Preamps for lead vocals

[elser]

Check out this deal, the built in 1176 compressor is known for "punch" and the free UAD 2 quad card makes it a no brainer IMHO. I'm gonna pull the trigger on it any day now.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ ... aign=email

[mojobone]

Yep; old-school hardware leveling amp with big ol' honkin' iron transformers, paired up with the API preamp, (not one of the transformerless designs, like the Focusrite) which are known for imparting a sense of 'weight' or 'heft' to anything passing through them. If you can drop $300, there's this, but if you can spend $3000, there's this, here, which will more than do the trick, and do it very nicely indeed. There's also a little thing called a 'phase rotator', but I'd avoid using that on anything meant for broadcast, though it couldn't hurt to use just when playing stuff for clients. Large diaphragm cardioid dynamic mics are what's called for, they're less grabby than condenser mics, so you can have the talent move in real close and let the compressor catch the plosives; proximity effect takes care of the low end. Try a Shure SM7B or better yet, an Electro-Voice RE-20 if you're looking for that radio-ready broadcast sound; they really bring out the 'chest'. They should also give you fewer sibilance problems, as a bonus. Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh and syndicated morning comedy radio legend Tom Griswold of Bob & Tom fame all use the RE-20; I think Howard Stern does, too.