Customer Reviews

ART Tube MP Microphone Preamp

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While I couldn't recommend this product for someone wanting to do professional recoding, I am, overall, very pleased with it. I have a cheap mic, and this preamp dramatically improved the sound, and reduced backgroud hum. I really like the seperate imput and output controls, and the ability to run either 1/4 or XLR inputs is nice. It does lack some of the features that I have seen on more expensive models, and most of the tech is solid state. But again, for the price it is a nice little addition to your home studio.
If you are a beginner that just wants to play around with music recording/production, this is a simple to use product that will work great.

This is a not a super high end preamp. If you take some time and learn its functions, it works very well. I use it for some live vocals that needed a little more presence. If you are getting noise then your not using it right, or you got one that was damaged in shipping.

For the price I would have to say This is WELL worth it.

I like the price and it does warm up a relatively low-priced powered mic but is it asking too much to have a simple ON/OFF switch? Why do you have to unplug it to turn it off?

Length:: 4:19 Mins

This is part 2 of a 5 part in depth video review series that I created on the ART Tube MP preamp. You can find the series on YouTube under "ToneTaster". The videos contain audio demonstrations of the Tube MP. In one of the videos I compare the sound of different tube brands inside the Tube MP. I'm not sure about the newer ones since mine is an older model but mine is very well made, very dependable, very quiet, and has plenty of output gain for this price! The very best tip I can offer is: use a short quality cable like a monster brand cable or similar at the output. This is VERY important, otherwise you will not get the clarity out of it that it is capable of and you may get a very muddled sound. In my opinion the ART Tube MP is an excellent value!

I bought this microphone preamp to use between my electric guitar and a 20W practice amp. It adds alot of warmth, and when properly overdriven, gives a great fuzz sound to my playing. I have a friend that also actually uses his to power a microphone! wow!

I am new to preamps. Used this with large Diaphragm MXL and Shure SM-57Beta. with night and day results. Warm, Clear, Super Easy to use.
Well worth the money. Used with Roland VS-2480 and SONAR 5 producer. Great for both voice and instruments.

For smoothing the rawness and thickening the sound of
an inexpensive condenser mic, this box is just the thing.

Microphone settings usually are best somewhere generally
around "straight-up", with some variations. Use restraint
when using with Mics!

With Microphones, I would strongly urge you use ONLY the XLR inputs,
for lowest noise level. However, the VU meter

Compare track recordings (vocal, bass guitar, etc) WITH and WITHOUT
the preamp in use, to get a feel for the subtle magic it does.

It is even better with guitar or bass, where it
just kicks it up a whole notch
in terms of thickness/smoothness of sound.

And if you overdrive it, you can
get some enhanced distortion, for sure.

The best use of preamps (esp inexpensive ones), is to keep
its use fairly subtle on any 1 track (except for special FX).

But if you were multitrack recording alone
and you used it on several tracks--Say, vocal mics,
guitar and bass, it would make
a solid difference in your final recording as a WHOLE,
I would think.


The newer version of this box (with numerous presets),
might be even better and easier to get good results from--But that
is just my guess.

This model is simpler, but I got some
good results from it, and it also "taught" me
what a difference a preamp makes.

This much is true---NO 2nd preamp you get will ever be
as much an improvement in your sound
as the 1st preamp was an improvement over
NOT using a preamp at all.


Great starter pre. But see also: The Art Tube STUDIO MP, which has VU meters.

I have used a pair of these with both a pair of Audio-Technica 3035s and most recently with a Rode NT-4 Stereo mic recorded onto a Fostex MR8 4 track deck. Hardly state of the art equipment; however, the combination of the Rode NT-4 and these units gives my oboe a nice warm sound that I have striven for years with home equipment to create. I am considering purchasing another pair so that I can use both sets of mics for live recording of recitals with the AT 3035s being placed in the back of the hall and the Rode NT-4 in the front. Condenser mics need phantom power and these units provide it well.

I purchased this preamp/processor on 10/23/08, along with the Behringer ECM8000 Omnidirectional Measurement Condenser Microphone from Amazon. The two of these products create a stunning, realistic sound, so good that your voice in the recording sounds almost like hearing yourself speak. It is a good preamp for those starting out in recording. The preamp is able to control the microphone through separate input & output control knobs so that noise is kept to a minimum; has phantom 48V power switch for microphones; phase reverse(for multiple microphones close); and a 20db gain switch for extra boost. The preamp has 2 inputs: 1 balanced XLR jack & one 1/4" balanced jack. It has two outputs: 1-balanced XLR plug & 1 unbalanced 1/4" output jack(mono). To use the 1/4" unbalanced(mono) output jack with stereo headphones or recording, you need to get HOSA STEREO 3.5mm (M) - MONO 1/4" PHONE (M), 5 ft., and 3.5mm Stereo Jack To 1/4" Stereo Plug Adapter. This Art Tube MP Pro preamp/processor and the Behringer ECM8000 omni-directional microhone are a great combination for the money. I tested out this microphone & preamp on 10/29/08. The sound quality of this microphone and the capability of this preamp/processor is incredible--just like being there when recorded on an iRiver H320. You can turn the output & input volumes up & down enough to control volume level or clarity. Turn the input up & the output down until the voice is clear, & voice quailty is superior. Tweak the input & output a little more until the music sounds clear, & live music in a living room is ear-tingling (when you've been used to a less sensitve microphone). I highly recommend both these products. Haven't had a lick of trouble yet.

Its affordable and does a great job. I am no expert sound engineering, but this preamp has done wonders for my songs.