tube pedal

[brandon]

hi all, i'm thinking of buying an ibanez tube king or something of the like with a real tube for distortion on organ, e piano and lead sounds. has anyone had any experience with this type of thing? any opinions or advice will be appreciated.

thanks

[guillex]

Yeah man Actually I Am Using a Pre-amplifier with my Korg M50...its not a very expensive product, but it worth! its the behringer mic 200..take a look to it, you will see that it have a tube, and a pre amp modeler...
Regards!

[nitekatt2010]

Yeah man Actually I Am Using a Pre-amplifier with my Korg M50...its not a very expensive product, but it worth! its the behringer mic 200..take a look to it, you will see that it have a tube, and a pre amp modeler...
Regards!

I have been hearing about using pre-amps to warm up the sound of digital keyboards, especially for B-3 organ, Rhodes, clavs, anything that had an analog sound.

Does the Behringer pre-amp used for live gigs, recording? Can it make that much difference in the sound by using a pre-amp? You are right though about the Behringer pre-amp, the price is about $60. Some of the higher end pre-amps I've read about can cost $1000-2000k.

katt

[nitekatt2010]

Yeah man Actually I Am Using a Pre-amplifier with my Korg M50...its not a very expensive product, but it worth! its the behringer mic 200..take a look to it, you will see that it have a tube, and a pre amp modeler...
Regards!

I have been hearing about using pre-amps to warm up the sound of digital keyboards, especially for B-3 organ, Rhodes, clavs, anything that had an analog sound.

Does the Behringer pre-amp used for live gigs, recording? Can it make that much difference in the sound by using a pre-amp? You are right though about the Behringer pre-amp, the price is about $60. Some of the higher end pre-amps I've read about can cost $1000-2000k.

katt

[guillex]

nitekatt2010, for me there is a warmer sound with the pre-amplifier. But, most of all, a bigger amount of gain/volume.
I play in a band with 8 more musicians. Most of all I use hammond, clavinet and rhodes sounds...plus some leads sometimes...believe me, in the leads, there is even more difference!!!


Anyway... I wil recomend you to try it, and when you are plannign to buy a pre, the rule is simple, spent as more as you can!!!!


The last thing, about the tubes or circuit...the point is now wich valve it have, IF NOT HOW IS THE CIRCUIT DONE INSIDE.

Hope it was usefull information...

Regards!

[Sina172]

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[guillex]

PreAmps can cost WAY more than that, buddy. How's $15,000 - 20,000?

If you can honestly tell me that you can't tell the difference from a Behringer Mic Pre to an Avalon Mic Pre, you need to have you're ears checked. Seriously. It's THAT obvious. Even those that "THINK" they won't hear the difference, that know NOTHING about music or how its produced, actually DO hear it because of the quality.

Sina

Hello, welcome to this topic!

First, did you really read my post? Did I mention Avalon vs Beheringer? Nobody is speaking about Behringer...f*ck behringer! you can use, search, or find what you wanna...

I've just said/recommended: ''Try to use a pre-amplifier with a keyboard at live...'' Nothing else....you choose the brand...

ps: My ears are good man, I've cheked it some months ago!

[nitekatt2010]

Yeah man Actually I Am Using a Pre-amplifier with my Korg M50...its not a very expensive product, but it worth! its the behringer mic 200..take a look to it, you will see that it have a tube, and a pre amp modeler...
Regards!

I have been hearing about using pre-amps to warm up the sound of digital keyboards, especially for B-3 organ, Rhodes, clavs, anything that had an analog sound.

Does the Behringer pre-amp used for live gigs, recording? Can it make that much difference in the sound by using a pre-amp? You are right though about the Behringer pre-amp, the price is about $60. Some of the higher end pre-amps I've read about can cost $1000-2000k.

katt

PreAmps can cost WAY more than that, buddy. How's $15,000 - 20,000?

I know cause I own a few very expensive PreAmps. Most of them around $5,000 - 10,000. And MOST of them are custom and multi-channel. I do have a few Dual and Single Channel Mic Pre's that I use with my keyboards, but I use those exclusively for my best gear to keep them as isolated from the my other gear as possible. This includes power as well. Each one is INDIVIDUALLY Power Conditioned and in its own outlet as well.

And yes they DO make THAT big a difference. Why do you think they're so expensive and why do you think they go up that high in price? While a lot of it has to do with marketing and mark-ups in prices, MOST of it has to do with the quality of the components used and the cost to make them.

Many of the highest end PreAmps have VERY little profit, despite the fact that they can cost up to $20,000.

Why would one buy an OASYS instead of an M3 or an M50? For the same reasons people buy a high-end mic PreAmp. It's about Quality. Those that are like me who are beyond meticulous about the quality they want, WILL spend the cash and get the best.

I've heard enough PreAmps, EQ's Compressors, Limiters and other recording units to make that statement.

One final note I have to make as well, is this:

If you can honestly tell me that you can't tell the difference from a Behringer Mic Pre to an Avalon Mic Pre, you need to have you're ears checked. Seriously. It's THAT obvious. Even those that "THINK" they won't hear the difference, that know NOTHING about music or how its produced, actually DO hear it because of the quality.

So if you want a good inexpensive PreAmp, I'd actually go with PreSonus or Studio Projects in the low end of the scale because they offer an amazingly good quality product that sound WAY more expensive that Behringer or Art, or any other cheapo brand.

Not that Behringer is a bad product, it's just that there are MUCH better products out there for not a whole lot more. A Dual Channel PreSonus in your rig would be an AMAZING sound in comparison to what you're getting right now.

Sina

Whoh! $20,000k for a pre-amp. Afraid that is way above my musical toys addiction budget. If I had an extra $20,000, I would get a decent used 6' grand piano.

I am going to investigate the Behringer. It's only $60, so not a big investment if it doesn't help my tone much. If I do notice something better, then I may invest in a more expensive pre-amp for even better results. I was going to get a DI box anyway and the Behringer Mic100 can be used as one too. I'll keep ya posted.

I want to improve my live sound, so maybe the Behringer is a start. I also checked the other 2 models you recommended, PreSonus and Studio Projects. Both are not that expensive. Some of the reviewers said they took out the original tubes out of these units when they got them and replaced them with better tubes and got even better results in sound quality.

Also, for a keyboard is a single or double channel needed?

Thanks for the response

katt

[Sina172]

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[Sina172]

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[guillex]

Yeah man I undestand...Also Im really agree with you that the BlueTube is a very good pre...But here (in Argentina) cost 370 dollars!!! so...I baught the behringer cause Ive already pay an M50 73 notes (1620 dollars)...

Anyway, the point for me is that Its good for all of us (keyboard players) to try to sound different, cause every person who buy the m50 will have the same sounds...so

Let's try pedals,effects, pre-amplifiers, and all what we can do to sound different..

[nitekatt2010]

Katt I think you should go back and read the post again. I NEVER said to go and spend $20K on a preamp. I just said that's how much they can go UP to.

So if you want a good inexpensive PreAmp, I'd actually go with PreSonus or Studio Projects in the low end of the scale because they offer an amazingly good quality product that sound WAY more expensive than Behringer or Art, or any other cheapo brand.

Not that Behringer is a bad product, it's just that there are MUCH better products out there for not a whole lot more. A Dual Channel PreSonus in your rig would be an AMAZING sound in comparison to what you're getting right now.

The PreSonus is BlueTube is $230 and it's a Dual-Channel Tube Mic Pre. The Behringer you want is one channel which means you're only gonna get a mono signal with your M50.

Sina

No Fina, I read the post, I certainly understand that we all don't need a $10,000+ pre-amp to get the ultimate keyboard sound. I know all about the high cost of mastering gear from Manley Labs, $5000k compressors/limiters, $10,000 custom made studio monitors, etc.

So a dual-channel is what is necessary for a stereo keyboard like the M50? A single channel pre-amp wouldn't help much in mono, is that right?

Believe me, if I had the money to get all the gear I want, it would be almost 6 figures , the best monitors, pre-amps, everything that money could buy. I'm always trying out things and hanging out in pro audio forums, plus live sound groups to read about what other keyboard players are using to run their rig through. thanks

katt

[Sina172]

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[nitekatt2010]

Katt I think you should go back and read the post again. I NEVER said to go and spend $20K on a preamp. I just said that's how much they can go UP to.


The PreSonus is BlueTube is $230 and it's a Dual-Channel Tube Mic Pre. The Behringer you want is one channel which means you're only gonna get a mono signal with your M50.

Sina

No Fina, I read the post, I certainly understand that we all don't need a $10,000+ pre-amp to get the ultimate keyboard sound. I know all about the high cost of mastering gear from Manley Labs, $5000k compressors/limiters, $10,000 custom made studio monitors, etc.

So a dual-channel is what is necessary for a stereo keyboard like the M50? A single channel pre-amp wouldn't help much in mono, is that right?

Believe me, if I had the money to get all the gear I want, it would be almost 6 figures , the best monitors, pre-amps, everything that money could buy. I'm always trying out things and hanging out in pro audio forums, plus live sound groups to read about what other keyboard players are using to run their rig through. thanks

katt

Yes a dual channel IS necessary otherwise you are wasting you're time and money. And to make matters worse, you won't hear a big difference, either when you go mono.


By the way, you sound like me when I didn't have 6 figures for a studio and now that I do (it's 8 figures now!), I'm through the roof with gear!

And you DO have the money, but its in the mind. If you learn to let go of how its going to happen, and just focus on what you want, you'll have it, because you have no doubts and you believe (which is the opposite of doubt) you can achieve that 6 figure studio you want.

A key principle I learned is this: You get what you think and feel about most of the time.

So stop thinking "if I had this" or "if I had that," you are sobotaging yourself first and foremost and limiting yourself for nothing. State the oppositie and put yourself in a position where you CAN have it, because in time you will and it'll feel effortless.

You won't believe what I've been through in 14 months. If I wasn't a strong minded person and just gave up, I wouldn't even be alive today. That's how bad I had it.

Now I have an 8 figure studio (and it's growing so fast, you'd think i'm crazy for having so much gear! )

By the way, it has NOTHING to with luck, because luck is created.

Sina

Yep sina, that's all good advice but in all honestly I have 3 nice keyboard rigs for live gigs and recording, 2 PA's 3 mixers, cables, etc plus the MacBook filled with VI software. I more than enough pro gear to handle almost any situation. All the studio I need is the M50, GarageBand and the Mackie or Behringer mixer. Most of the players I gig with have home studios, ProTools, Logic, large mixers and outboard gear.

But I have made the definite decision to get a good dual channel pre-amp so I can run my keyboards in stereo to get the best tone. I also just got the VB3 Virtual Tonewheel organ software that sounds amazing and with a good pre-amp, it would really cut through the mix on live gigs.

Along with the pre-amp, I'm also doing research on what would be the ultimate portable stereo PA for live gigs, small and light enough to get in the car, easy to set up and produces the best acoustic piano samples as well as the VB3, clavs and Rhodes. Those are really the only sounds I use on most gigs, sometimes strings and brass, pads.

I see many posts from keyboard players on what keyboard amps or speakers they should get to get the best sound out of the various digital pianos or VI's like Ivory, Alicia's Keys, TruePianos. I see recommendations for the newer JBL EON 10 series, Mackie and Behringer powered monitors, Motion Sound, etc.

What would you recommend as far as a good stereo sound system for live gigs, mainly for small clubs, events?

katt

[Sina172]

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