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

windsaver@xxxxxxx · Mon, 29 Jan 2007 09:01:12 -0500

 Richard provides a lot of great information for excellent sounding recording set-ups geared toward harmonica. The ART tube preamps work well for harp maily because these preamps tend to be rather "fuzzy" sounding by design. However, the tube distortion works great on harp tone. The Audio Technica 40xx line of mics are excellent performers at a reasonable price. The AT4050 is multi-pattern and pretty neutral sonically. The AT4047 is a design with a output transformer that has a bit more colorization than the 4050 and also is a great all around vocal mic. The AT4033 and AT4040 are solid performers too. BSW audio has excellent prices on AT mics as does Full Compass. You will be able to record nice acoustic harp sounds with an ART tube preamp and an AT mic.

 -----Original Message-----
 From: turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
 To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx; Captron100@xxxxxxx
 Sent: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 2:40 PM
 Subject: [Harp-L] Hunter's pre-amp suggestion (was Need a little advice)

  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 

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