Avalon VT-737sp Reviews

4.9/5.0 based on 24 customer reviews

Sweetwater Advice

Mike Conyers

The Avalon! It's simply impossible to go wrong with this piece; I've used it for hip-hop vocals, acoustic guitar, rock singing, and more! This is a channel strip that will never fall out of use in your studio, I guarantee it!

Patrick Dennis

Huge, Heavy, Awesome, Warm! The VT737SP is for ANYONE who wants great sound. Period!

Delvin Wolf

No matter what mic you're using, no matter what you're recording, I've never been able to get the VT737SP to sound bad. What a great "go-to" channel strip.

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Customer Reviews

Ernesto arroyo
from compton ca usa
September 28, 2012Music Background:
pro musician,rec engineer

my second 737

i tried manley vary mu, but not, i'm getting my second 737.and i am using it for 2 buss can you believe it. better results than vary mu cause 737 has world best eq.

GaryMusic
from Dearborn MI
May 25, 2010Music Background:
Musician, Songwriter

Just The Best

I can't say enough good things about the Avalon. I purchased two. The first many years ago and loved it so much as it just made anything I passed through it. Best DI for Bass I have ever heard. So smooth and full. Great vocal mic pre. The EQ section is great. I use the the two Avalons at mix down as external plugins in Cubase 5. Really works on everything very well.

Edison Munoz
from Medellin
March 17, 2009Music Background:
Music Producer

My baby

With any intrument or vocal it soung with any other!!!

Bigtyme 175
from New Jersey
December 23, 2008Music Background:
Hobbyist, Student

A WORLD STANDARD

This thing is like hot chocolate on a cold winter night it just warms everything that passes thru it,if you are considering purchasing this unit then look no further your LORD & SAVIOR IS HERE !.

Mats
from Norway
November 24, 2008Music Background:
Hobbyist, engineer

Holy balogney

The government should make it mandatory for every citizen to have this device strapped around their neck, 24/7, 365 days a year, to speak through. Dont talk to me unless its through a 737.

AKB
from New York, NY USA
October 31, 2008Music Background:
Recording Engineer/Producer

After using this, there is NO OTHER Channel Strip!!!

I use the 737sp in my setup a lot, mainly as a front-end when I'm recording into Logic with a Rosetta interface. Paired with a Neumann U-87, this thing is unbeatable. I love to use it on my R&B songs, as it adds an intimacy and warmth like no other. The best of the best!

P.Rhodes
from Los Angeles, CA
October 23, 2008Music Background:
Pro Musician

Hip-hop / R&B Standard

In major hip-hop studios and pre-production rooms
many people live and die by the 737. A very famous producer uses this compressor (dr.xxx) exclusively. if you haven't heard it you need to buy/rent it if that's your type of music

Larry Epstein
from Big Apple
January 27, 2008Music Background:
Engineer- Studio and Live.

Unbelievable Sound on Vocals especially

The Vacuum Tube 737 is a great Channel Strip. It's tremendous on Vocals and everything else. I give it an A+. It's built like a tank and built to last. It's undoubtedly the best of all the channel strips and pre's I've tried.

Andy Quiñones
from Dallas, TX
December 22, 2007Music Background:
Voice Actor

Pro Gear at an excellent Price

Yeah it's over two grand but think about it for a moment. What you get is an awesome tube mic pre that is fit for practically any audio application especially if you replace the factory tubes with better ones. This IS the mic pre standard as far as I'm concerned hands down. If you can't afford it then you are not ready for the "next level" is all I'm saying--take out a loan, sell your SUV do anything to get this godster!

EV
from Florida
July 30, 2007Music Background:
Pro Musician 27 years. Recording engineer for over 22 years.

VT-737sp

I loved it from the first few seconds that I ran a guitar through it. We also have the Demaria, which is supposed to be very good for guitars, but I like the Avalon more.

It's sweet, tight and ............... DELICIOUS!!

EV

Todd
from Calgary Canada
June 12, 2007Music Background:
Producer/Engineer/Musician

THE Tool

It wasn't what I expected. At first I was a little disappointed because I expected more forward vocal sounds and even considered returning it. But after some experimentation I've found it's strengths and weaknesses. It's a softer sound that differs a lot from the clarity and detail of digital. But that means that you can push up the fader and not have it fight with the other instruments. Pair it with a great mic and your jaw will drop when you find a good match. I love the high input gain setting for mix down to get a little harmonic distortion going on. I've also saved many a poorly recorded acoustic guitar with this tool.

The question now is how soon I can get a second one so I can use it for mastering purposes.

Well worth the money. You'll carry it under your arm to every session you do for the next 50 years.

Justin
from San Jose, USA
May 14, 2007Music Background:
Guitarist and Singer

Avalon 737sp

This Avalon 737sp is worth every penny you spend on it, Their EQ like silk, smooth, way beyond my expectation. To me it's perfect for Vocalist and Guitarist, it truly great to have, I have been searching and trying so many Mic Preamps and channel strip. This is my final destination. Yes! Avalon was right as it says in the manual, half an hour warm up in order to get sound perfect. I totally agreed because it will need time to warm up like any Tube Preamps. I love Avalon 737sp. Highly recommended to all.

Timepiece Productions
from Miami, Florida
April 7, 2007Music Background:
recording engineer, producer,

Im In LOVE!!!

i just bought one a couple days ago, its perfect to me...not to hot, not to steril, it leaves room for plug-ins to do some of the work if u want a hot sound, yet its smooth and warm and most will like it as is, its as clean and clear as i think i can get with my at 40/50 and it sounds album ready, no more tedious mixing trying to get my vocals to be over or under the beat, this baby makes it sit perfect inside the track, worth every red cent, no regrets here, if ur debating on whether to make this one happen or not for urself, i'd say to do it, there ones that are more expensive and sligtly cheaper but this is the ONE!!! there's a reason why it keeps showing up in music videos!!!! lol, 6 out of 5 stars for me....do urself a favor and get this badboy

Mark Sloan
from Somerset, Ky
January 5, 2007Music Background:
Semi-Professional musician, project studio owner, engineer, producer

It's just not fair how good this unit sounds!!

I purchased my unit a couple of weeks ago after spending months researching and laboring over what I should get. I have always had a desire to purchase a top end vocal pre and when the time came I actually became a little concerned.....could this unit really be worth the money it was going to take to buy it??? I was hoping that I didn't experience buyers remorse when I got it!

Well let me tell you....I DIDN'T!!. This unit is truly incredible. It's warm, sounds like butter....anything you plug into it sounds better period. I am still experimenting daily with it...but it's easy to use and I use it on everything I record now....I mic my guitars with it, I run guitars direct, there is no need to ever buy a bass amp or head...because this unit makes your bass guitar sound huge....and vocals...well lets just say that I used to spend all my time trying to overcome the nasty things about recording vocals...but now I can focus on dialing in what I like about a vocal sound....it's a pleasure to use. If i had enough money I would own mulitple units for my studio!!!

The only negative at all about this unit is that is does not have a gate. For people like me that are essentially recording at home without high end isolation booths this can be a problem as this unit picks up everything with my Neumann TLM 103 microphone. However, if you own a decent gate then it's a problem that is easily correctible.

All in all, if you are considering this unit you won't be dissapointed with the results. It's professional quality gear!

Chris Morris
from Bay Area, CA USA
September 17, 2006Music Background:
Engineer/Producer

An Industry Standard

I owned a Fousrite Liquid Channel and the setting I always used on it was the 737 Pre with the 737 Compressor. So I just bought the real thing and there simply isn’t enough that can be said about this preamp. It gives a great presence on vocals. It’s a perfect pre amp for anyone in Hip-Hop, R&B or Pop but It's fantastic in any genre.

I have even listened back to recordings I used the Liquid Channel on compared to the 737SP and its a night and day comparison. The Liquid Channel is VERY thin compared to the 737, and that is with the 737SP emulation on the Liquid Channel.

And if you need validation names like Christina Aguilera, Orgy, Motley Crue, Snoop Dogg, Bob Dylan, The Crystal Method, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Puff Daddy, Crazy Town, AC/DC. Disney Productions. Kelly Clarkson, Dr Dre and more have all used this preamp. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.

We all know a great vocal also needs a great mike and more than anything else a great engineer. But if you are going to buy one pre amp, the Avalon 737SP should be the one.

Dags
from Australia
March 3, 2013Music Background:
Semi-pro recording and mix engineer, former recording artist, live sound engineer, gear junkie, father of two

Brilliant front end to any digital system

I have used one of these babies for over 10 years and I have to say it is my 'go to' channel strip for most of my vocal recording work. Even using an SM58 to record guide vocals resulted in us keeping them for use in the final track, they were that nice!
I was so impressed that I even bought a second unit about a year or two ago so I'm covered in case the tubes need replacing in the older unit - the show can go on!

Ed DesJardins
from Augusta Maine
January 18, 2008Music Background:
Semi pro musician and recording engineer/ international man of mystery

Beautiful sounding strip!!

So much gear out there right? It's all about getting the right piece for your individual needs - what's good for one might not be for another. After reading about the 737 again and again I just "felt" it was right for me. I have a softer, breathier voice and thought a pre like this would put that voice squarely in the mix with lots of detail and air and I was right. That's just what it does and I couldn't be happier with it. You can get away with a softer approach when your signal is represented that well. I use it for direct bass and that's where the great EQ comes in handy. The compressor is nice too but I don't use it on everything - it's no LA-2A but then that's not what it was designed for. It is good though for tightening up certain signals. I have paired the 737 with a Shure KSM44 and I get really decent results though I would love to hear a U87 or Royer ribbon mic through it - someday I guess. The KSM can get a little grainy sounding on my voice but if I carve out some high mids it sounds much better and I can use the tracks for keeps. I really love the 737 for acoustic guitar with a small diapragm condenser and a good bit of gain and compression - it's very punchy and stands out in the mix very nicely. I have had the 737 for about two and a half years and the more I learn to use it the more it surprises me - give this one some serious consideration.

Dean Drake
from Bellingham, WA
July 15, 2006Music Background:
Semi-pro musician/recording engineer

Up front sound

This was a serious upgrade to the tube preamp/compressor that I was using. I was nervous about dropping the cash for this one because I had never really tested it. I was just going on the information that I had read about. I will say that I wasn't disappointed. I use this on all my lead vocal tracks now. It brings the lead vocals right up front and gives you a warmer and more intimate sound.

I made the mistake of tracking background vocals with it though. You probably don't want to do that - not unless you want your background vocals right up there with your lead vocals.

Mike
from Pismo Beach,CA
March 28, 2006

Warm Butter

Ok, here it is. My Brother and I took my brand new in the box Avalon 737 back to his recording studio were we compared it with his $3500 Millenia with the same settings for vocals. Using my Rode K2 mic I found the 737 to have a more "open" sound than the Millenia. It was great, I was stoked.

What happened next blew my mind. We ran my Brother's vintage Neumann KM-84 threw the 737, place the mic 3 inches away from the fretboard of his Collings OM accustic guitar and......WOW.... WOW....... WOW. The sound was so rich and clean I'd never heard anything like it before.

My Brother has had every mic pre on earth. He admitted to me that he sold his 737 to buy the Millenia. He has regretted it to this day. He told me "I was able to pull sounds out of that 737 that I have yet to find again with another brand". Needless to say I was brimming with pride with my decision to buy this Avalon. Now it's your turn!

There's something about the 737

Ernest Buckley
from NYC
February 28, 2006

The Corner Stone to my Sound

I`ve been using the 737 since 2000. Originally it was purchased to record vocals but I have found it to be extremely musical on bass as a DI as well. We also use it for miking acoustic guitars. The compressor is its weakest point. Its useable but I would stress the strong points on the 737 are the pres and EQ. The EQ is a piece of art. I own 2 of these units and higly recommend them.

DAWU
from Washington,DC
April 1, 2005

Next LEVEL

...if you want your recordings to rival that of what you hear on the radio, you MUST get this piece! I bought mine about 3 months ago for these Neo-soul vocal sessions....the first night we used it, we spent the better part of the evening listening to playback! The results were incredible! The background vocals were unbelievably warm and had such a presence that we had to keep listening. This took our recordings to the next level...so I'm about to buy another one!!!

Rich
from Battle Creek MI
March 1, 2005

VT 737 Sp

Sweet tone with a magic touch! If you don't like the VT 737 Sp your wrong! Deep, Full, warm, and Rich tracks that are glued yet never cluttered!

Scott
from NY
February 1, 2005

737

Perfect in every way. Stop considering it, just buy it. Trust me.

Muv
from TX, USA
February 1, 2005

Wonderful unit.

The 737sp is simply a wonderful piece of equipment. Powerful. It sounds great on anything you put through it, from vocals to guitars. I plan to buy a second one soon.

Avalon VT-737sp

Tube Microphone / Instrument Preamplifier, Opto-compressor, and Sweep Equalizer