Which Preamp around 500-750 euros?

[Domenico]

I have been searching for a long time to make an upgrade of my preamps(current:RME Quadmic, Presonus Eureka).

The problem is there are so many options and many preamps that I cannot actually hear until I buy them.

What I need is a preamp with lots of gain (at least 65-70 db), and I would like to have a solid state option, although a blend with tube topology would be also welcome.
I am going to record mainly vocals and acoustic guitars, some percussion and occasionally wind instruments.

These are the models I am considering:

Focusrite ISA One
The only one I got to listen for a couple of hours. I liked the fact that it was clean, had loads of gain and I loved the impedance settings it was offering. However I did not get to test it with one of my mics so I really cannot be sure if this one is the preamp for me.

SSL AlphaChannel
Ok, this is something that I don't have a chance to listen before I buy. I like the fact that it provides SPDIF outputs and the limiter at the end will be very handy in recording situations with unpredictable singers.

UAD Twin Finity
This is also interesting. I like the tube blending option with the solid state. However, from what I've read, I have gathered that you can get slightly unpredictable results with the tube section and the solid state circuit is not that clean. Also the review on SOS was not too enthusiastic either. It's a new product and I suppose it is difficult to judge.

SPL Channel One 9945
Ok, this is a mystery! I don't know the reason why, but all the SPL products are not raising to much discussion. In my opinion this seems very interesting piece of gear. The extra modules are welcome, especially because I like to apply very gentle compression when tracking vocals. However, even the SOS review left me with a lot of question marks about the performance of the preamp. It is not completely clear if it is 100% tube or solid state and as far as I can understand you cannot operate it 100% tube or solid state either. Please enlighten me on this one. Are SPL preamps to be considered with the ones above?

Please let me know of your thoughts. I would hire a studio that has those pre's but due to the fact that they are mid budget it is very hard to find them and test them thoroughly.

Regards,

Domenico

[EnlightenedHand]

You would probably like the Twin-finity. I disagree with your assessment of the SOS article about it. I think it was a rather favorable review.

However, to some extent a preamp is a preamp is a preamp. It gets rather redundant when obsessing about which one to choose, because any high quality preamp will get the job done. It's just a matter of how much you want to spend for the character that you prefer. If you don't know the character you prefer then you're probably best going with something straight forward like the ISA. If you like clean and detailed with a full bottom end you might really like the DAV BG-1.

Liz

[RegressiveRock]

You've selected four very worthy contenders.

You might find some help in this review which I wrote for the ISA One's big brother some years ago.

Reg

[Domenico]

You've selected four very worthy contenders.

You might find some help in <a href="/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=184678&page=4&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1#184678" target="_blank">this review</a> which I wrote for the ISA One's big brother some years ago.

Reg

It was really helpful indeed. Is it the same preamp in 428 as in ISA One however?

I would really love to hear some feedback about the SPL model. I even read the Sound On Sound review but it focuses more on the other components rather than the preamp itself. It seems like a very appealing unit to me, however I am a bit reluctant about the hybrid "solid state/tube" thing and the fact that there is no control or sign to tell you when you have tube or to blend them like the twin finity.

Anyone has any comments on the SPL?

[Steve Hill]

This will confuse rather than help, I suspect, but you owe it to yourself to listen to a DAV BG1. Which gives you two channels for the price of one, should you ever aspire to stereo recordings in the future (which you may well do seeing as your record acoustic instruments).

[RegressiveRock]

You've selected four very worthy contenders.

You might find some help in this review which I wrote for the ISA One's big brother some years ago.

Reg

It was really helpful indeed. Is it the same preamp in 428 as in ISA One however?

I would really love to hear some feedback about the SPL model. I even read the Sound On Sound review but it focuses more on the other components rather than the preamp itself. It seems like a very appealing unit to me, however I am a bit reluctant about the hybrid "solid state/tube" thing and the fact that there is no control or sign to tell you when you have tube or to blend them like the twin finity.

Anyone has any comments on the SPL?

As I understand it, the One is essentially a single 428 channel with built in AD.

I am another big fan of the BG1, which you should certainly add to your listening list.

I'm afraid I cannot help you on the SPL channel.

[Jon Con]

I have an SPL channel one and I love it. Its been a really versatile Mic pre for me. I bought this after recommendations from this forum in preference over other channel stips. I can't comment on how this compares with the other mic pres in question though I'm afraid

[Domenico]

I have an SPL channel one and I love it. Its been a really versatile Mic pre for me. I bought this after recommendations from this forum in preference over other channel stips. I can't comment on how this compares with the other mic pres in question though I'm afraid

That's interesting!

Could you say a bit more about the preamp section of the SPL? Is it clean? Does it sound more like solid state or tube? What about its tube? When does it start acting? Can you overload it?

A lot of questions, I know

[Jon Con]

the preamp sounds pretty clean to me, the EQ section is musical to my ears and in that section you also have the distortion knob which will allow you to colour or drive to the source. I can't really comment much more on it to be honest because I don't want to get any of the facts wrong, for me I really like the sound of the pre and its been a massive help for the stuff I've been doing.

For you it might not be what you're looking for, the only suggestion I could make would be to try and hire these units and work with them for a while and see which one suits your needs best.

[dickiefunk]

I've just picked up a secondhand Focusrite ISA One with digital card. I haven't had much chance to try it out yet but from initial tests I found it was considerably quieter than my M-Audio Tampa!

There seems to be quite a lot of interest in these aswell :-

Chameleon Labs 7602
Golden Age Projects PRE-73

[marsnic]

Hi Domenico - check your PMs

Cheers,
Darren

[Domenico]

I've just picked up a secondhand Focusrite ISA One with digital card. I haven't had much chance to try it out yet but from initial tests I found it was considerably quieter than my M-Audio Tampa!

There seems to be quite a lot of interest in these aswell :-

Chameleon Labs 7602
Golden Age Projects PRE-73

Yes, being one preamp that I have actually tried, this is one of the point it wins the game. It is very quiet. Even on very high gain settings. I generally must admit I liked the ISA One's character, but I would like to check more options because I already have two solid state preamps and maybe I would like to have option for more color.

So the more opinions I get the better