Vintage Preamps
Vintage pre amps are a great source of vintage tone and sound. Unfortunately, not all vintage pre amps are created equal. However, there are some that are exceptionally good, and well worth the money they cost. Many studio owners, whether they be home studios or commercial studios, seek out vintage pre amps for their rich tone and amazing sound. Many sound technicians swear by vintage pres for being the best, at least, for projects that require the sound they generate.
An MX-110 is a great vintage pre amp to start out with. Some people don’t like these amps a lot until they trade out the 6u8s in the line stage to RCAs. However, with this done, this can be an amazing pre amp. Another good one to watch out for is an Eico HF-85. That is a nice pre amp that you will likely fall in love with. As far as tube pre amps go, try out a Dynaco PAS3X. This is a solid pre amp with loads of richness. You can also try a Dynaco PAT-5 if you are into solid state pre amps. One of the most popular vintage pre amps available is the McIntosh C20 or C22. These are nice, but can cost some money.
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One of the biggest things to remember about vintage pre amps is that it has a lot to do with taste. Your preferences will pretty much decide what you like and don’t like. If you are out to just buy one pre amp, and are not out to try out many different ones, than I am afraid that you might miss out on some amazing experiences and sounds. What many of the home studio guys do (and these guys really know their stuff, at least the guys who have done it a lot) is they go through many pre amps. They will have their main pre amp, then they will buy another to try it out. Maybe they like it better, or maybe they don’t. They sell the one they don’t like and try out another. Or, maybe you will find a particular setting on one pre amp that is awesome, but then another setting on a different one that you love just as much! Well, keep them both!
A pre amp will probably have more say over how your music sounds than about anything else. If you have a good microphone that will recreate the sound electronically and accurately, than you will have to have a pre amp you like in order to truly be satisfied with the product. There is really no substitute for trial and error when it comes to vintage pre amps. I mean, you can read all the reviews you want, but when it really comes down to it, you are going to have to try some out. But that is half the fun, isn’t it? Getting home from work, opening it up, firing it up, grabbing a drink, and then sitting back to hear what it sounds like.
