VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[bobsouer]

Mike,

Allen Scofield, Mary McKitrick and Kara Edwards (all members here) all have Lawson microphones and I'm pretty sure all 3 are very happy with them.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

[Mike Sommer]

Thanks Bob
I need another mic like a hole in the head but this is one mic that has really caught my attention in the past few years. Since the U47 and the U47FET are untouchable this would be the next best thing at a "reasonable" price.
_________________
The Blog:
http://voiceoveraudio.blogspot.com/

Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.

[Yoda117]

[bobsouer]

Greg,

I'm going through Philadelphia on Saturday on my way home from one of my trips. Sadly, I won't be there long enough to stop by to see you; but one of these days I'd love to talk into your Horch, just to see what it's like in the real world. (Or what passes for the real world in your studio.)
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

[Yoda117]

Bob,

let me know the next time you're in NYC (you seem to hit there more than Philly). I'll bring one of them up and let you try it out.

While I do love vintage gear, this is by far my favorite tube mic. The Brauner VM1 KHE is also really nice (and has a nicer sound to my ears), but the Horch is almost as nice, and far, FAR more versatile.

/we've decided to suspend reality at the studio... too many coffee breaks.

Actually, I might have something for everyone to listen to in a few weeks that I'm do specifically with the Horch. Not my normal fare, but with a slight pattern change it becomes and insane mic for promo.
_________________
Voiceovers by Gregory Houser
Philadelphia based Voice Actor

Blog - A man, a martini, and a lot of microphones

[bobsouer]

Greg,

Will do. Either NYC or Philadelphia (and New England for all my friends up there) are all places on my short list to try to get to when I can.

/I'm especially fond of places where reality is suspended.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

[Mike Sommer]

[Yoda117]

I know Mike, one of my friends was in front of those mics for NBC for years. Interesting story about their primary recording room and how a contractor screwup turned it into one of the nicest recording rooms I've ever been in.

Again, great kick drum mic. Don't like it for VO.

U47 with original transformer and VF14, different story. CMV-563 has always been good to me.

Put all three away, and most every other tube mic when I got my Horch. Still great mics, but for me, this one just smoked.
_________________
Voiceovers by Gregory Houser
Philadelphia based Voice Actor

Blog - A man, a martini, and a lot of microphones

[tokyofan]

Thanks for all the input!

A rep at Sweetwater earlier recommended the Summit 2ba-221 or Solo/610 to contrast the Grace 101. He described the Blue Robbie as an Audiophile preamp...very clean for a Tube preamp. He also suggested the newer Focusrite ISAone for contrast.

In addition to all your helpful suggestions, these are the candidates:

Blue Robbie
Summit 2Ba-221
Great River ME-1NV
Universal Audio LA-610
Solo/610
Focusrite ISA One

After reading online reviews and posts here I'm leaning towards the Great River or Solo/610. But which??
_________________
www.chriskoprowski.com/en

[Yoda117]

Great River isn't a tube pre, but the Solo is.

Frankly, if you get the Solo or the LA-610, you want to swap out the tubes. These are great pres, but are often derided as cheap imitations of Bill Putnam's original work... until you take out the $3 Russian tubes and put in something more akin to what was used by the folks who made them famous (RCA, Sylvania, Telefunken, Mullard, Mazda, Tung Sol; not the "remakes" but the originals; of these the Mazda and Telefunken tubes have been my favorite).

If you lean more towards the Great River, which is also an awesome preamp, then I'd tell you to also check out the Buzz Audio Elixir, and the John Hardy M1. Both are similar to the GR, but have a bit more color (which several folks on this board have used to great success).
_________________
Voiceovers by Gregory Houser
Philadelphia based Voice Actor

Blog - A man, a martini, and a lot of microphones

[Jeff McNeal]

If anyone reading this thread is looking for LA-2A compression out of an LA-610, you're going to be disappointed. It has a nice flavor all it's own certainly, but the compressor section in the LA-610 is a compromised version of the LA-2A at best. Don't believe the "heart and soul of an LA-2A" marketing hype.

I'm referring specifically to the "new and improved" LA-610 Signature Edition with the NOS American tubes, Cinemag transformer, etc.

I bought the LA-610 SE and wound up returning it for a refund after nearly a month of wishful thinking and trying to love it. I lucked into a mint LA-2A from a nearby studio going out of business a few weeks after I purchased the LA-610 and it took me about 10 minutes to dial in the sound on the LA-2A that I never could after a month of trying with the LA-610 SE.

As with anything else, YMMV.

[tokyofan]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions! With your comments along with my online research I'm leaning towards the Great River ME1NV or Solo610. What about the Art Tube gear?
_________________
www.chriskoprowski.com/en

[Lance Blair]

As I wrote earlier, I can't emphasize enough how cool the sweepable input impedance is on the ART MPA Gold. It's not a great preamp, but you can get so many different sounds out of it that it's...well, great.

But hold the presses! A new contender emerges!

http://www.uaudio.com/products/analog/710/overview.html

UA enters the "Tube Blend" sweepstakes, and I'm intrigued.
_________________
Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

[Yoda117]

[Jowillie]

Tell me again--Why Tube?
_________________
Wild Willie Edwards
www.hometowntvtoday.com
http://vomictest.blogspot.com