[Harp-L] Hunter's pre-amp suggestion (was Need a little advice)

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Captron100@xxxxxxx wrote:
<In a message dated 1/25/2007 12:36:23 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
<richard hunter writes:
<
<<I've gotten good results on some of my recordings with an ART MP tube
<<preamp, which retails now for well under $100, and my AT 4050 CM5 mic.
<
<I looked up ART preamps at musician's friend. Three are shown, all 
<under $100.  One of them, the ART Tube MP Studio Mic Preamp, is on sale 
<for $30.

<Richard, if u have time, could u tell us how your preamp is used with 
<other devices (i.e., in what chain).  I'm a non-technical guy who at 
<most,  just uses a mic into a small amp, then i mic that into the PA.

I mainly use the ART MP--I own the low end model--for recording, not 
live playing, and I run the AT 4050 into it, and then run a line out 
from the preamp right into the computer soundcard (which is an Echo MIA, 
a decent recording card for about $120 new).  I add any effects later 
"in the box" (i.e. in my computer workstation), where I have a lot of 
software effects to work with. The biggest issue I have to contend with 
when using this setup for home recording is that the room I record in 
has a lot of sonic problems.  I'm working on it.

I also record with my Digitech RP200, generally by running a line out 
straight from the Digitech to the MIA card.  If I'm feeling very 
ambitious that day, I might put a mixer after the Digitech, run one side 
of the mixer to the MIA, and the other side to another amp, which I will 
mic through my Roland MMP-2 Modeling Preamp directly into the computer 
via an S/PDIF digital connection.

Lately I'm using the Roland MMP-2 preamp more and more frequently for 
acoustic recording too.  It produces an amazingly beautiful acoustic 
harp sound with the Audix Fireball and the MMP-2 factory Clarinet preset 
(i.e., a configuration designed for recording slightly squeaky instruments).

When Ron Holmes modified my Crate VC508, he put in both balanced and 
unbalanced line out connections, and I've recorded a session or two with 
that setup, taking the line out directly into the MIA, when I wanted a 
big blues sound.  I've also recorded the Crate using a mic in front of 
the speaker; I get good results, and of course different sounds, with 
either the AT 4050 or a Shure SM57 a few inches directly in front of the 
speaker.

Live, I use different setups depending on the gig and how much work I 
want to do.  Lately, I usually just take my Digitech RP200 to the gig, 
and plug it into the PA, with or without a direct box in between--either 
way works fine.  If it's a straight blues gig and I feel like working a 
little harder, I take the Crate along too and plug into the PA, usually 
with my ElectroHarmonix Deluxe Memory Man delay between the Crate and 
the PA.

In short, I have a number of different setups, and I use the one that 
seems best for the gig (or the song in a recording situation).  My Swiss 
Army knife for everything is the RP200--it's a mind-blowing tool for 
rock and roll sounds, and it sounds more than good enough for anything 
else.  It's small, it's light, it take 2 minutes to set up, it's clean 
enough for recording and loud enough for live work.  That's a lot of 
pluses for a box that cost me $150 new and sells now (in closeout) for 
$100. I've promised myself a new Digitech RP350 this week, and I expect 
that to be even better.

I know that this sounds like a lot of gear, but I started early and 
bought most of it used.  Let's see what it all adds up to:

AT 4050 CM 5 mic $500 (used)
Shure SM57 mic $10 (yard sale)
ART Tube MP preamp $100 (new--now $30 new)
Roland MMP-2 modeling preamp ($145 on eBay--deal of the century)
Crate VC508 amp $125 (blemished) + $220 for Ron Holmes mods
Echo MIA soundcard $120 (new)
Digitech RP 200  $150 (new)
ElectroHarmonix Deluxe Memory Man $100 (used)
Audix Fireball mic $100 (new)
Behringer UB802 mixer $40 (closeout)

That's a little over $1600 if I've added correctly.  The biggest single 
cost was the AT 4050 mic, and you know, I just wanted at least one 
first-class mic for recording acoustic harp.  I bought all the stuff 
over a ten-year period, so it really wasn't a heavy hit in any 
particular year.  And of course, I saved a lot of dough by buying used 
or closeouts whenever possible.

If I was starting out right now and wanted a decent recording setup for 
harp for very little money, here's what I'd buy (all prices new):

ART Tube MP preamp, $30.

Audio Technica AT 2020 mic for recording acoustic harp.  $100.

Digitech RP series effect box--probably the new RP250 at $150 if I'm on 
  a strict budget, RP350 at $200 if I could afford it.  With either 
one, there's a built-in USB audio interface for the computer and a 
headphone output, so I wouldn't need to buy a separate audio interface 
or mixer for recording to a computer.  I could also use this piece for 
all my live performing needs, at least for a while.

Shure SM57 mic or Astatic/Green Bullet/etc. mic for recording electric 
harp.  $100.

That's a total of about $380.  Add a decent computer from 
tigerdirect.com for about $400 and a software recording program like 
Cakewalk Home Studio for less than $100, and you've got a pretty 
powerful and flexible starter setup for less than $1000 total. For a 
little less money and a simpler (but less flexible) recording setup, get 
one of the 8-track digital recorders from Fostex or Tascam for $300 
instead of the computer, in which case you could also drop the ART 
preamp (assuming that those recorders have phantom power for the AT 
2020--I'm pretty sure they do), for a total cost of about $650.

Long post, huh?  Anyway, I've said it before--this is the golden age of 
gear, right now.  A versatile stage and recording setup for less than 
$1000?  Fuhgeddaboudit.

Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com
Latest mp3s always at http://www.broadjam.com/rhunter