Avalon M5 Mono Pure Class A Microphone Preamp

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cavvy Studios
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I don't have it but it's just a clean preamp with a high end sparkle. It's great sounding but I could find other preamps that are more worthy.
 
o/t

I've often wondered how many people think "class A" just means "classy" :D
 
krushing said:
I've often wondered how many people think "class A" just means "classy" :D
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Instead of wondering, why don't explain that a Class A amplifier is one whose input signal conducts throughout the entire circuit from input to output an exact match without clipping.

BUUUUUUT. Manufacturers of audio equipment are muther-f*ckers. Because they will stamp Class A on a mic pre which is high quality but, not necessarily a "Class A circuit". So in a way they are saying "classy".

They are almost always discrete circuits as opposed to integrated circuits. Which means a much simpler signal path design. The shorter/simpler the signal path the better.
 
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I have an Avalon M5.

Can't give the best description, because my room isn't professionally built. It gives vocals a distinct sound, great density/depth to vocals(lack of better wording)but not as much to my taste as I expected out of such a high end pre. I was just as happy with other pres under the $500 mark.

It is simple to use, and does wonders for the right mics(keep in mind the most "professional" mic I own is a C 3000B).

I ended up getting mine for cheap out of a studio that was going out of business and couldn't pay me for my work, lol. Only reason I got it(still spent around $1,000 on it).

I'd suggest the purchase to people in the right field who would also be micing instruments and recording alot of live sound...but for the music i usually do out of my home(amateur hip hop vocalists over beats produced completely on computer), it's not too often I get to use it to it's full potential.

You wouldn't hear a big difference between it and stuff I recorded using a Presonus Tube DP.
 
Avalon doesn't have the best reputation. In fact, they are not really what I would call "Hi-End" (their front panels are). There are worlds between Avalon and the league of API/Neve/CraneSong/Manley.

Don't get me wrong, Avalon is still solid. I hate their comps (so slow they nearly don't compress), but I can remember that their top class EQ impressed me. They all put a very distinct harmonic "stamp" on the sound, which is nice. But others like API can do this much better IMO.
 
moses said:
Avalon doesn't have the best reputation. In fact, they are not really what I would call "Hi-End" (their front panels are).
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LOL, now that is funny! :rofl:

There are worlds between Avalon and the league of API/Neve/CraneSong/Manley.
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The Langevin dual mono pre with EQ is a DAMN good mic pre. That is ALWAYS overlooked at $1200 street.
 
deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup said:
It is simple to use, and does wonders for the right mics(keep in mind the most "professional" mic I own is a C 3000B).

I ended up getting mine for cheap out of a studio that was going out of business and couldn't pay me for my work, lol. Only reason I got it(still spent around $1,000 on it).

I'd suggest the purchase to people in the right field who would also be micing instruments and recording alot of live sound...but for the music i usually do out of my home(amateur hip hop vocalists over beats produced completely on computer), it's not too often I get to use it to it's full potential.

You wouldn't hear a big difference between it and stuff I recorded using a Presonus Tube DP.
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I also own a C3000B and I was relying on it most of the time until I got my Neumann TLM 103 about a week ago. I had a look at the Presonus Tube DP and it looks like a 2 channel version of the TubePre I have from Presonus. I've never been completely happy with the TubePre and I ended up using the preamps in my Korg D1600 mkII most of the time instead since they seem to sound a bit cleaner. I ordered the Avalon M5 yesterday and it should be arriving around the middle of next week so I'll be able to compare it side by side with the Presonus and the preamps in the D1600 mkII. I'm expecting a nice clean, clear and detailed sound without much added coloration to the signal. I hope I'm not disappointed.

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Perry Grinn said:
LOL, now that is funny! :rofl:
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Yeah, I was a little perplexed by that statement as well. One of the main reasons I got the Avalon M5 instead of one of the other really tempting units for almost $1,000 less like the Solo 610, the P Solo and the 512C from API was because of the "wow" factor associated with Avalon preamps because of their reputation as world class preamps. I have read unflattering things about the optical compressor on the VT-737 SP. I was considering that unit but I decided to go for the M5 instead.





Perry Grinn said:
The Langevin dual mono pre with EQ is a DAMN good mic pre. That is ALWAYS overlooked at $1200 street.
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I've also heard great things about Langevin preamps.
 
It seems like API and Neve are more well known to engineers and the Avalon is more well known to rappers. I'm pretty sure I could have gotten comparable sound quality for about a grand less, but those brands just don't impress my local hip hop clientele like Avalon does. In all honesty, I'm paying the extra money for the Avalon M5 partially because of the marketing value of having the Avalon name in my gear list. The couple rappers I mentioned my purchase to so far have had reactions like "Oh, damn!" and "Awwwww, shit... watch out now!" and "NIIIIIICE!".
 
^^^Most rappers i know have no clue what an Avalon pre is. If anything, they'll recognize a 737 from other studios, not an M5.

Pro Tools is the only name most clients I get recognize(other than FL Studio, which is a sign of "bad" in most eyes). Every once in a while I get a client who knows his gear...they usually go on to tell me what I need to improve in my studio. That's the worse, lol.
 
Yeah, some of my clients have their own recording setups and great gear but they come to me to use the sound treated booth and also to be able to record late at night and to be able to focus their time more on perfecting their art rather than doing double duty as their own engineer. I have one guy coming in next week who prefers his U87 to the TLM 103 I just got so he's bringing that in instead. For the other rappers that don't know about Avalons, I'll just rattle off some of the names that have used them and wow them with the list price. Even if their ears are too damaged by insanely loud car audio systems, club PA's or closerange gunfire to hear the difference, they'll just feel better knowing who's used Avalons and what they cost.
 
deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup said:
^^^Most rappers i know have no clue what an Avalon pre is. If anything, they'll recognize a 737 from other studios, not an M5.

Pro Tools is the only name most clients I get recognize(other than FL Studio, which is a sign of "bad" in most eyes). Every once in a while I get a client who knows his gear...they usually go on to tell me what I need to improve in my studio. That's the worse, lol.
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They may not know what one is but ignorant rappers always ask me if "I've got that Avalon???" But they do always scream for ProTools and Reasonz with a Z on the end. What the hell?




Once I get my NPNG, diy LA-2A, diy 1176, diy summing box with SSL analog stage, Bock 195, Miktek CV4, and BLA mod for my 002 I'm done with equipment forever. Lol. Only about $7k more.
 
^^^Lol, once you can say you got all that, clients are gonna still be like "That's wassup, but you got Reasonz?", lol.
 
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Perry Grinn said:
LOL, now that is funny! :rofl:

The Langevin dual mono pre with EQ is a DAMN good mic pre. That is ALWAYS overlooked at $1200 street.
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The Avalon stuff is overpriced IMO. You mentioned a excellent example. Avalon isn't bad at all, but just very one dimensional sounding compared to other devices in the same price range. Looks great in the studio, but if that's really your motivation, head to http://www.funklogic.com/products.htm and grab a palindrometer. It has insane psychoacoustic effects on the customer and is still very affordable.
 
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I wish I read this thread before i bought my M5.

I'm happy with it, but seems like all my high price purchases reflect more on "namebrand" than actual quality. Starting to annoy me a little.
 
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Perry Grinn said:
I agree with you man. You can get an API A2D for just a couple hun more. That is a HUGE bump. Worth well OVER the $200 or $300 you'll be paying.
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Speaking of the API AD2, I was considering getting that as my ADC. I was looking at an Apogee Rosetta 200 first, but then I heard the ADC in the API A2D was comparable or better than the Rosetta. Then I heard about the Lavry Black AD from Lavry Engineering.

"The Black AD is essentially a very clear and transparent converter, then with Lavry’s new “Alias-Free Emulations”, the AD10 can add the color of tubes, transformers, or both!"

I'm thinking that the Avalon M5 connected to Lavry Black AD will give me the options of having a clear, open, and detailed sound without much signal coloration and also to be able to have that warm analog tube sound that some people prefer. Anyone here used the Lavry Black AD? Any opinions on it?
 
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