Using a Preamp for Guitar into my DAW

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Russell Landwehr
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Re: Using a Preamp for Guitar into my DAW

Post by Russell Landwehr » Mon Apr 06, 2015 3:48 pm

I did buy a couple of the Aphex Project Channel http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProjectCH
I also use the Art Tube MP http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TubeMP (but i'm not sure it actually uses the tube in the circuit)
I just got this too: The MOTU ZBox http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ZBox
I haven't tried the ZBox out yet...
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Re: Using a Preamp for Guitar into my DAW

Post by denalihighway » Tue Apr 14, 2015 10:26 am

"Dragging it down" Dave? Not at all - hope that's not another wanking reference though! :)

Now who's dragging it down.... :oops:

This guitar preamp stuff is really captivating me at the moment. I'm gonna grab an Aphex Project Channel, since its so cheap and my brother is visiting in May so I'm gonna get him to throw it in the aul hand luggage :)

But I can't help thinking that all this tube this and 500 series that, I would be better off waiting and going for something like the Eleven Rack or robbing a bank and getting the Kemper. There's also stuff like the Universal Audio Apollo. What I'm after is trying to future proof my little studio and sound. So much of my stuff in in the box now and it suits my workflow in the future.

This might get me shot...but I can't help wondering if there isn't just a smidgen too much nostalgia around the old gear, as great as it is to have harmonic distortion and warmth, are we better trying to focus on what the industry will want going forward and going for pristine, clean sounds? For me, as a baby of the box...I have no nostalgia for old outboard so it doesn't matter to me. But that might be a weakness in the circumstances. Saying that obviously, I still enjoy cranking a nice amp every so often.

On the other, what I still like about 'nice' guitar sounds, and what everybody else still likes seemingly, is that very warmth and distortion. A little torn...

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Re: Using a Preamp for Guitar into my DAW

Post by Russell Landwehr » Tue Apr 14, 2015 3:42 pm

denalihighway wrote:This might get me shot...but I can't help wondering if there isn't just a smidgen too much nostalgia around the old gear, as great as it is to have harmonic distortion and warmth, are we better trying to focus on what the industry will want going forward and going for pristine, clean sounds? For me, as a baby of the box...I have no nostalgia for old outboard so it doesn't matter to me. But that might be a weakness in the circumstances. Saying that obviously, I still enjoy cranking a nice amp every so often.

On the other, what I still like about 'nice' guitar sounds, and what everybody else still likes seemingly, is that very warmth and distortion. A little torn...
Exactly, Gar.
If it sounds right and clean (or dirty if that's what you need) then go for it... I have no nostalgia for the tube amps... I try to get my guitar players to go VST as often as possible.
BUT...
If one can get a consistently "better" sound using tubes and such... let's do it... but let the ear be the judge.

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Re: Using a Preamp for Guitar into my DAW

Post by denalihighway » Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:03 pm

Cheers to that Russ. We'll see how our gear fetishes progress.

All that said, I'd say if money were no option I'd have a rack as high as a wardrobe :lol:

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Re: Using a Preamp for Guitar into my DAW

Post by Len911 » Tue Apr 14, 2015 10:58 pm

denalihighway wrote:"Dragging it down" Dave? Not at all - hope that's not another wanking reference though! :)

Now who's dragging it down.... :oops:

This guitar preamp stuff is really captivating me at the moment. I'm gonna grab an Aphex Project Channel, since its so cheap and my brother is visiting in May so I'm gonna get him to throw it in the aul hand luggage :)

But I can't help thinking that all this tube this and 500 series that, I would be better off waiting and going for something like the Eleven Rack or robbing a bank and getting the Kemper. There's also stuff like the Universal Audio Apollo. What I'm after is trying to future proof my little studio and sound. So much of my stuff in in the box now and it suits my workflow in the future.

This might get me shot...but I can't help wondering if there isn't just a smidgen too much nostalgia around the old gear, as great as it is to have harmonic distortion and warmth, are we better trying to focus on what the industry will want going forward and going for pristine, clean sounds? For me, as a baby of the box...I have no nostalgia for old outboard so it doesn't matter to me. But that might be a weakness in the circumstances. Saying that obviously, I still enjoy cranking a nice amp every so often.

On the other, what I still like about 'nice' guitar sounds, and what everybody else still likes seemingly, is that very warmth and distortion. A little torn...

That's the best method Gar, free courier,lol!

Great gear was and is always designed for pristine and clean. Abuse, or overdriving the tubes in the amp, punching holes in the speakers, that was separate than the design. "Nostalgic design" seems to be more about trying to emulate the abuse using cheaper materials. The difference between coveted vintage, although will in time decay to junk, and long forgotten cheap junk, is the quality of the design and components, and hi fidelity.

As far as "future proofing", top quality hardware would be at the top of my list, software at the bottom. The top brands in hardware are either going to get more expensive, bought out and made cheaper, and of course software in the future only gets better and/or cheaper in a good way. The problem for the future of software many times is will an update in the OS support it. I'd be cautious with tubes, most all of the old time tube factories are defunct and they've been selling NOS new old stock for awhile. 500 series if you are meaning API, very venerable, and likely to be around long after the software titles are forgotten.
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