Neumann+Behringer

Every preamp is going to be slightly different in the sound you get through it. First question is, do you like what you are getting.

Behringer preamps are ok and I mean just ok. I owned a mic 2200 and with a lot of tweaking could get so-so results. I recently purchased the ART MPA Gold and the difference was nothing short of astounding. With my Rode NTK hooked up to it nothing sounded bad, the question was always, which setting sounds better.

The ART MPA Gold is one of the few preamps that allows you to change the impedance of it, and that is one of the many things that makes every preamp sound a little differnt. It is a very musical coloring tool. While you won't notice extreme differences between the 150 ohm setting and the 3000 ohm setting it does make a difference.
 
I like what I get, but I have never heard the TLM 103 with another preamp. What do you think about a Mackie mixer VLZ 1202 PRO. Would it sound better if I used it instead of the Behringer Preamp?
Any other suggestions?
Thank you!
Capsunica
 
Most mixers in this range tend to skimp on the preamps. Mainly because they can really run the cost up and secondly, most people always use an outboard preamp.

It is hard to say, you might find you like it.
 
I OWN A VLZ 1402 MIXER(1 STEP UP OF THE 1202 BUT WITH SAME ONBOARD PRES) AND THE BOARD IS EXCELLENT FOR LIVE SOUND,HOWEVER EVEN THE BEHRINGER MAY BE BETTER FOR YOUR RECORDINGS. tHE Neumann TLM 103 is a superb vocal mic with a straight linear response(meaning little added character in frequencies and overall sound), just a true sound. cheaper preamps like the behringer will give it some of its own character, however could add noise at the recording stage if you drive it too high. Mackie did put good preamps in the VLZ series,but i guess you would have to try them in your recordings to see if it works for you. Depending on whether you are looking for a "true" sound or something "colorful" will determine what route you may want to follow in your front line setup. My primary vocal line starts with a RODE NTK(i think one of the best vocal mics around under a grand) loaded into a GRACE Designs 101 mic pre.So with this setup, i have two things, character and linearity. The NTK has boosts in the 5khz and 12khz range which adds presence and air, yet staying very quiet overall, and can handle any volume you can throw at it. Scream into it and it will laugh back at you any say "that all you got?"The job of the Grace 101 is to properly add mic gain without any colorization whatsoever. one of the pureist mic pres ever. check em out on the web to see what i mean. anything else prior to entering the recording stage is tweaked thru a DBX 160A compressor or thru Antares vocal producer. The AVP-1 has a great compressor of its own,a desser,and a mic modeler where you can even add tube saturation. The autotune in the unit has not been used for pitch correction, only to simulate outtatune character like in kid rocks "only god knows why" or Audioslaves end of "show me how to live". So just decide what sound you are looking for in your vocal recordings.If its clean and true sound you want, you are half way there with the TLM 103, but she definitely deserves more that a 1202 mixer preamp. the microphone and mic pre is the last place you want to try to skimp on. happy recordings. craig vallentine
 
Thank you for helping me.
I won't get a mixer for recording voice anymore, even though I was thinking of getting one.
I will probably get a good preamp.
This Behringer preamp sounds in my oppinion good, it also has a tube which after 15 minuts makes it sound better than when you turn it on. To get a nice signal of the recorded vocal, the noise will be at about -50Db. Is this very bad?
Thank you so much!
Capsunica
 
I'm kinda like you I havn;t had previously gang of pre's..but I just bought my first one yesterday....

a Presonus Blue Tube...this is after doing some homework and reaseach and knowing what I wanted form a Pre-Amp, going out to my local Gutiar Center and testing out a couple mic-pre's in my price range....

In my opinion those Behringer's was garbage....LoL...I knew I couldn't cop a Avalon, but I wanted some good quality for the money I had...200-300 dollar range...I think those Benringers you were talking about are like 40-50 dollars? to me it SOUND like 40-50 dollars yaknow...

I can most def understand if money is an issue because I'm just now being able to afford **** myself...but like stated earlier by another poster in this thread I'm not trying to half-step when it come to my music...you hold back on your music and it's will hold back on you...belive me I know..I had a cople of missed oppratunities becasue I wanted to go the "cheap route" and I wound up compromissing on quality becasue of that.

Behringer was okay..but in MY opion form going to hear all of them for myself and for what a wanted which is good, clean, flat vocals with some natural warmth..I didn't want my vocal colered up or anything like that when acually tracking and recording..I do all that with the other equipment adn plug-ins latter on in the mixing stage..thats just how I work..I just need a no fills,no bells and whsitles and provide a true, natural, dry sound..I didnt like the sound of the Behringer products compared to the Arts, Presonus, and DBX brands that where in that price range..
 
Spoonie79 said:
a Presonus Blue Tube...this is after doing some homework and reaseach and knowing what I wanted form a Pre-Amp, going out to my local Gutiar Center and testing out a couple mic-pre's in my price range....
Click to expand...
Every thing said in Spoonine79's post is spot on with what I'd suggest. How he did his homework, tested out the items in his price range, and finally the choice he made based on his needs.

You owe it to yourself to go down to your local dealer (with your mic) and test out a few pres in your price range to see what your ears like. Your Neumann will thank you once you've put it together with a better sounding pre.
 
Sounds like your mic is FAR overshadowing your preamp. If i were you i would be looking more along the lines of a good single or dual pre, like the one Tim20 said, the ART MPA Gold. The Presonus MP20 is also an excellent two channel pre that can really put your mic to good use. Another option is the channel strip, that usually has one high quality preamp, along with para-EQ (usually), de-esser, compressor, etc. (ART Pro Channel, Focusrite Voicemaster Pro)These can produce excellent results because they are specifically designed to have ONE very high quality channel for doing critical things like vocals. But, Joe Meek said it best, "If it sounds good, it IS good." Try a few out.
Cheers
 
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