform pretty well under these conditions.

[@yahsyout5450]

this video was extremely helpful, thank you

[@WeissAdvice]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@chrisdavis9135]

Good one ... especially when owning a 4033a, but with that Avalon =🏆shall be looking into this further. 🙏🏿

[@WeissAdvice]

The AT4033a is the first really professional level mic I ever got, and I'm glad I still have it. I don't use it as much these days, but I still feel I can at least get "professional" results with it.

[@mrvron]

i think the tone beast by warm audio is a good preamp with a combination of the slate microphone

[@WeissAdvice]

Never used it. But warm certainly seems to be pretty popular.

[@damienowens242]

Great advise i've been trying to bite the bullet on a mic pre for my Manley Ref Cardioid mic for some time now and this answers a few questions i had, but i cant get past the price point while i'm still using the uad unison eco system. great vid!

[@zwicker5585]

Its hard to justify buying a pre amp when you can use uad and make the tone how you want in the digital space

[@WeissAdvice]

Could always sell the Ref C and get a better mic and pre for the price.... just my opinion (eek)

[@bigstevedzn2353]

I personally couldn’t live without my BAE 1073, but the UAD stuff is still really good. I was in the same position but with a u87

[@AutoclaveBeats]

Thank you for all the microphone videos...will you be doing a video highlighting microphone choices and genres? Am curious what your thoughts are on using a dynamic microphone for reggaeton or afrobeat vocals.... would it be a good choice?

[@WeissAdvice]

Woo... I don't know about reggaeton or afrobeat. I mean, the spirit is always in the creativity. But both of those genres tend to like a really bright vocal. And it's hard to get that brightness from a dynamic mic.

[@enricovaioli]

so great comparison mate! thanks

[@ReeseWitherknife]

Off topic, but would you PLEASE show how you did that sick wide bass synth for TT Freak? What an incredible mix.

[@WeissAdvice]

I did a mix walkthrough here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWHZd5Wahr6kgpo Dawty already had designed the bass to be a stereo bass. I just basically brought it out.

[@AlexValliMusic]

I find the Slate a bit darker overall. Especially with the M147

[@WeissAdvice]

Darker, maybe a hair less smooth in the upper mids. Sums it up.

[@ParadNorthProd]

That Avalon sounds great. Very noticeable. Almost creamy.

[@WeissAdvice]

Definitely has a little less grain to it.

[@m.i.stapes]

Is it the difference in the built-in saturation of a mic? A mic that has nice saturation characteristics on its own may not have as drastic a difference with the preamp while more transparent mics will benefit a lot from the nice saturation characteristics of a good preamp?

[@WeissAdvice]

Maybe. If I were to try to put a more technical guess to why I've come to this conclusion I would say maybe because the output impedance of the dynamic microphones don't bridge as nicely (which is what something like a Cloudlifter helps with), and/or the lower output of the dynamic requires more gain from the pre, so the pre has to work a little harder to produce the same level.

[@alexandre7634]

The Avalon sounds smooth to me, but the difference is not that big honestly, they both sound good ✌️

[@WeissAdvice]

I agree - I don't think it's the craziest difference ever. I think it's noticeable in all cases, and most distinct on the ND468 - but I think with a little EQ that gap could close to an extent.

[@chakr5135]

Great Video!

[@WeissAdvice]

Thanks Chakr!

[@rawlecollins455]

Matt, can you speak a little to matching mics to sources, specifically vocals? Thanks

[@WeissAdvice]

Hi Rawle! I sure can! Typically there are two main considerations: the sound of the voice, and the style of the vocalist/song. In regards to the style of the vocalist and song, we have to know if we are going for something specific. For example, my fiancé Mikkee really likes her voice on an RE20. It makes her voice very husky and smokey. Objectively, it is NOT the best representation of her voice, but it fits her style and aesthetic. In regards to the sound of the voice I usually like "the opposite rule". Dark, round voices really like bright or mid forward microphones. Nasal voices want mics that play up the lows and highs but suppress the mids. Bright voices like dark mics. So going back to Mikkee, she has a dark-ish round voice, so something like an 87 is a good pick. Akon on the other hand has a very very mid forward voice and sounds terrible on an 87 and much better on 47 style mics and 251 styles mics.

[@rawlecollins455]

@@WeissAdvice Solid (Wise) Advice as usual. Much appreciated!!!

[@matiasmarcodelpont353]

Great Video! But I'm still unsure about what to do. I have a Behringer C1 and a Focusrite 2i2. I use it to record voice, acoustic and classical guitar mostly. I'm not sure if I should invest on a better preamp, a mic or other things such as better room treatment, better monitors (I mix my own recordings). I though that the Focusrite was okay and I should buy a professional mic, but now I don't know any more :( Also, you talk about finding the best mic for your voice. But how do I know which one is the best for my voice?

[@WeissAdvice]

It really depends on your budget. In these circumstances, I would upgrade the mic first, but I think room treatment needs to come along with that. The benefit or room treatment is that it not only helps your recording, it also helps your monitoring.

[@yourgen1891]

You need the twice man.😊

[@amazeus1980]

Preamp! Now I will watch the video! 😂

[@ChristianBrewsMusic]

Great video Matt! I’m currently in the market for a new preamp & would like to purchase the Slate VMS-one. To my disappointment, I found out they’ve been discontinued. Do you know of any websites where I’d be able to purchase one?

[@WeissAdvice]

I didn't know they were out of print. Could get one on eBay. That said, the Slate is very neutral, which makes it useful in certain applications but might not be the best choice anyway for the price point. Audio likes neutral, music likes colorful.

[@ChristianBrewsMusic]

So I bought the Slate ML1 for Black Friday and I’m trying to figure out which preamp would pair best with it. I currently have a Focusrite 2i2 lol, so what do you suggest if I can’t find the Slate preamp? I’ve heard the Audient id14 works great but I’d like to gather more info before I purchase

[@PHENXM]

Hey Matt, thanks for all the great content! What's your opinion on the unison preamps on the Apollo Twin X's? For example the Neve 1073 or the Manley Voxbox? Will these emulations suffice for a great sounding vocal recording or is investing in a proper preamp the far better route? Considering the Apollo Twin X is a $1k investment. Edit: Also want to add that I'm using a Neumann TLM 102

[@WeissAdvice]

In my experience, they don't really do the job of the preamps they are emulating. In my personal opinion I think UA equipment is overpriced across the board, and not worth purchasing unless you are set on UA plugins.

[@PHENXM]

@@WeissAdvice Interesting, thanks for your input! Just might make a proper preamp my next gear purchase.

[@brettjr9521]

Avalon has more detail. You can almost hear everything letter in your words lol

[@WeissAdvice]

I agree. I think it's the clarity of everything that makes it sound bigger. And when used a mic that needs a little help in the clarity department it makes the most difference.

[@rundajulesproductions7735]

I actually liked the AT mic with the Slate better than the Avalon. I have an AT4040 I really like. I bet it would really 'sing' with that Slate pre-amp. The quality of the dynamic mic with both pre-amps was pretty good! Of, course the Neumann sounds great but I wasn't born into that caste. I love my Apollo and it's various options of Unison Pre-Amps to choose from. I usually use the cleanest sound for tracking, but then have some room for a little heavier handed tone shaping during the mix with more drive from the same pre-amp, or a little different color from another brand. Since most people are recording a vocal that is going to be mixed with music, judging what you need exactly based on the vocal by itself is hard. It would be like mixing each track Solo'd out and then expecting them to sound right playing together later. Thanks for the info!

[@WeissAdvice]

Yea - the most ideal way to test would be to have two of each microphone, very closely matched, and record sources for a music bed. Little out of budget for the purpose of this video though - I wasn't born into that caste.

[@rundajulesproductions7735]

@@WeissAdvice I meant that more of a comment about how I track with less and then add more in the mix process when it becomes clearer where the vocal needs it and not as a fault of your video, which is useful info. And I concur that on a shoestring budget you'll be better to splurge on the pre-amp vs the mic. But also, you can get a plethora of in the box pre-amps (emulations) for coloration, but you actually really have to have a mic. I don't have the dough now, but if I would have known I could get that Slate pre-amp for $300 as actual gear, I might have gone that route instead of the Antelope Audio and UAD interfaces I got which only had pre-amp emulations. Beside whatever is actually on the interface itself. Know what I mean Brah-man? (Thats another caste joke.)

[@pickflip113]

Mommy made me mash my M&M’s got quite the chuckle out of me.

[@WeissAdvice]

That's a classic LOL

[@panickedrobert]

All I can say is: "Mommy made me mash my M&M's" Great video, great conclusion.

[@WeissAdvice]

Mashed M&Ms aren't even good.... never understand the obsession

[@Arcessitor]

Would it be fair to say that with a cleaner, more neutral preamp like the Slate, you can actually push saturation and other types of external coloring further? Because, at least in music production, this is a very well-established thing about "too neutral/clean/plastic" sounds like Serum. It's an impressive piece of coding to get a VST that clean, but having the Serum sound as is is always going to have it stand out in an uncanny valley sort of way due to its cleanliness. However, the counterpoint to that is that, while using saturation to gel that into your track, you can actually push sounds WAY further without breaking them. Is the same thing, in your experience, true of neutral preamps like this? Cause if so, that might be a major selling point for me, being that I produce mainly EDM. Being able to manipulate sounds further is nearly always a good thing for me.

[@WeissAdvice]

Absolutely. The purpose of the Slate preamp is to work in conjunction with the VMS modeling software - which is basically EQ and Saturation designed to mimic the sound of classic microphones (check my U87 comparison as an example). My only qualm with the Slate pre is that the top is not quite as smooth as I would like, but that's just me being nitpicky.

[@DjBydLo]

I heard Avalon`s colour in other video. To me is overkill, probably you can colour it downstream with plug-ins but you can uncolour it after it does it`s saturation. Probably is not that the Avalon is a better performer, it just that we like saturation, but if it happens that you dont want saturation then a clean gain preamp is better. Also to me Avalon lacks the low end. It is a metter of taste, but i consider that a 200 hundred preamp with a 1000$ microphone is better than a coloured boutique overkill preamp of 2000$ and a even more weirdly unprecise high frequency boosted 200$ microphone.

[@WeissAdvice]

Thanks for tuning in Gustavo!

[@hitmakerstudio6405]

This is complete irrelevant! I think you need to clean up that hiss on your mic signal first... is very Bad my friend 😅😂

[@vee075]

Its about quality, I can make a 99 dollar yamaha medium condenser, and make it sound just like a AKG 214, a 500 dollar mic with the right preamp, a 500 dollar warm preamp, or get the 1000 dollar mic on some cheaper preamps and get the same results. research and go for quality. "find the middle ground" - Jesus, your Lord and Savior, just accept it. lol