#1,965 in Musical Instruments
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Reddit mentions of ART USB Dual Tube Pre
Sentiment score: 1
Reddit mentions: 1
We found 1 Reddit mentions of ART USB Dual Tube Pre. Here are the top ones.
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Two-channel tube-based Mic/Instrument preamp computer interfaceExtremely low noise discrete front end with variable input and output controlsAdvanced optical output compressor to simplify recording and prevent overloadUSB connectivity to desktop and laptop computersS/PDIF output for expanding inputs on digital workstations and computer interfacesLatency free Monitoring Mix and Level controlsBalanced XLR for lo-Z applications and 1/4" hi-Z inputs for instrument DI applicationsSeparate Gain, Phase
Specs:
Height | 4 Inches |
Length | 13 Inches |
Width | 11 Inches |
Yes, there are recorders that can record multiple tracks. Like the Tascam DR-40 has XLR inputs. I'm not necessarily endorsing the Tascam. I have the DR-05 and find it acceptable quality. Something like the Zoom H4N has XLR connectors built in, so you could record a mic into those and use the built in condenser mics to record your guitar.
You left out some relevant information: Budget, can your guitar be plugged in or will you mic it? Do you have a pretty sound free workspace?
I think budget is the most important part here. I interpret 'nothing flashy' as being a cheap as it can get without being poor quality.
I'm gonna link to listings on Amazon because it's easiest, but B&H or if you live near a Guitar Center might be a better place to buy.
A possible setup:
If you need/want to mic your guitar then consider the SM-57. It is nearly identical to the SM58. Here is a guy demonstrating using one to record his guitar.
This guy's video makes me wonder if just an SM57 with a decent preamp (i.e. one with clean gain) might be all you'd need... but that isn't ideal. You could go with two XM8500s, one for guitar and one for vocals ($40). Or one SM58 for vocals and one XM8500 for guitar($120). That all comes down to budget and preferences.
Potential Changes & other thoughts -
A more expensive preamp - ART Tube Dual Mic Preamp With USB - $190- this has some compression and a limiter. It's debatable whether in this range it would be better to get a decent mixer, a preamp for your vocals, and let the preamp on the mixer handle the guitar, or if something like this would be better. Like a Behringer mixer - Q802USB ($80) + ART single channel Preamp for vocals ($40/$50) would be less money than the Dual USB preamp.
Or maybe just the Q802USB would suffice for your needs. It has preamps already built in. They are not the best preamps in the world. I mean... after all I wrote above, the more I think about it the more I think you should try a Q802USB and see if the sound is what you're wanting.
Headphones - Add in some headphones to monitor your audio. ATH-M40x ($100) would be my recommendation, but this is where a lot of personal preference comes into the mix, no pun intended.
Different mics - Rode has some mics that compare the the Shure SM57/58 that might be better. And the options for mic are virtually limitless, when you consider not just the mics can vary, but the audio interfaces and processing options. I really think a dynamic mic will be most user friendly for a one off home recording.
I hope I haven't confused more than I helped. I think the essentials are this: good mics, clean gain, easy to use. Whether you get the dual channel ART preamp or the Q802USB, either will be easy to use. I would bet the gain on the ART preamp is cleaner, meaning less background hiss at higher levels, than the Q802USB, but perhaps that is just an unreasonable bias. In either case, the mic is going to be important and where your budget plays a big role. The SM58 and SM57 are superb for vocals and recording guitar. A condenser might be better if the acoustics of your recording space allow for it, but I hope you saw from the video I linked of the guy recording his guitar with the SM57 that a great sound can be achieved with a $100 mic. If that is out of your budget, keep in mind the XM8500, but the sound is not as clear as the Shure mics it tries to emulate.