15 posts
Ok, I've got a PreSonus MP-20 and a Focusrite TwinTrak Pro. I got these at very attractive discounts a while back (both new) and they are for use when I mic up guitar speakers (I tend to use the nice mic-pre's on my Mackies for other things including vocal mics).
Anyway, I'm thinking of getting rid of one for a few reasons. The question is: Which one?
Do any of you have any experience with either? Any reason to keep one over the other?
Thanks.
Sell the one that brings in more cash. I doubt there is much of sonic difference between them. I have always liked presonus more for preamps, and focusrite more for compression... since both have both, it's a wash to me.
I am a big PreSonus fan I have one of their VXP's, I would not sell that item until I am long done with recording. My $.02 anyways.
The Focusrite is bigger (two rack spaces) but gets very hot to the touch (can't be a good thing, and a quick internet search says that they have some "burning up" issues - yikes! :o ). It's also, by far, the one worth more on the used market.
That said, it sounds really nice and has several features I like a lot. It has two analog meters on the front as well as two mic inputs on the front.
Although I usually use the Focusrite first for the above two reasons, I'm going to try some A/B comparisons today with the MP-20 to see why I shouldn't sell it (hey, it will give me two spaces back to my vocal rack, it's worth more and that overheating issue scares me).
Sell them both and pick up an M-Audio 2626, and have some cash to boot. It kicks much ass, gives you a primo audio interface with 26 ins and outs, 8 mic pres, DIs, etc. I doubt you need the features of either of those pres...
I've found they help when I mic the cabs a lot. I used to have too weak of a signal going to the PC, but it now sounds great (or at least it sounds the same recorded as live - still need to work on tone and talent! ;) ).
I'm also using a channel for voice work, but I could run that through other gear...
charger — Jan 19, 2010Sell them both and pick up an M-Audio 2626, and have some cash to boot. It kicks much ass, gives you a primo audio interface with 26 ins and outs, 8 mic pres, DIs, etc. I doubt you need the features of either of those pres...
You have one of those? What about the drivers any good? M-Audio is a good company. The stand behind their stuff very well. What does it sound like, warm like the Delta 1010 or clearer like the Pro Tools stuff?
I think it sounds great. I got my best DI ever out of it, very clean--you can track DI bass through this thing with nothing else, no problem, and throw on a DI guitar track at the same time... it has two switchable instrument level inputs. And we tracked some live stuff on it that came out really well. I think the converters and clocking in it are better than the Delta series by a mile, so I'm sure it sounds better. Drivers are solid, I even got it running with Pro Tools on 64-bit Win7, as well as on my WinXP laptops and my home PC.
Cool, I will think on it when I upgrade my DAW this coming summer.
So that would replace both mic pres AND my Layla 24, right?
Oh well... I have a hunch that if I have to sell all of those things I'll be out of the music-making arena for a while anyway.
Who knows! :-/
CraigBert — Jan 22, 2010 my Layla 24, right?
You got one of those too. I have had mine since 2003 been flawless ever since.
you need to change your screen name from Craigbert to CraigGCJr.
Is there a little brother version (sonically comparable) to the 2626? I also happen to be looking to upgrade my interface and mic pre (still using a trusty old Studio Projects VTB-1 into an E-Mu 0404) and like the recomendation, especially the idea of an interface w/nice mic pre's built in, just don't need 8 of 'em! Wondering if the M-Audio FastTrack Ultra (or something similar) would be an upgrade over my current ghetto style setup? All I record with mic's is guitar cabs and maybe an acoustic here and there.
thanks
edit: nevermind, I see the M-Audio 610 unit uses two of the same preamps as the 2626, might be the ticket for me.
Bought the M-Audio ProFire 610 yesterday. Right now on GC's site, they have a 15% off coupon for most M-Audio interfaces, that coupled with the VTB-1 and an old pedal collecting dust for trade in credit @ $100 roughly left me with $250 total for the purchase, not bad for new (they seem to go for around that used on the bay).
Very happy with it so far, great upgrade for me. I haven't changed a setting on my amp or mic placement since my most recent clips with the older pre, used the same guitar, tracked the same riffs, etc, and its now so obvious to me the VTB-1 was coloring the sound, lol, who knew! I much prefer what I'm hearing now. Plus, the VTB-1 was single channel, now I have two nice pre's, already experimenting with dual mics...fun stuff. (=
edit: pulled the trigger on an e906 mic (musicians friend, came with a free decent looking 20' mic cable, how could I refuse, lol). Lots of e906/sm57 tests to come.
sorry to have jacked your thread...