mic pres

[web01169]

is anyone familiar with the focusright 8 channel opte preamps and would you suggest of not?

[princehakeem]

Suggest it for what application? How are you going to be using it?

[xstatic]

Personally, I find the lower end focusrite stuff to be pretty run of the mill. They aren't bad by any means, but I don't really find them to be anything special. There are a lot of other preamp options in that same price range. What are your specific requirements and desires and budget?

[web01169]

i'd be using them as mic pres for my mackie 32.8 for drums

[xstatic]

How much does an octopre run?

[web01169]

799

[Audioholic]

Hey,
I also agree that the platinum series from focusrite is just ok. Once you get up to their higher end Pre's, there are some great stuff, but have heard the voicemaster and similiar focusrite products, and have not been that impressed. if you are looking into 8 channells, some other pres to check out would be the digimax lt. Now if you have some extra bucks and want to record digitally with a higher samle rate, the higher end digimax 96 can record at 96k. The only thing about the digimax lt, that if you are not doing a digital transfer via adat, there is no real analog out, just a insert send that can be used for a analog out in a roundabout way.. Now that is all I can think of in about that price range, except the for mackie onyx pres. However, if your budget can be stretched, there are a few options in the $2000 range (ouch, I know). But If not, I am sure the opte or digimax will suite you wonderfully. Check out some reviews on the digimax.

[web01169]

well i was stuck between the focusrite or the mackie onyx 800r but i just may use the pres in my board, im thinking external pres wont make make much of a difference to my recordings as far as drums go but i am definatly going to invest in an avalon M5 for vocals. i have a cheap ART preamp that i use for guitars cabs and mic a cab on bass and i love it.

[michaelhoddy]

If it's 8 channels and less than $1000, it's probably all varying different degrees of the same, which isn't to say bad, just simply that radically better performance takes more money to achieve.

The only standout units under $1000 I know personally (there are certainly more that I'm not familar with) are the Grace 101, the Great River ME-1NV (might be just over $1k now), and the Sytek MPX-4Aii. These are 1, 1, and 4 channels respectively.

If you're shopping for 8 channels under $1k, shop for features and build quality/reliability. The quality level is bound to be pretty similar across the board, whether you're talking the Focusrite, Mackie, Presonus, or whatever.

[Audioholic]

right On,
You may want to just save your money and put it towards a higher end mic pre. As mentioned before pre's in that price range will be similiar in performance, and if you already have pres on your console, probally won't be oustandingly different. So maybe invest in a higher quality pre. Avalon's are very nice. The universal audio pre's rock! Grace is also very nice. You will find yourself trying to run everything through a nice pre, so it's worth the extra dough. Best of luck!

[web01169]

thanks guys