I'm about to buy 4 new preamps for less than $2200 and wonder if anyone here have any advice on good equipments. I was thinking of SSL Xlogic Alpha VHD Pre, there just something that sounds interesting about the VHD thing

Anyway, I love to get some tips from you guys!

Sebatron 4000e! Its absolutely kills the VHD thing. In my opinion of course.

I very much disliked the VHD gimmick found on that preamp.

There is a used API 3124 in the classifieds for $2200, I would jump on that if I were you...

https://gearspace.com/board/gearslut...ed-preamp.html

what sources primarily? are these to be utility pres or a specific purpose?

right off the bat a used api 3124+ comes to mind. true's precision 8, sytek mpx-4aii, the isa428, and even the SSL alpha vhd.

i own the sytek, isa428, ssl, and 2 chameleon labs 7622's for 4 channels. what would you like to know?

dammit, i want that so bad.....

Ya, me too. I've been saving for a UA 4110 and the API's are always tempting...

any particular reason why on the 4110? i wanted one until i heard clips of the api. next preamps will be 3124, pacifica or vintech 473. it all depends which i need more at the time i have the money(which may not happen with today's economy).

4 ch. of SCA is less than $2200.00 You could get 2 N72's, 2 A12's and still have 4 slots for future expansion...

+ 1

Ya, the biggest reason I want the 4110 is flexibility. I'm right out of college and will be paying loans out the butt for the next 5 years and will not be able to afford to buy anything else. I will only be able to buy one preamp (To let me use the other 4 channels on my black lion moded 002) so it needs to be as flexible as possible. The 4110 has the saturation setting and in a lot of ways is like having 3 preamps in one. I got a chance to play with one for an hour and tried it out with a condenser, dynamic, and ribbon and the saturation setting allowed me to bring out certain characteristics of each mic that one preamp usually can't do alone. I'm also considering buying 4 used UA 710's for the same reason, you can blend tube and solid state = more flexibility. Ideally and in the future though, I'll try to have a more diverse pallet to work with, the 4110 just seems like the best start.

well, the VHD on the SSL is in many ways like the saturation setting, too. the 710 is a very good unit. i'd put it right there with the SSL, not better or worse. quality wise and sonically, just slightly different applications...many that overlap. for versatility, i would get a sytek, and a nice used console like an A&H, soundcraft, or ramsa.
the mackie onyx consoles and racks ahave been impressing alot of guys, too.

Thanks for the heads up on the Sytek, I'm checking out the MPX-4Aii right now. Looks like an amazing deal for under $1k. In terms of consoles, the studio I worked at in college had a Toft ATB-16 and for sure that will be the console I get. I know I will not be able to go PT HD for a while so having a console with 8 groups is perfect going into an 002, not to mention the console is amazing in itself.

looks like you have your plan....

toft with sytek will cover alot of ground. granted it will cost just a bit more, but will do exponentially more than just a single 4110.

Well, the toft is going to cost a little over $3k, that seems to be what they are going for used. That will also be something I will buy after a pre. But ya, I am really liking that Sytek. Do you know what they are going for used?

i got mine for $700 with 3-4 BB from the TO ads. i have seen them rock bottom at $600, but the average price is $750 used. not bad since new from mike stoica is $890. these things have crazy resale. like anything awesome, resale is always high.

they don't normally pop up for a few months, but doing a search for them will yield the owners and sometimes you can talk the owners out of them. when i got mine, the market was dry for about a month so i had to place WTB ads. when the gates opened, there were 3. one older, and 2 3-4 BB. i actually didn't want the BB, but for the price, i had to jump. i know that i didn't want the older one as i have heard of issues with too much gain. it still drips with gain, so whatever reduction wasn't too pronounced. at any rate, it is a remarkable sounding preamp for little bank.

Ya, I'm trying to decide about the BB option. If you had some time, I would love to hear some sound clips comparing the two, the synopsis seems to be that they are warmer. That term is tossed around so much here I never know what that means anymore though...

How about the Daking Mic Pre IV? It is exactly $2200 for 4 channels and is absolutely amazing. At least don't rule it out!

sebatron vmp4000e. it's a four channel valve preamp with some passive EQ on each channel. very flexible.

Someone (whom I respect) told me they consider the Sebatron a UA LA610 killer. (paraphrased) I am curious if anyone has compared a Sebatron to aUA LA-610 and how they compare?

a 3124 is the only real option.
nothing else is gonna sound that pro in that price range brand new
call vintage king I think you can get a brand new one or open box
for $2200. Too bad I just sold one for 2100 that had the older blue 2520 opamps in it
sounded killer

Millennia has a 4 ch you can find used. But those have no color
look at the SCA stuff. They sound real good and don't cost all that much even buying them assembled

call vintage king they will hook you up Or scour the classifieds here or ebay

I would agree with that person, though killing something is situational. I prefer its clarity and warmth to the "woolliness" and "old" "dull" sound of a newly manufactured UA610. These preamps have way more depth and life to them. They have a hybrid design that is apart from just about all other preamplifiers. High voltage rails feeding high tension tubes/transformers feeding high headroom solid state outputs stages. They are awesome! They are simple and elegant sounding preamplifiers that are affordable.

Well I disagree by thirding the VMP 4000e.

Fantastic on vocals-thick and good if tracking to harddrive to avoid digital brittleness up high.

On drums-run through some ribbons in M/S as room drums-passive eq-air on, low cut on, and listen to the depth and punch in M/S and smile.

My go to on acoustic stuff where I want spatial depth.

Only thing I avoid it on is electric guitars which needs that top end thin bite, and double bass where I prefer using a thinner brighter pre.

The vmp 4000e is no less than my pacifica/ADL600/modded CLMK 11 7602's-just its own colour with a lota flexibility.

GJ
Newcastle/OZ

Yup, Daking is killer...

I actually like that SSL preamp OK but not the VHD circuit. As long as you don't hit it (and you can easily avoid it) it has a pretty good sound to it actually. The VHD is just not predictable enough, it can be cool on some things but I would not be able to commit to that sound while tracking.

War

once again, i will endorse the 4000e. What a deal. When you don't use all 4 channels, you can daisy chain 2 channels and play with the pad and EQ settings for different tones.