If this is a fair representation of what this preamp sounds like, I wouldn't want to use it as anything other than a special effect. The preamps in budget mixers sound better.
I own the MPA Gold and think that it is a great deal for the moola. I will say that it seems that one has to crank the input and output up to get a decent signal into the DAW though. I am using a decent condenser mic and would have thought that there would be a little more oomph to the signal. Also, I have replaced the cheap stock tubes with some good Tung-sols so I doubt if that is the issue.
I'm a big fan of ART Products, the price/performance ratio is just incredible. You can check my video because everything including vocals, back vocals, bass guitar, all electric guitars, acoustic guitars recorded with ART Mpa Gold and ART Pro VLA II and all recorded at my home studio and I'm not a professional. I'm really happy with my ART preamp and compressor. These things are cost less and sound quite fine to my ears.
@d3tach3d ... i would have to agree. i just got mine, and switched the tubes immediately, huge improvement. This is a quality piece of gear (and I HATE art gear, minus the price). For the price of this item it is much better than people realize. This is definitely one of the best products ART has put out. The goal with this preamp is to learn its qualities, change the tubes, and feel it out for improvements. It is definitely under-rated in my books.
wow if i didnt know anybetter id swear this video was made by a competing company to make the art look bad.... good product... just weird production in vid
How is that Art mpa, working out for you? I am doing some research before making a decision between the Art mpa, the groove tubes brick, or the universal audio's 610 solo...as a choice for preamp.
Would you recommend the art?
I am leaning towards groove tubes the brick. Have you had a chance to try any of the aforementioned?
What a hilarious presentation !!! Are you trying to make us believe this is a bad
preamp ??? Nobody ever turns a gain pot fully clockwise !!!
In the real world this preamp is FANTASTIC, and when in high voltage mode,
It gives you THAT sound you need for recording vocals (that's if you swap the chinese stock tubes with real tubes). In my place this thing is about noiseless.
If you miss the sound of your first ART tube MP's on musical instruments,
To all people watching this, please read the comments below, very important.
Basically This guy has no idea. He's got the gain at max, which is creating the crackle, but having the output lower is hiding some of the noise. Read More Below.
-Impedance - Set for approx x10 mic impedance rating (check mic datasheet)
-Phase Switch - Some mic's woundwave patterns can cancel eachother out, so when using multiple mics, this is handy. (as far as i know, i only use one mic, i pod my other stuff and incl. drums)
HPFilter - Use to cater for individual mics/singers/roomnoise
He's also uploaded this video not in HD, so a real sound representation is not seen here. Usually youtube vids are more "flat" sounding, and often the top 'crackling' is hidden, and room noise s almost hidden, so beware, this wont be the real sound.
In addition, everyone changes the tubes when they buy these, to upgrade as the originals are poor quality. He failed to mention this. I do not know where a decent video of this s on youtube or the net, but it certainly aint here.
I'm looking at it, he is not peaking. he is talking quietly too. Think about it, is this made for singing or talking? An SM57 infront of a 110db Marshall Cab, or a jew mumbling into a covered condenser.
@namniekib he didnt even use the gain boost properly lol. Hey guys im just gonna turn the input gain all the way up, then add +64 dB and it should sound good. Op it actually still sounds like crap, oh well the audience listening probably doesnt know as much as me about audio production. Delete this viedeo from youtube
@XXxESPxXX he is distorting the tube stage heaps despite the readings because the stage goes solid stage high voltage tube section then solid state better to balance them to just add some tonal warmth not to distort
dont buy this.. it's so noisy! I guess any preamp at this price is going to be noisy, theres really no point in buying a $300 tube pre amp, a tube amp wont be good until it cost at least $1000. I'm looking into building my own solid state preamps for recording drums and stuff, I use a UA LA-610 on vocals..
This is a terrible review! You make this unit sound like crap and when the guitar gets plugged in it just sounds like a complete joke!!! I know ART isn't highend stuff but jeez c'mon and give it a fair chance!!! Erase this and start over... PLEASE!
@bassrockin .... you are correct. I own this preamp, and it sounds great. I base this on the experience of using many different preamps for a short period of time (2-6 months each). I think this review is a mess to be honest, and is not actually reviewing the preamp very well at all. This is sorta jokes, because there is zero application in this review, try recording something so we can judge it, not listen to you talk through a camera mic.
So many things. Have you tried recording the audio to a DAW and syncing the A/V after the fact? This is the way it's been done for eons now.
You don't engage the phase switch "so that mics don't cancel each other out". You engage it "because" they are canceling out. I know what you're saying but this can be taken the wrong way and you'll have people engaging the phase switch every time they turn it on.
Put any preamp on youtube and dial in the 'warmth'...and I challenge anyone to 'hear' it....What a bunch of trash all this talk about 'I can't hear the warmth'...
Would you recommend this for hip hop or R&B vocals? I was thinking about buying the digital mpa gold but your thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated. I plan to run this through an MBox2.
If that's what it sounds like, then you're better off buying a mackie mixer and using that as a preamp. I couldn't tell that it "warmed up" anything. It sounded cold and sterile to my ears.
to be fair, I was not monitoring the sound in this one. We were short help the day I shot this, but i'm not a big fan of the ART regardless. I personally have a joe meek six q for tracking vocals and bass and it's amazing. I will live off spam before letting it go.
That's totally fair. It seems like such a great deal for a two channel tube preamp, and I would buy one if I was sure it would warm up a vocal track. Is there any kind of tube swap that can improve the tone? Also, does it sound better live than this particular recording? I realize that not having the normal people around can change how a recording comes out.
i think part of what you lose in this recording is the lows, because our camera has a lo rolloff that sometimes affects bass frequencies. our bass demos, for example, are recorded with a sound devices recorder. it actually sounds much better in person, although I think something smaller like the presonus tube pre sounds even better ( which is saying a lot).
With that said if you change out the crapy tubes it comes with, to some nice vintage NOS tubes the sound is greatly improved.
One can suspect most of the sound in this not so lushes demo is due to the mic. There are a lot of a voice over people that use condenser mics on these, and they sound great.
If this is a fair representation of what this preamp sounds like, I wouldn't want to use it as anything other than a special effect. The preamps in budget mixers sound better.
deadbirdsings 1 month ago
hey are you or not using a condenser microphone. because if you are, we shouldn't hear you when you turned off the 48v phantom power.
simaojoseph 6 months ago
I own the MPA Gold and think that it is a great deal for the moola. I will say that it seems that one has to crank the input and output up to get a decent signal into the DAW though. I am using a decent condenser mic and would have thought that there would be a little more oomph to the signal. Also, I have replaced the cheap stock tubes with some good Tung-sols so I doubt if that is the issue.
All in all a good buy!
drmoroe30 7 months ago
Very bad review. Take this off...if you are going to review equipment at least record properly.
thehornypuppy 8 months ago
I'm a big fan of ART Products, the price/performance ratio is just incredible. You can check my video because everything including vocals, back vocals, bass guitar, all electric guitars, acoustic guitars recorded with ART Mpa Gold and ART Pro VLA II and all recorded at my home studio and I'm not a professional. I'm really happy with my ART preamp and compressor. These things are cost less and sound quite fine to my ears.
watch?v=Frr41YObBug
Bijen 9 months ago
It's YOUTUBE guys, how could you hear any "high-end" sound, or even decide whether this is a nice preamp?
Ajowerty 1 year ago 2
this is the best tube preamp you can get for the money!!!! with different TUBES you can get this thing matching 1000+ compressors.
d3tach3d 1 year ago
@d3tach3d ummmm dude, this isn't a compressor....this is a tube pre......lol
IzztekProductions 1 year ago
@d3tach3d ... i would have to agree. i just got mine, and switched the tubes immediately, huge improvement. This is a quality piece of gear (and I HATE art gear, minus the price). For the price of this item it is much better than people realize. This is definitely one of the best products ART has put out. The goal with this preamp is to learn its qualities, change the tubes, and feel it out for improvements. It is definitely under-rated in my books.
FingerstheLynch 1 year ago
@d3tach3d
You mean "matching 1000+ mic pre's" right? :)
drmoroe30 7 months ago
wow if i didnt know anybetter id swear this video was made by a competing company to make the art look bad.... good product... just weird production in vid
FrettiYeti 1 year ago
answer, gold, catolics?
martin86924 1 year ago
Yeah dude, remove this video. Your embarrassing yourself.
beensaidrecords 1 year ago
great guitar player man
You seem like a guy who thinks using buzz words like warm tone makes you seem like you know what your doing but you obviously like balls
Coreyarei 1 year ago
How is that Art mpa, working out for you? I am doing some research before making a decision between the Art mpa, the groove tubes brick, or the universal audio's 610 solo...as a choice for preamp.
Would you recommend the art?
I am leaning towards groove tubes the brick. Have you had a chance to try any of the aforementioned?
regards
novanine9 1 year ago
This is YOUTOOB! not YOUTUBE!
cozmovox 1 year ago
What a hilarious presentation !!! Are you trying to make us believe this is a bad
preamp ??? Nobody ever turns a gain pot fully clockwise !!!
In the real world this preamp is FANTASTIC, and when in high voltage mode,
It gives you THAT sound you need for recording vocals (that's if you swap the chinese stock tubes with real tubes). In my place this thing is about noiseless.
If you miss the sound of your first ART tube MP's on musical instruments,
you select "normal" plate voltg ( love it....).
cozmovox 1 year ago
To all people watching this, please read the comments below, very important.
Basically This guy has no idea. He's got the gain at max, which is creating the crackle, but having the output lower is hiding some of the noise. Read More Below.
tailtaptailtap 1 year ago
All the other dials are just mic-relative...
-48v+ Phantom Pwr - For Condenser Mics.
-Boost buttom - More more volume if needed.
-Impedance - Set for approx x10 mic impedance rating (check mic datasheet)
-Phase Switch - Some mic's woundwave patterns can cancel eachother out, so when using multiple mics, this is handy. (as far as i know, i only use one mic, i pod my other stuff and incl. drums)
HPFilter - Use to cater for individual mics/singers/roomnoise
tailtaptailtap 1 year ago
He's also uploaded this video not in HD, so a real sound representation is not seen here. Usually youtube vids are more "flat" sounding, and often the top 'crackling' is hidden, and room noise s almost hidden, so beware, this wont be the real sound.
In addition, everyone changes the tubes when they buy these, to upgrade as the originals are poor quality. He failed to mention this. I do not know where a decent video of this s on youtube or the net, but it certainly aint here.
tailtaptailtap 1 year ago
This guy is a fucking retard. Who doesnt know that you dont turn the gain up full. Wtf, useless and de-educational
tailtaptailtap 1 year ago
surely you can crank the gain to get optimum levels, only when it starts to peak is there a problem..
richardemg 1 year ago
@richardemg well he's surely peaking it then, is he not? You used a gain dial before?
tailtaptailtap 1 year ago
@tailtaptailtap
I'm looking at it, he is not peaking. he is talking quietly too. Think about it, is this made for singing or talking? An SM57 infront of a 110db Marshall Cab, or a jew mumbling into a covered condenser.
richardemg 1 year ago
this guy does not know what hes doing. Crank the inout gain to full...lol sounds like shit. his microphone sounds liek old time radio
XXxESPxXX 2 years ago 10
He needs to RE-record this. Yea, I can hear a little bit of difference but the crackle is just so freakin' BAD...ART should sue this guy!
Nothing but a button and knob crazy geek...
PappyCaligula 2 years ago 2
@XXxESPxXX,he didn't even feature the variable impedance!It looks like he used a cheap mic cable too!
namniekib 1 year ago
@namniekib he didnt even use the gain boost properly lol. Hey guys im just gonna turn the input gain all the way up, then add +64 dB and it should sound good. Op it actually still sounds like crap, oh well the audience listening probably doesnt know as much as me about audio production. Delete this viedeo from youtube
XXxESPxXX 1 year ago
@XXxESPxXX he is distorting the tube stage heaps despite the readings because the stage goes solid stage high voltage tube section then solid state better to balance them to just add some tonal warmth not to distort
JimijaymesGuitarist 3 months ago
Anything could have made this review sound poor.
1.Handheld condenser mics have a s/n ratio which is poor by condenser standards.
2.A 2 conductor mic cable in an urban area will pick up a lot of noise.
3.A dirty power supply will add noise.
4.chinese 12ax7's are noisy.5751s have lower gain and less noise.
5.Breath noises(p,b and s) force you to lower the preamp volume.Anyone think it sounded better WITH the windscreen.
Hmmmm
namniekib 2 years ago
I agree, this unit sounds terrible in this video. I have the
MPA gold and it sounds great. I watched this to see if I was missing anything on the controls and it just confused me. Make a better video next time.
Worldasagift 2 years ago
is this unit only good for recording you cant use it for anyything else?
CREWDOG289 2 years ago
Nice overview, thanks!
gloranger2001 2 years ago
If the ART is too noisy for you, upgrade it with some better tubes, new or old NOS. The stock ching cheng 12AX7s aren't so good on the noise.
ShakaCthulu 2 years ago
dont buy this.. it's so noisy! I guess any preamp at this price is going to be noisy, theres really no point in buying a $300 tube pre amp, a tube amp wont be good until it cost at least $1000. I'm looking into building my own solid state preamps for recording drums and stuff, I use a UA LA-610 on vocals..
spongah 2 years ago
This is a terrible review! You make this unit sound like crap and when the guitar gets plugged in it just sounds like a complete joke!!! I know ART isn't highend stuff but jeez c'mon and give it a fair chance!!! Erase this and start over... PLEASE!
bassrockin 2 years ago 26
@bassrockin .... you are correct. I own this preamp, and it sounds great. I base this on the experience of using many different preamps for a short period of time (2-6 months each). I think this review is a mess to be honest, and is not actually reviewing the preamp very well at all. This is sorta jokes, because there is zero application in this review, try recording something so we can judge it, not listen to you talk through a camera mic.
FingerstheLynch 1 year ago
So many things. Have you tried recording the audio to a DAW and syncing the A/V after the fact? This is the way it's been done for eons now.
You don't engage the phase switch "so that mics don't cancel each other out". You engage it "because" they are canceling out. I know what you're saying but this can be taken the wrong way and you'll have people engaging the phase switch every time they turn it on.
Lastly. TUNE THAT DAMN GUITAR!
hueseph 2 years ago
Put any preamp on youtube and dial in the 'warmth'...and I challenge anyone to 'hear' it....What a bunch of trash all this talk about 'I can't hear the warmth'...
montezumasrevenge 2 years ago
well i use to not hear any thing but if you train you ear after wild time you will hear the warmth seriously...
jazzkid3000 2 years ago
Epic fail. This video does not do justice to the MPA Gold. Sounds horrible!! Gear wire if your gonna do a demo on a produce do it right.
bzbryan182 2 years ago 6
great video~~
making me want to spend my money now.
flip18o 2 years ago
I have this preamp...I freakin love it!!
I use it for vocals...Shure Ksm44 with this preamp sounds phenomenal ....
maybe i should post videos....
gruponemesis 2 years ago 3
Would you recommend this for hip hop or R&B vocals? I was thinking about buying the digital mpa gold but your thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated. I plan to run this through an MBox2.
Thanks!
Khaos260 3 years ago
If that's what it sounds like, then you're better off buying a mackie mixer and using that as a preamp. I couldn't tell that it "warmed up" anything. It sounded cold and sterile to my ears.
disciple43 3 years ago 2
to be fair, I was not monitoring the sound in this one. We were short help the day I shot this, but i'm not a big fan of the ART regardless. I personally have a joe meek six q for tracking vocals and bass and it's amazing. I will live off spam before letting it go.
gearwire 3 years ago
That's totally fair. It seems like such a great deal for a two channel tube preamp, and I would buy one if I was sure it would warm up a vocal track. Is there any kind of tube swap that can improve the tone? Also, does it sound better live than this particular recording? I realize that not having the normal people around can change how a recording comes out.
disciple43 3 years ago
i think part of what you lose in this recording is the lows, because our camera has a lo rolloff that sometimes affects bass frequencies. our bass demos, for example, are recorded with a sound devices recorder. it actually sounds much better in person, although I think something smaller like the presonus tube pre sounds even better ( which is saying a lot).
gearwire 3 years ago
Thanks for the explanation. I really appreciate it. I'll have to look into the presonus.
disciple43 3 years ago
This demo is not really fair to the unit.
With that said if you change out the crapy tubes it comes with, to some nice vintage NOS tubes the sound is greatly improved.
One can suspect most of the sound in this not so lushes demo is due to the mic. There are a lot of a voice over people that use condenser mics on these, and they sound great.
Michaeldair 2 years ago
Did you just say you have a low rolloff that sometimes affects bass frequencies????????????? o_O
buggzo 2 years ago
Is it just me, or does this sound like I'm listening to a broken CB radio?
audiotrax2000 3 years ago
easy jones I believe people do that either way or maybe both or any combination they want. I think the answer is not like the answer to 1 + 1.
montezumasrevenge 3 years ago
I have a question When recording vocals Do you compress then pre or the other way
EAZYJONES 3 years ago
pre then compress cause a comp needs line level to function aka it needs the output of your pre amp to function right
snellular5 3 years ago
Would have liked to hear a bit more of how the preamp shapes the guitar sound, but a nice review overall. Good stuff !
captainobvious9999 3 years ago
dude.. you got a lot of distortion on the voice..
casperr4313 3 years ago
Amen!!!
3rapidascents 3 years ago