Customer Reviews

Studio Projects VTB1 Microphone Preamp

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This is a budget preamp, but probably the best in the price range.

It is made to go especially well with the Studio Projects C1 mic.
But it has all-round applications, including guitar and bass as well as mics.

It's HOW you use it (with caution & restraint on vocals, somewhat
less restraint on Git & bass), that counts most of all.

Watch distortion/noise levels carefully, as with ANY preamp,
avoid extreme settings on most vocals (except special FX), & you should do well.

The tube blend "smooths-out" detail somewhat. I don't use it
on vocals much, just git & bass, where it often works well.

The fact about preamps is this:

The biggest, and cheapest, improvement in sound, with preamps in general,
is going from NO preamp to just USING a preamp.

In other words,
moving from NO preamp to say, A VTB1, used skillfully with your
modest studio cardioid condenser mic, will get you at least 50 to maybe
80% of the way to "great fidelity". (Those are my "fuzzy numbers" for illustration).

It's Getting up to 95-99% fidelity that takes the real $$$$$$$$$$$, and names
like Avalon, Neumann, Telefunken, Manley and Grace start popping up.

But the SP VTB1 gets the job done for the home recordist without big buck$,
but maybe a reasonably decent condenser mic or 2,
and the patience and focus to use 'em effectively.

You're not going to find a better preamp in this price range. That said, don't expect this to have the same effect on your recordings as a thousand dollar piece from UA or Grace. The difference between its all tube and solid state settings is subtle, but it's nice to be able to blend your choice between the two. I recorded the same vocal line through the same mic with the VTB set to the tube side of the knob, and then again without the VTB and spent the better part of an hour a/b'ing the two tracks to see the difference. There is a LITTLE more warmth in the VTB, and it shows a little bit clearer, but it's not going to blow you away. A job where the VTB really shines though, I have a Duncan performer soundhole pickup for my acoustic that has always had problems direct to PA that sounds great with this added to the signal chain

Very clean. I am using this primarily for vocals with a Shure SM7B. The tube is of questionable value, but at this price, I can't complain.
Update: After awhile I started to notice that this could be more transparent and replaced it with a Grace 101. Still this is totally acceptable for line in instruments. And if you can't afford the Grace...