Neve 1073 ｜ Most OVERRATED preamp ever!!??

So is the Neve 1073 THE most overrated preamp In the history of recording!? Does the preamp even matter? In today's episode I will compare a clean preamp; Rme Ufx Gen1 against a AML 1073ez (rack version).
Vocal Microphone: Neumann m269c**
Follow me on Instagram:
christian_s...
Link to the raw files & mix:
drive.google.com/file/d/1rhkc...
00:00 Intro
01:16 My backstory
05:40 Test information
06:33 Comparison
09:06 Outro

[@Christian_svedin]

I did some more comparisons between a Neve vintage and Stam/AML/Gap73DLX. Check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6mWe5uqebWKgLc

[@vontreherumaiBH]

Neve sounds insane . Wats the interface you used and did you use a hardware compressor? Wats your chain in this one.. please

[@Christian_svedin]

@@vontreherumaiBH hey! Rme ufx gen 1. I'm quite sure I didn't use any HW compr. I tend to go very light on compress on this kind of music. Ride clip gain in PT, vocal rider and a few more things. Also the mic was a 10k Neumann m269c.

[@vontreherumaiBH]

@@Christian_svedin thanks for that answer.. sounds really really good , trying to get my rap vocals to sound natural just like that . It’s been hard

[@Christian_svedin]

@@vontreherumaiBH for pop I'd prob compress more. CL1b or comp3a if you're on a budget. Adding a fast comp like an 1176 can also be a good idea. ITB works great though. It's more about skill, production etc to be able to achieve pro results thede days. Good luck!

[@vontreherumaiBH]

@@Christian_svedin I just got the comp3a with the 710 uad preamp and Audient id44 .. sounds more alive then my last setup definitely but that neve sound I miss cus I use to have the Steinberg ur-rt2 wit Rupert neve transformers.. thanks

[@MrDarkSide111]

So I’ve had this discussion many times and my take is always that single tracks can be very close in comparison. There are a lot of great preamps that can hold up to the 1073 in one on one tracking. However, it is when you record a multitude of tracks using the 1073 that the difference starts to become more and more noticeable.

[@SirRodney4Ever]

As with EVERY piece of gear. When you blend all of those tracks and the saturation and all of the juice of the gear is stacked you hear a difference in the end. Like with ssl 4000e series eq’s you get a thin, detailed slick sound when all vocals are mixed with it. But with a Rupert Neve 551 eq’s is a brighter thicker sound not as detailed. Then with the neve 1073 its a character sound.

[@BkuBrown]

@@SirRodney4Ever what if your only recording vocals? Will only have 3 or so tracks to mix? Hardly stacking

[@SirRodney4Ever]

@@BkuBrown its still a slight difference. Quality is all. Its on you to decide whether its substantial or not. Im glad I got the best of both worlds. The plugins to water the sound down and then the analog to solidify

[@OperationChicago]

Yelppppp

[@shaft9000]

Stacking characteristics is a game of what you are after: "balanced vs pushed one way or another". It starts with aesthetic choice, and runs up against some practical and preferential limits as the iterations progress. For example with electric guitar, before it hits any pedals or amp a player's "sound identity" /timbre (not 'tone'... that's a low-pass filter knob lol, or in fact tonic intervals) starts with these variables, in order of overall impact to how the guitar plays and sounds: - fingerstyle vs pick, and then - single coil/P90 vs humbucker, then - roundwound vs flatwound strings and their action setup Each point is a potential dichotomy of "sharp vs smooth" (attack and overtone propagation) and filtering the partial's response of the string through the pickups i.e. "bright vs dark', 'nasal vs full' and so on. Also the balance (or imbalance) of _transient vs sustain._ TL;DR you can _stack_ the acoustic variables to go further in one timbral direction - or _balance_ them towards a neutral response - well before you've introduced any electronics.

[@danielc4361]

The winner here is that voice :)

[@adidan9173]

i fully agree !!!!

[@garbygarb31]

It's autotuned.

[@nathan7265]

The loser is the overdrive.

[@truemanamplification9317]

Man, singing so great😊😊 I just forgot for what I came here 👏👏👏 great and beautiful

[@eddyvilar]

Agreed! AND it can’t be overstated that it’s one thing to intentionally get that “color” on certain sources but if EVERYTHING is forced in that box then of course there won’t be any separation. I actually loved the 73 fuzz on his voice. It brought focus but I liked the clarity in the effects of the GTR with the clean pre. So like he stated at the beginning, it’s preference and I completely agree that if your mic already has transformer or tube color then just maybe a 73 might be a little much on saturation end of things. It’s all about pairing the correct sources together. I personally pairing one with the opposite thing. So colored mic with a clean pre or a clean mic with a colored pre for contrast but that’s just me. 😊🙏🏼

[@SmithStNicholas]

listening on studio monitors - the 1073 just sounds incredible, sounds so full and warm. wasn't expecting it to be the clear winner for me given the title!

[@raymaghami4657]

by 1073 do you mean the Neve or the AML 1073? Thanks

[@PoppybLuntz]

exactly!!! its so crunchy. the other RME sounded really flat.

[@UKNamaste]

Great voice. Neve wins for me here, smoother with better mids.

[@LarryLobo]

1073 is harmonically rich!

[@tombuur]

Thanks for doing this. I have downloaded your files and experimented with 1073 plugins on the RME version to make it sound like the Neve version. I intended ordering an AMS 1073, but to my ears I get sufficiently close with plugins, so I changed my mind.

[@andrianarisonnjato1667]

What do you guys think of AMS 1073 DPA for audio and saxophone recording? Not many videos of it on KZbin. I’m planning on buying it instead of the DPX because of budget and also purpose of use (amateur player saxophone here)

[@DMKahn]

I much preferred the Neve, it really made the vocal come to the front with its additional harmonic character and bit of brightness. I’m sure you could get close with plugins and the RME but man that thing is ready to go straight from the 1073. Cheers

[@berdeauxlaveau6515]

SECONDARY HARMONNICS

[@krislor8415]

Hey Christian , thank you for this shootout . i've listened on my A8Xs. the differences were very subtles, almost no existent. However , to get my bearings i went to listen the 2 masters in my car, and there, i felt the differences (in the treble) , Always subtle but better on the 1073 ; great voice ... guy ! i want to buy this preamp , i wrote a mail to Colin , i would like to know if i can buy ez1073 version rack ready to use (assembled pcb + chassis, knobs) because i don't want to put my hands inside. i'm waiting his response .

[@Christian_svedin]

Yeah the 1073 is a bit smoother. I can see why people would like that! My main issue is the lowmid boost which I did not like compared to my Crane song preamp. But I'm sure you'll dig it :)

[@billesposito2112]

Are you starting with the Trim or output all the way up because that's how they are made to run at optimal sound. I just found this out . I was setting it wrong with my output set to 50 % . It sounds a 100 times better when used with the output knob all the way up then turn the red gain up slowly till u find your levels and it sounds tremendous. I wasn't impressed myself before either.

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

Hi guys. I have just purchased a Neve 1073 3Lb preamp. And the manual says it was designed to work with the API Lunchbox. But the smallest API now is 6 slots which I dont need. So my question is this : Will the Neve 1073 3Lb work with a BAE 3Lb 3 Channel 500 series rack ? Or do I HAVE to buy the API 6 slot ?

[@anthonyrock5039]

Hope you have long resolved this. It can work with any number slot LB 🎉hope you enjoy

[@Christian_svedin]

The mic used in the test is a Neumann m269c not a sm7b. Just for clarification :)

[@surgicalaudio8829]

Hi thanks for the comparison ! And amazing performance ! I think it would be great to do those kind of test in a blind test situation ! I'm sure gear people will hear things differently.. Cheers !

[@milanthedrummer]

Wow, this performance was just amazing. I think i was just blown by the song doesn't matter if it's neve or rme.

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks! 😊

[@andrewjmcgee]

i agree... doesn't really matter if the songs speaks.

[@MuSiCPrOdUcEr777]

I wonder if the sound would be closer if on the rme rec get 2 inches or 3 closer to the mic to get a little more warmth, would that be closer in tone perhaps?

[@Christian_svedin]

Probably not. The Rme doesn't saturate like the AML so It's better to find that color somewhere else. Saturation plugin etc (y)

[@MuSiCPrOdUcEr777]

@@Christian_svedin So closer to mic to get darker fuller tone & sat plug for harmonics. Let's hear if it can be achieved to match neave or clone! Subscribers would it sound the same? Comparison?

[@Christian_svedin]

@@MuSiCPrOdUcEr777 I don't think it matters in that sense if you're closer or far away from the mic. I mean ofc you will have greater proximity effect. But how the preamp saturates is more about how hot you drive it and what kind of pre you use. I think you can get fairly close with plugins. Does it matter probably not in the great scheme of things. What matters is how you feel when you track.

[@JaeBTundra1]

Can you test out the new neve 88m interface and use 1073 with it?

[@eds4754]

wait, did you use a splitter cable to send to both preamps? that’s going to fuck with the impedance load on the mic and make it sound wrong to both pre’s. There are some mic splitter boxes that can account for this so you can send one source to two preamps. Worth bearing in mind a Neve’s impedance changes when you go to the higher gain settings (so really it can be 300/600 or 1200 Ohms). All will load the microphone differently and cause it to behave in a different way

[@Christian_svedin]

Yes I'm afraid so. A friend pointed out the same thing 🙈 Not scientific by any means so take it for what it is. I'm gonna keep that in mind for future tests. Thanks!

[@eds4754]

@@Christian_svedin Unfortunately none of the gear was designed to work in that way and it won’t yield the intended results like this :( if you test again, it would be cool to hear you dial in the Neve to its sweet spot (crank the gain and use the trim and find where it sounds best), and then see how close you get with interface pre’s. I’ve never found interface pre’s that can be driven to various tonal sweet spots in the way you can with good external ones. I love clean preamps for certain things and they’re handy to have (I have the Avid 8pre for that), but they don’t have a range of sounds to use creatively. Also I think people are often surprised how clean Neve etc preamps can be when used at “normal” settings. Neve’s are capable of sounding flat (and kind of boring) if you keep the gain low.

[@Christian_svedin]

@@eds4754 yeah I will definitely keep all this in mind for future tests. One thing is that I couldn't believe how colored the 1073 was first time I used it. Even at low gain settings. So flat and boring compared to? I guess it's all subjective haha! Maybe it's just not my thing 🤣

[@lochaze]

Can you please give some tips to record vocals with neve 1073 spx best eq settings.

[@Russplight]

Nice video Christian. What camera are you using for your KZbin videos?

[@Christian_svedin]

Panasonic GH5 with viltrox2 speedbooster and sigma 18-35. To good camera for me but hey! I'm learning 😃🙈

[@Russplight]

@@Christian_svedin Thanks for the reply Christian. You're very talented.

[@operasinger2126]

Thanks Christian. What do anyone think about Rupert Neve Designs Shelford Channel Microphone Preamp, Inductor EQ & Diode Bridge Compressor?

[@Christian_svedin]

Howdi! Never gotten around to try the RN stuff. I'd like to though!

[@mapletree2009]

Great comparison - Thanks!

[@saarimann]

that was beautiful!! Came for the review but commented because of your singing and playing :)

[@adsertheblade]

Ah the world has aligned for me today. I have the RME, and was wondering if the 1073 is a good companion for it. Alas, the shops in my area seem to have closed their show rooms so no way to go in and try them out. This is a great way to get an idea. Thanks for taking the time to make this video

[@suriyadunya9994]

clones just dont do it for me. i dont know all the technicalities but is it possible, i mean can you put a vintage output transformer in a clone? is that practical?

[@metalfather8139]

You brought tears to my eyes the emotion an beauty of your voice. A 2nd time this video popped up

[@northkaskazini721]

Nice Shootout! Thx! Curious about the sound at the end with the human like tone. Sounds awesome. What is that?

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks! I think it is a guitar that distorts with allot of reverb. I think I automated the distortion. So it's not the master/mix that distorts but a guitar and I think you're hearing the end tail of that in the end?

[@northkaskazini721]

Sorry I meant the 3 1/4 notes are the end. Sounds like a human humming deep and from the throat. I love it! I believe Connor Golden used it in a video on the Linnastrument.

[@northkaskazini721]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/omWkdI2cobuDhrs

[@Christian_svedin]

@@northkaskazini721 ok! I think it's just some sort of kick sample with reverb :)

[@EdThorne]

Great vocal performance. I preferred the Neve style preamp. I see most people in the comments have missed the part where you clearly stated you were using a clone. Oops.

[@KILLA_MAMA]

Creo que has demostrado que no importa mucho que preamp usar, es muy pulcra tu interpretación musical, felicidades!!!. Al final disfrute de la canción olvidando el tema de neve 1073. Desviar mi atención de esa forma es pura magia de tu talento artístico.

[@cypressmixgod8335]

1073 has more low mids ..sounds more finished..

[@NikolausBrocke]

No.

[@andremusic9924]

Just used the NEVE 1073 it made my vocals stand out while still smooth

[@greigsmithy1119]

I stopped to hear your comments, I was blown away with your voice. Great tune I might give it a try on my gear but in a lower key (smile). I liked the 1073.

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks man!

[@astrangeandmysteriouspodca7168]

I have a blue robbie and a HA 73 and I like both , but the blueberry microphone going through the blue robbie sounds amazing.

[@THETHINKINGMINDS]

Great tutorial, good. Very detail=oriented I'd like to ask you; how to unbounce a song for additional mising. Thanks

[@denisnetto_2024]

Hey man, nice singing! I was really hoping to agree with you, but liked better the 73 hahaha. At least on my HS50s. Rounder top end, nice mids, warmer tone. Maybe it's too much when you sum more tracks, but on this test I loved the tone. Thanks a lot for the great work.

[@Christian_svedin]

The whole video was more about how surprised I was when I first tried a Neve style pre in my studio. Couldn't believe how colored it was! I've grown to like it more now though especially my GAP 73DLX pres . The RME's are for sure not in the same league as a Crane song spider. Decent but clean. Thanks for listening 🤗

[@miguelmurrieta2880]

Why is there an SM7B and not a Neumann m269c / U67 as claimed?

[@Christian_svedin]

I think I had just put it in storage when I recorded the singalong. Sorry for the confusion ✌️

[@yourroastedterryflaps5712]

I’m in the market for a 1073 Neve or BAE I have a budget of 6k don’t know which to get though what do you suggest fellow engineers?

[@Christian_svedin]

Hey! I think paying up to 6k for a preamp is crazy. You should look into finding a 1272 or 1290 if you want original but not crazy 1073 expensive. Or buy original trafos and build a "new" vintage unit. Ofc GAP 73 DLX doesn't ring as high as BAE but I think it's quality and sounds good while being pushed. Be sure to a/b units if you want to spend 3k+

[@yourroastedterryflaps5712]

@@Christian_svedin appreciate it!🙌

[@hypertron]

Wow.. What a performance.. I didn't expect this while I was just looking for a simple shootout.. Great voice and a cool channel! Btw: I preferred the 1073..

[@mickelachlan]

Well done as usual Christian. Nice playing and singing. Preamps allways a very small difference IMO. What happened at the end, what fell down? Love your reaction :)

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks! Yeah this really proved to me that the preamp doesn't really affect the end product. At least not to the point that it matters. Mid priced gear is so good these days. The mic matters though. I did use my m269c on this track not the sm7b. It was a RGB light in the back haha!

[@mickelachlan]

@@Christian_svedin That explains it, I thought the vocal sound was surprisingly good for a Shure SM7b ;) Neumann M269 is awesome.

[@Christian_svedin]

@@mickelachlan yeah that's my favourite mic. And now I owned and tried almost all of the classics. Although I have an upcoming test with the sm7b and I'd say it can sound extremely good too. Not as inspiring though ha!

[@metalfather8139]

Beautiful song.thsnkyou. your voice is beautiful and the RME is good for that pure voice..and 73 for guitar...one of the very few shootouts that made me close my eyes and forget what I was doing.....well done

[@tylersnelling]

I think you can totally make great sounds with the rme but the neve just sounds right. Like it sounds how it should sound you know?

[@SOULFUNKYB]

Big difference in the definition , with 1073 you get every detail, with rme it sounds a little blurry

[@eranddroory9987]

Neve by far... Has its own footprint. Puts your voice in a great space!

[@NikolausBrocke]

For me the opposite is true. I can not hear what you are hearing.

[@haarisabbasi]

Listening in the car, I say the neve. It sounds more full. Maybe some eq can compensate for it but to be honest the you do lose the character as well of the 1073.

[@thedayones4918]

Bet money you/none can’t tell them apart 😆✌🏽

[@thelion2078]

My Dt770 says neve!

[@MisterRorschach90]

I’ve been interested in music for decades. I’ve been interested in recording for years, with my interest taking an extreme peak over the pandemic. I always knew there was tons of outboard gear and preamps to choose from. I knew outboard gear and studio gear was expensive. I did not know that there is literally more options than anyone could ever possibly use. I wonder though, is there anyone on earth with everything? Like every pre amp, every compressor, every single piece of outboard gear ever made in production quantities? And if there is I need to see what the studio looks like. A freaking star ship from Star Wars or something?

[@DonaldMerrit]

I don't know that it's possible for anybody to have everything, but some may have everything they need. I am a musician for 35-40 years, imho, the best microphone you have, regardless of how inexpensive it was, is exactly the right one. Great songs have been recorded in bad rooms with whatever gear was available at the time. I submit the band "Boston" as an example. As a contractor in the late 70s, I worked in Tom Scholtz House, the same house that Boston recorded their first Blockbuster album in. The recording space in the basement was anything but acoustically correct. The "almost" L-shaped space, including; a staircase, heating system, water tanks half-finished ceilings etc. was enlightening.

[@Guitargasm]

I couldn't tell the difference as I was more interested in your amazing performance of Hallelujah :D

[@gabrielfernandez9238]

Is it level matched? Neve sounds louder to me.

[@ejh1281]

First off, absolutely beautiful voice/cover/brilliant. Playing is great and effects too. Produced well. Loved it!!! Then, the 1073 clone sounds best to me. Why? Because the 1073 adds a bloom/halo of harmonics and 3D dimension. Plus it glues the mix of guitar and voice together wonderfully. I felt it. That's just not happening for me with the RME. The RME sounds good in that it cuts really well and gives separation from the guitar but in this piece, the RME doesn't have that "magic" and dimension that the 1073 has. For me. It sounds flat and two dimensional. Sounds great don't get me wrong. Better suited to a full mix and more modern uncolored music. Also, to be honest, your rendition sounds much better than Cohen himself. Great job!

[@alekz03]

How can I get that song? Excellent performance regardless of the preamp!

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks. I've uploaded it on my other account Christian Svedin Music. Just for streaming though ✌️

[@symph1744]

Theres a reason why everyone from Michael Jackson to Drake, John Mayer, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan (just to name a few) have used Neve pres, they add magic to the sauce

[@late4suppa1]

What's your vocal chain prior to going into the DAW? It's obvious that you have a great voice but the quality of the gear is also obvious. I wouldn't mind spending a decent amount of money of the best gear, but does it makes that much of a difference? I know if you sung through the gear I have hear you wouldn't sound half as warm.

[@Christian_svedin]

Hey! Rme ufx gen 1. So high-end but nothing crazy. I also have a professional treated control room. Mainly built for mixing but sounds good to record in too. Thanks for watching

[@yembalaa]

Are you kidding? Shure sm7-b to compare both preamps. It's ridiculous hahaha What do you hope to get from 1073 with a dynamic microphone ?

[@Christian_svedin]

Sorry the playthrough is a bit misleading. I used a Neumann m269c when I recorded the vocals. I hope that microphone is good enough for this comparison 🙈🎉

[@MattiasBrahammar]

Grymt bra test! Och faaaaan vad du sjunger bra!! Har ett RME interface själv men sitter och suger på en Neve 1073N (standalone) mic preamp, framför allt att använda till ribbonmic till elgitarr / rörförstärkare, mest rent / lätt överdrivet sound.

[@Christian_svedin]

Tack :) Wait until I release my GAP GA-73 DLX Vs Neve 1073 test ;) :D

[@MattiasBrahammar]

@@Christian_svedin I'm listening to this again, this time on my studio monitors, and its' quite striking that the RME simply sounds "better" - hands down - from a purely technical standpoint, BUT, the 1073 makes the vocals stand out more in the mix, and gives them more presence and "in the face" feel. Hmmm...

[@Christian_svedin]

@@MattiasBrahammar heheh. Yeah Neve isn't clean that is for sure. I just picked up a A Design Pacifica and it's both clean and punchy. See if I can do some comparisons between that and the Rme

[@EthanRMus]

Awesome! Hard to choose. On this particular song I liked the 1073 but I see how other preamps that are more open would also allow for more flexibility overall

[@kingech_B15]

What do you think about the new Avid Carbon?

[@Christian_svedin]

I'm sure it's great. But I'd rather see the same options 2ch pre interface for around 1500-2000€ . Would make allot more sense for home studios. But Avid is usually out of touch of their user base 🙈

[@salzulli6290]

My thoughts: they both have their own uses. The 1073 sounds very classic and is reminiscent of the hardware used at the time. The RME sounded very similar to the live recordings of acoustic sets in a cathedral style room. It sounded very modern, and works better in this instance. I feel like they're very different in vibes, and that's something you need to consider when mixing. Do you want vintage studio vibes? Or do you want modern studio vibes?

[@musiccreation1198]

Really tough call. Glad I own both ;). With a solid state mic, like my Chandler TG, I bet I'd prefer the 1073. Thanks for the comparison.

[@rudolfwormstall1196]

RME sounded smooth and detailed but also more distant and less transient. The 1073 copy was clearly more present in the 2-3 khz region which gave the vocals more "throat". Also the speed at which it responded, along with the harmonic distortion it exhibited, will facilitate the incorporation of the track into a crowded mix. In today's studio world it's still indispensable I'm afraid. Vocals and acoustic guitars should always take this pre into consideration. I would never track electric guitar through it, nobody would. Thank you for the comparison. I was already wondering if such an inexpensive version of the 1073 would fare well enough to beat the RMEs. I was pleasantly surprised.

[@moitoieuxnous1648]

that mean nothing show us the sound wave to see the differece

[@o5pfilms951]

Enjoyed the video and the comparison! That being said, I don't think you made the case here to say that the 1073 is overrated. I preferred the 1073 over the RME almost right away in your comparison. Very talented performance, btw! Of course, this is all very subjective and unique to the color, or lack thereof, that you're looking for in any given recording. I think in most genres, the added color is desirable. Many situations benefit more from a transparent preamp, and many prefer the transparency in general, especially to give more flexibility in post to have more control over how the sound is colored. Buuuuut, I feel that color added by hardware is just superior to emulations in the box. I think you made the right choice keeping both. Best of both worlds!

[@oceansiderecordingstudio]

To me the 1073 clone sounds more glued together and closer to a record. Cheers and just subscribed

[@barnyardrecordings]

That was my reaction too.

[@InvisibleKingStudio]

Man way you did that song was beautiful!!! Thank you!!!!! I liked the 1073

[@zuu1701]

Great guitar playing and vocal dude. Aside from the comparison :)

[@elianmusic7452]

Guitar please?

[@marciobrenes3216]

Came here for the Comparison but ended up becomming a fan of you singing , Great work Bro, Amazing voice

[@Christian_svedin]

🙏

[@EdvinLaura]

amazing voice, really surprizing to hear so great performance in a gear review video

[@MartinVanDerSande]

1073 all the way from me. But thanks for showing the comparison! Either way, great voice and playing!

[@ashenone3427]

I just purchased the Avalon AD2022. I preferred that over the 1073 for vocals with the U87 ai.

[@Christian_svedin]

Nice! Yeah adding a pre like a 1073 on an already mid heavy mic can be a bit much :)

[@DoctorMcFarlandStudios]

Great voice. Preamp is secondary at that point. I am going to get an Arturia interface for its clean preamp.

[@marin4311]

The 1073 adds some bite and color I like.

[@mrnorbotron3308]

but you can do this with regular stock plug ins afterwards

[@midnitebeats2873]

@MrNorbotron yes you may add these in the box but nothing in the box will compare too the rich harmonics and separation that come from the hardware.

[@mrnorbotron3308]

@@midnitebeats2873 I had them all in Studio, Brent Averill, original 1073, AMS Neve ones, you can easily do the EXACTE same effect with plug ins and more beyond.

[@midnitebeats2873]

@@mrnorbotron3308 yes you can but at the end of day if you listen thru good converters there’s always a huge difference in space that you just can’t get from 1 and 0s although yes I agree there’s a lot more you can do in the box but as far as 1073 plugins go it’s missing some kind of depth great emulations tho they come close

[@mrnorbotron3308]

@@midnitebeats2873 that is a unproven myth. Make a properly blind-test and you will fail.

[@nafis6668]

I love your performance and that song. How can i buy it? ☺

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks!

[@ddrumdude]

Granted I have compromised hearing at the moment due to an ear infection, but to me the 1073 sounded fuller and more balanced (just better to my ears). Although I thought the ambient lead guitar in the background sounded more pleasing with the RME.

[@agotla]

what a lovely voice and a very nice melody. Keep it up.

[@AgapeSignal]

well, pre amp or the vocal recording.. is all about post processing... will it bring out the highs after abit of EQ, will it sound good after a few compression etc....

[@AnthonyMartinsRock]

1073 on your vocals worked better in this instance. RME sounded smeared and thin. I own 1073 and it has a very wide range of sound that can be produced by balancing gain with trim. My interface is thankfully very clean (Lynx Aurora (n)) and its pres are perfect for when I want a "cleaner/source true" sound. In the end of the day the answer to which is better would be "keep both" and choose based on desired option of how you want it to sound in the mix as a song.

[@andrewwhitehouse1878]

I too agree with your premise, despite it being (to some people) a bit sacrilegious haha! Of all the different versions I've heard of a 1073 they've all been fairly underwhelming as a preamp, but they do have "that" sound, which is a recognisable, vintage type transistor tone, and I must say they saturate nicely when you drive them. The thing I love though, about the 1073 is when the EQ circuit is engaged, it's then that through the various amplifier stages it really comes to life and has "magic", so much so, that I've taken to using different preamps to amplify my microphones and running them line out into a 1073 style circuit purely to apply the EQ. Wonderful recording by the way, like your voice a lot!

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks for listening! Now that I bought an vintage 1272 and tried out a bunch different clones I kind of get it. I also bought a A design Pacifica that I think I prefer. Neve is great but it is still quite colored. Good or bad? I think it depends. A good pre won't make it break it either way if the performance is good. Cheers!

[@andrewwhitehouse1878]

@@Christian_svedin around the same time as you mentioned the whole “preamp” craze (2010ish?) I also got caught up in that and got my first serious preamp a vintage Ward Beck, and I was convinced it mattered so much since it seemed a big step up form previous stuff I had. Over the years though, now, when I listen to preamp shootouts I just don’t hear a big enough difference on a good source to make a difference compared to EQ curves, distortion/saturation and of course mic, so I put it down to my lack of experience at the time. That 1272 sounds interesting for sure though, I won’t deny I would love a vintage neve but I just can’t justify the cost, they’re outrageous prices these days. I also like the Pacifica stuff too! My favourite is high spec boutique tube preamps, ultra natural sounding with high amounts of detail. A lot of the transistor stuff sounds a bit smeary to me now, but it definitely has its place in the tool kit :-)

[@Christian_svedin]

@@andrewwhitehouse1878 Yeah I just realized over the years that the mic is so much more important. Preamp is really just there to amplify the signal. So I'd rather have something clean in general. The Neve 1272/1290 I found for about 1200$ which was a bargain. But you can still find racked 1272/1290 for a decent price atleast compared to a 1073. I simply won't pay those prices for a pre haha! The Pacifica seems to be in the vein of the Spider I liked. Clean and big sounding. Feels more like how I would like my voice to sound. Never tried a tube pre. But I'm sure I'll find a v76 for a decent (high) price later down the road. I might be able to try out the Fearn. Just to see what it's about :)

[@niteboatermusic]

beautifully done singing and playing. Now that's how things should sound!

[@amaurythewarrior]

i have a fireface UC, i know the preamp is good, but i also know expensive preamps don't know magically make something sound good. that being said i think i hear the 1073 bring a certain smoothness in the highs. a something subtle, but brings the sound to a whole new level

[@pml394]

Had to come back , but not for the comparison . Great singing and guitar Sound/playing, thats what I came back to hear !

[@marc_leblanc]

I like the 1073 on acoustic instruments but for everything else I use other pres.

[@joshuakincheloe]

Bro people need to hear your version of hallelujah you killed it!

[@shaferbeats4478]

You should have done the shootout with a condenser microphone, of course a brighter preamp is gonna sound better with the super dark sm7b

[@thestreetdisciple3955]

So trueee, pair it with something like a Tlm 102 vs a brighter high end mic

[@solitairerecordingstudio7857]

Why is this titled Neve 1073 when it isn't using a Neve 1073? An AML 73 copy is not an AMS/Neve 1073 and should not be compared as one.

[@RicShaa]

Great singing and playing. Id go with either one, they both sound great. Have you ever had the chance of recording with some API Pre´s? I´m so close to jumping on the API bandwagon.

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks man! Sure I have. Just never gotten around doing shootouts between different pres. I recently used the GA -73DLX which sounded very nice driven hard. But that was on a clean sounding mic. So having two different styled pres is really handy. Api is certainly more snappy!

[@RicShaa]

​@@Christian_svedin It sure is snappy! Got to give the GA-73 Pre´s a good look, especially for the price.

[@Christian_svedin]

@@RicShaa if you check out my two episodes on the Ga251 and Ga-47XT it's all with the Ga-73DLX preamp. I included RAW files for download aswell :)

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

Wow, I'm really surprised you enjoy RME more. To my ear, through the KZbin compression etc, the Neve style sounded WAY better. Much more open, even sounded a bit more stereo! Great comparison and just goes to show how people like different things, doesn't mean they're better... Positive vibrations from rainy, wet and chilly Ireland! ☘️☮️🤘🏽🤠👍🏽☮️☘️

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks for listening! Nah! The rme is very clean and not to compare with my crane song love haha! But I definitely feel that sometimes you'd want something clean. And my initial reaction was that I couldn't believe how colored the neve was :) I recently tried the GAP 1073 premiere and I think I prefer that to my AML. So down the rabbit hole once again to find the best 1073 clone 🙈

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

@@Christian_svedin Haha! Yeah, there are so many clones at this point who knows what the best one is? That would make a great series though! Thanks! I've smashed all the smashers! 🔥🧨💪🏽🤠👍🏽🧨🔥

[@Christian_svedin]

I'm gonna borrow a pair of original Neves so atleast we'll be able to un-mystify how magic or not!? They are :). Thanks man

[@mycastlelife6469]

That voice! Amazing! Oh, yea, back to the Neve 1073, it really is “silky smoothness “ added to your voice. But, again, that voice! You can sing through anything and it’ll turn out beautiful I’m sure! God’s blessings! -Charles III

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks man! I appreciate it 👍

[@NikolausBrocke]

I disagree. It's not a silky smoothness of the 1073 to me. It's lacking dimension and it's muffled. But you can correct it with great plugins;-)

[@valbeccia8591]

Sometimes unlearning a certain flavour we have been accustomed too for a while is difficult. That been said the 1073 is popular for a reason. RME I think are more well known for there converters than mic pres, though they are highly reputable as well. Overall I think both sounded great particularly with your performance but I would lean slightly toward the 1073 on both guitar and vocals. Great video and performance, 🙏.

[@WalkOutWorship]

1073 stood out to me and was the winner to me! brought a clarity (maybe a touch of hype - not a bad thing) to your voice - btw LOVE your performance of the song! Super talented.

[@russellcreek1585]

I would say both sound great for different uses. RME is very clean. I do own the 1073DPX and there is just something about the 1073 that adds a sizzle/musical distortion that isn’t there with lower end stuff...however, I don’t think the average listener really notices the difference...but I love it! I also have the UAD 1073 and it’s great clean, but plugins can’t match the real thing when driven…that’s where the magic happens. Mic of course matters as well, not sure the SM7B is the best to audition what it can do…love the M149 with the 1073…and the DPX is killer with all the modern features. Btw, are you lip syncing to your own track?! ;)….All good, I get it. All around, great video, thanks for taking the time to do it! PS. And as with anything in pro audio, you pay 90% for the last 10% of sound improvement. Case in point here!

[@Christian_svedin]

Thanks! Good points! I actually used an Neumann m269c. Sorry for the confusion. But that probably helped the ufx pres coming out a bit better then a clean modern mic 😁✌️

[@new2dayuser151]

Every step we take forward with music we go back to those old tried and true eqs and compressors!

[@MalikAmer87]

great video thanks

[@morphoice]

Great Neve tone aside, man you have a beautiful voice and that was some performance!

[@TroyJamz]

Bra grejer Christian, gillas starkt. Jag kan hålla med om att 1073 kan kännas lite överskattad ibland men verkligen inte i det här sammanhanget. This was awesome, tack!

[@abhisheksrivastava3787]

Preferred 1073. You sang so well!!

[@hethaerto1]

RME's top-end is hyped. It's nice but I like the 1073 better for the balanced overall response. The RME could be useful for dealing with darker elements that need a little help on the high-end. Lovely singing and playing. Gonna listen again now.

[@thiagostraioto]

You are very talented dude!

[@atta1798]

they are both great but the 1073 really gave such an impact to the voice....everybody has different taste... BUT one thing is always above....experience n quality of upbringing in music exposure

[@skaboosh]

Where is the never vs Telefunken video please? Merci.

[@skaboosh]

Neve not never, this phone will drive me mad

[@riktascale4]

Amazing.👍

[@imhaydenmelrose]

Comparison aside, your voice is awesome man. Keep it up.

[@peterpavlonis227]

I have a WA73eq and I'm going to add a Millennia HV35 to my rack, The Millennia has a big clear articulate sound. 73's sound great on falsetto background harmonies, but I knew going in they add distortion. I agree they are too much with a tube mic.

[@Christian_svedin]

Yeah it's great to have a clean option too! I'm sure the millenia stuff is great!

[@LeRitzFR]

Very good video (and terrific performance to say the least). I just find it unfortunate you did not compare with an actual Neve 1073 SPX/DPX - at least, that would have made it interesting for me, being on the verge of getting one. Thanks anyway.