I used the SM7B for this review to put a high demand on the preamp and I found the MP/C was able to provide plenty of gain to stage though the 18i20 into Studio One. I didn't include mic boosters in this video, but I have tested the Cloudlifter CL-1, the sE Dynamite, and Klark Teknik CT-1 with the MP/C. All performed well and I did not experience any impedance issues. The compressor section is a simplified version of ART's Pro VLA II Vactrol Opto compressor but shares its smooth characteristics, so at a cost of around $150 USD at the time of recording (and available from Long & McQuade for $149 CAD) the MP/C is a bargain...
Glad it is working out well for you! ART doesn't get a lot of hype as they don't spend a lot on promotion...but I have found their gear often far outperforms its price. This is a great preamp to get started with and the built-in vactrol (optical) compressor is easy to setup and sounds very good imo.
Absolutely! I use a number of their products almost daily and I have always been impressed at the quality they are able to make affordable. They fly under the radar as one of the best values available imo.
Very nice and thorough review! Actually one of the rare ones which don't jump to conclusions and which don't sound like commercials. Only one comment from me - the UA 710 doesn't have a transformer-coupled input. I have one and I know it for sure.
Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed my review. I think UA decided not to go with an input coupled by transformer and instead used a trans-impedance amplifier and caps was their intent to make the solid state path as transparent as they could. This left the tube path as the color circuit. For me what is impressive about the 710 is that UA was able to create a phase-coherent variable blend of the two pathways. The 710 isn't my go to preamp, but for the right sources, I'm glad to have it in my rack. Cheers!
@@askdrtk They went that way to make production cheaper and maximize their (otherwise very ample) revenue MHO. Do you know there is a 1:1 clone of the 710 produced by a Chinese brand I'm not going to name which most probably is produced in the very same factory where the UA is made!? I would even guess it may have better components inside. For instance my 710 when you look inside has the large PP caps no-name brand in gray color while any add for the amp shows clearly red WIMA ones. It's beyond any logic how much they charge for "Designed in...." but "Made in China" products.
Just found your channel. ITs the cats pyjamas. lol I like it alot. Very well explained with details that are straight forward and concise. Thanks, and I subbed this channel.
Glad to hear it is working out well! I have found ART gear offers great value with a nice balance of quality, features, and performance. Not an "image" brand, but in the end it is the sound that matters. ART gets things done!
Excellent review,thanks👍 Another task we use them for is as a re-amper box. The compressor button/switch gave out on one of ours after a couple years but still a handy preamp/DI/reamper. Cheers,subscribed
Great Review! No nonsense, no subjective opinions just FACT. Truth be told most gear today is superior to 1950's and 60's gear, I know Blasphemy!! But use your ears not your eyes. The noise floor is lower, the gain before distortion is greater, the dynamic range is wider. I think a lot of the "Boutique " stuff is overrated, just because something cost 5x more does not mean one is getting 5x the performance, in fact I can attest that one is not. " Boutique " is marketing , i.e propaganda, not much more, certainly not worth the additional cost. Free advice 1) Spend your budgeted monies on a good sounding room first. 2) Get clean filtered power to everything you've got hooked up, amps, gear, recording medium etc...EVERYTHING, clean power isn't sexy but it's more important than a vintage Nueman or Pultec. 3) High quality cables and keep lengths as short as possible, patch bays are the Devil, with as few connection points as possible. 4) Write a great song and capture that performance. 5) Microphones 6) and last OUTBOARD GEAR ( I won't even comment about plug-ins) psssst they suck , ok I commented. I own this unit along with some " boutique" and vintage gear I bought before I got hip to the " Big Gear Con" , live and learn and honestly I can't hear much difference. ALBINI commented on this in regards to the RNC which he has several of, he said quote " I can't hear any performance difference from my high end compressors" the same is true of most outboard gear , including mixers, consoles or Desks if your British and pretentious as hell. The ART stuff will get the job done the rest is up to you. Reallocate your bread man,get that PC/ Voltage regulator from Furman , hon your carpentry skills and treat that room. Spend the rest on toys . Peace ✌️
Blasphemy!...What would Mr. N say? (He gave us so much, may he rest in peace.) Glad you enjoyed my review. I might as well get in trouble too. I agree, much of today's affordable gear performs far better than it gets credit for. The law of diminishing returns kicks in quickly, especially for those of us working in home/project studios. My WA-2A does the LA thing, not exactly the same as the Tele, but then again vintage LA's don't all hit the signal the same either. Same for my Lin76s. They do the 1176 thing, a bit different vs my 6176, and let's not get started with all the various 1176 revision's topology... I appreciate you sharing some of the most important advice everyone needs to hear. Treat you space first, then listen and go back to see what can still be improved. Then you begin to hear what the gear is doing. Cables and power may not be exciting, but after I moved to Furmans and Tripp-Lite Isobars (medical grade isolation between each sockets) plus good cables managed properly, not only did so many issues disappear, but it felt like the second best upgrade I ever made (after treatment), and I'm never going back. All that said, I do love gear and enjoy working with it, even back in the day with my Fostex four track...😄
@askdrtk Hahaha I didn't know about the Iso Bars Thank You !!! I compare gear to DNA especially the burgeoning sub class of DNA , Touch DNA, everything imparts its " palm print " on sound everytime we record it. I love gear also and I have the rooms to prove it Hahaha. I know I oversimplified things but that's only because manufacturers,add execs, recording mags and online reviewers have OVER COMPLICATED THINGS for decades . They needed " slappin down" a tad Hahaha
Love the DNA analogy, so true. I'm with you on the "gear escalation" as it seems to come back to once all the rooms are full of gear, can it be paired down, what other non-gear can go, or do I need more space...lol. In any case, as long as we keep enjoying creating music, regardless of all the toys that go along with it, we are very fortunate (but I still wouldn't mind a separate "console room" for experimental reasons...or maybe nostalgia...lol).
@askdrtk Do you think all the " gear hype" discourages some musicians from recognizing their talent ? I wonder some of my favorite albums were recorded on Cadsette Studios . Yo La Tengos Painful, Stereolabs Peng 33, PJ Harvey's 4 Track Demos, many more. Brilliant albums. I know from personal experience how musicians get " conned" into thinking a Big Professional Studio with hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment will make them sound better so they refrain from recording on whatever medium and gear they can afford. Personally to my ear the little Tascam MK III sounded better than anything I've heard recorded digitally. True Story , I recorded 6 songs on Tascam Portastudio MK III in 1996. I had a buddy who was interning at Sorcerer Sound in NYC , Living Color, Sonic Youth , Dinosaur Jr. , Tom Verlaine many more recorded there. My friend got me in on Sunday nights to re record what I did on cassette. Anyway I HATED IT, too much polish, and IMHO Neve 1073 sound like shit. It's just not worth the cost to me. I guess if you want to sound like Fleetwood Mac or Toto or Nirvana a BIG FM RADIO SOUND you gotta pay the $400.00 dollar and hour studio OR treat the room, tune the drums properly, get clean power to EVERYTHING, some 57's a Ribbon. a good condenser and a good bass DI THEN WRITE AND COMPOSE A GOOD SONG , Bingo! You're " there ". I have a Coles 4038 and a Beyer M160 but I also have a Peavey Rac 1 Ribbon and a MXL Heritage Ribbon are the Coles and Beyer 5 times better than the MXL and Peavey ? NO ! only 5 times more expensive. I know Kim Deal ( P ixies Breeders Amps) threw in the towel on that Big Studio thing after Last Splash. In fact she was so unhappy with the Albinis final mix she protested it was " too clean" and re recorded the vocals through a guitar pedal overdrive . BIG EXPENSIVE STUDIO PRODUCTION killed Punk and ushered in the 80's Sound ugh !! The 90's Indie scene was a pushback against all that then Nirvana came along and demolished that ethic. Cobain knew it too , after Nevermind he submitted his follow up on cassette and Geffen said NO WAY , Nirvana capitulated and brought us their POS follow up. There is great gear out there CHEAP, the Golden Age of budget recording with professional results, all I'm saying
While it is unfortunate that some musicians believe the "big studio" is necessary, I think the pendulum started to swing back towards smaller project and home studios during the pandemic. Everyone had the chance to see major artists recording new music at home. Many were trying out "prosumer" recording gear and getting great results and more indie music was starting to be released than we have seen in some time. As we know, gear is not the barrier to entry to making music, it is and has always been musical talent (artists created by image and "marketing hype" aside) . It was always easier to justify a big expensive studio based on gear alone when the gap was wide, but today diminishing returns begin at a much lower cost than they used to. Yes, high end gear can be superior, but if the recording environment is anything less than ideal (for the desired sound), and the gear isn't setup to contribute to the recording quality, the upgrade does not produce noticeable results imo. Throw $200000 of pro gear in an untreated basement with 7 1/2 foot ceilings and see what difference you get compared to an entry level interface and a few plugins. If only we could get to a point where room treatment was a priority to make the recording space as good as it can be, everyone would start to hear just how good home and project studio recordings can be (and I won't even get into one genre vs another). While gear looks flashy in a high end pro studio and can deliver superior results, the real difference and value is in the recording space(s) and knowledge of the engineer doing the recording. If the recording space can be improved with treatment and a musician takes the time to learn how to record, including using affordable gear, recordings and mixes today can be at a level we never needed to make a record back in the day... Sadly, talent does go unrecognized when recordings don't "sound like a record" and while we are not where we could be yet, I do see some hope. I see many who now do it all...artist, engineer, and even promotion/distribution after taking the time to learn each role. It could even be that affordable gear might become part of the solution to the high barrier of entry in the top studios, if we can first get our recording spaces sorted out... All we need to do is listen to the results of a recording in a treated space at home with some compression from an affordable LA2A or 1176 clone vs a recording in an untreated space with the original gear and the concept of what a pro studio is starts to change. Only my opinion....everyone reading, create first, make music, and use gear as part of the creative process if it adds something to the experience (even the vibe) and sound, not as a requirement to get started.
There is not a dedicated line level input on the MPC, but I have tested line level through the XLR input and it does work in terms of signal level with the gain in the minimum setting. I set it up in a loop with a line out from my audio interface to the line in on the MPC and the line out on the MPC back to a line in on the audio interface. As I mentioned above, the gain level does work with the XLR input and the compressor functions as would be expected. This of course is not a bypass of the preamp, however with input gain set at minimum preamp coloration as low as possible (much like audio interfaces where in some cases the preamp stage is not bypassed with line inputs). Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I hope this helps out.
I have found ART stock tubes to perform well and haven't found the need to change them out. I have tried swapping tubes in both this preamp and in their Voice Channel, but I didn't hear enough difference so the stock tubes went back in.
Sorry I missed your question earlier. Yes, and the rear output switch gives you options for connecting to a pa and an amp on stage for monitoring at the same time if you need it.
I'm not sure which other gear your were using / what the MPC was connected to, but I connect my gear to isolated outlets (Tripp Lite Isobars) to ensure EMI doesn't pass between gear - I do this even when my studio power runs through Furman conditioners as mine do not have individually isolated outlets. Another thing I like to do is add a ferrite core to the power supply cord about 3 inches from barrel connector that plugs into the MPC (I actually do this will any gear that uses an external power adapter that does not have one already). If you are using the unbalanced output to connect to an amp (with the DI input) noise can sometimes come back from the amp. In that case an isolation transformer (such as a CleanBox) between the amp and MPC will usually take care of the noise. Beyond that, the usual cable routing considerations apply - try to keep audio cables away from power cables. I can't say I had any particular issues with the MPC, but these few steps have generally solved an issues in the past. Hope this helps out. Cheers!
Awesome Review thank you very much for that great work! How many noise do you get in comparison with a Triton FetHead? 'cause it sounded Very clean in your Recording. Im asking that because I'm an Voice Actor and use an Rode Procaster -> FetHead -> Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen...the sound for me is absolutely awesome but sometimes I'd like to get a Limiter...not the plugin one's, I'd like to get an Hardware ones for something like... In Scene one I'm whispering (fear surrounds...did you hear that?) and than getting loud (The Monster Attacks our Hero...!!! AAAAH!) you know what I mean, I think! :D So in the whisperparts I sometimes got a little Noise and in the Screamparts ...yeah...CTRL + Z...new take because a Clipping... But I don't want to change that gain up and down because of a Noisegate to filter my breathings (You know...low budget Productions without many post-processing). Would that Preamp help me?
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed my review! This preamp wouldn't be my first recommendation for voiceover as the tube circuit in the MPC tends to impart a bit more saturation than I would normally want for your application. It is a great sounding unit, but a better fit for vocals and instruments. For voiceover, I often recommend an outboard compressor / limiter. An LA3A style unit such as the Golden Age Comp 3A is an excellent choice as the peak control it provides is very transparent and its solid state circuitry is very clean. Since you have a 4i4, you have the additional IO required to use the COMP 3A in an effect loop. This means you would have the Procaster -> FetHead -> Scarlett (with the mic input routed through the COMP 3A in the Scalett internally) before the final audio it converted to digital and sent to your computer. You also will be able to monitor in zero latency with the COMP 3A and there will be no impact on your noise gate. I have a video on Focusrite Control Effect Loops that explains exactly how to set this up. Adding an outboard preamp can also level up your sound, but given that you are already using a FetHead, a 3A style compressor / limiter will have a much greater impact on the quality of your recordings. I hope this helps out!
Hello, can't find this answer anywhere regarding this ART Tube MP/C - can you use both outputs simultaneously? Unbalanced 1/4 inch into guitar amp and balanced direct into interface, like a DI splitter?
Great question! Yes, you can use both the balanced and unbalanced outputs at the same time and the balanced out is transformer isolated, so no worries about ground loops. Hope this helps out!
Not directly with the PRO MPA II. The gain structure on the input side appears similar other than variable input impedance on the Pro. The output stage on the MPC has an additional 10dB of gain vs the Pro which I would think ART did to account for the compression circuit. It would be interesting to do a comparison of sound, gain structure, and circuit topology of a few ART preamps (VoiceChannel, Pro MPA II, etc.) Cheers!
Having worked with both, there are positives and negatives with each in terms on onboard effects, but in terms of pure tube drive, the DBX offers a wider range of "usable" saturation control imo. That said, both are capable of considerable coloration / saturation and can provide an aggressive sound. I hope this helps out. Cheers!
@@askdrtk Thanks. I see that both are relatively old and not very popular, not that I care about what the majority thinks, but are there maybe some better options?
You could also look at the new Warm WA-MPX. It lacks some effects found on the dbx and ART, but is is based on a classic design. Moving up in price, the Avalon 737 is popular as well. The thing is, there is not a lot "new" in tube preamps / channel strips as many are based on classic designs (often for good reasons). In the end, its about sound. I have new / old / expensive / budget gear in the studio and those considerations never come up in choosing what to use when recording or on a track or mix. I choose what best fits based on my ears. New gear can be exciting when it is released, and may even improve on what is currently available, but when companies keep making gear for a long time that also says something about how it is received over time. Just my thoughts, but may help...
It is carried by Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Long and McQuade, etc. You'd have to check local store stock, but both Sweetwater and L & M are showing in-stock for both in-store and online.
Great question! Yes you can. The built in compression is very good to smooth out live vocals just enough without losing the dynamic feel during live performances.
I used the SM7B for this review to put a high demand on the preamp and I found the MP/C was able to provide plenty of gain to stage though the 18i20 into Studio One. I didn't include mic boosters in this video, but I have tested the Cloudlifter CL-1, the sE Dynamite, and Klark Teknik CT-1 with the MP/C. All performed well and I did not experience any impedance issues.
The compressor section is a simplified version of ART's Pro VLA II Vactrol Opto compressor but shares its smooth characteristics, so at a cost of around $150 USD at the time of recording (and available from Long & McQuade for $149 CAD) the MP/C is a bargain...
Very nice video, I would like advise on what would be a budget friendly eq for this Art preamp? Thank you
Yup.
Have a great sounding instrument.
Play to your best ability.
Make sure your gain stage is healthy.
Make sure your room is treated.
That’s it
For anyone second guessing this purchase the answer is yes. Its way better than expected and not difficult to understand
Glad it is working out well for you! ART doesn't get a lot of hype as they don't spend a lot on promotion...but I have found their gear often far outperforms its price. This is a great preamp to get started with and the built-in vactrol (optical) compressor is easy to setup and sounds very good imo.
Art is so underrated it's crazy.
Absolutely! I use a number of their products almost daily and I have always been impressed at the quality they are able to make affordable. They fly under the radar as one of the best values available imo.
Very nice and thorough review! Actually one of the rare ones which don't jump to conclusions and which don't sound like commercials. Only one comment from me - the UA 710 doesn't have a transformer-coupled input. I have one and I know it for sure.
Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed my review. I think UA decided not to go with an input coupled by transformer and instead used a trans-impedance amplifier and caps was their intent to make the solid state path as transparent as they could. This left the tube path as the color circuit. For me what is impressive about the 710 is that UA was able to create a phase-coherent variable blend of the two pathways. The 710 isn't my go to preamp, but for the right sources, I'm glad to have it in my rack. Cheers!
@@askdrtk They went that way to make production cheaper and maximize their (otherwise very ample) revenue MHO. Do you know there is a 1:1 clone of the 710 produced by a Chinese brand I'm not going to name which most probably is produced in the very same factory where the UA is made!? I would even guess it may have better components inside. For instance my 710 when you look inside has the large PP caps no-name brand in gray color while any add for the amp shows clearly red WIMA ones. It's beyond any logic how much they charge for "Designed in...." but "Made in China" products.
@@dkokalanovlink to the Chinese equivalent plz 🙏
@@SkepticofJust Google Alctron MP100 MKI/MKII.
@@dkokalanov thanks 😊
Just found your channel. ITs the cats pyjamas. lol I like it alot. Very well explained with details that are straight forward and concise. Thanks, and I subbed this channel.
Superb video and detailed explanation. Love it! thanks for taking the time to make this video and sharing it with everyone!
Thanks! My pleasure to help out!
One of the best purchases ive ever made, it has so many uses all excellent!
Glad to hear it is working out well! I have found ART gear offers great value with a nice balance of quality, features, and performance. Not an "image" brand, but in the end it is the sound that matters. ART gets things done!
@@askdrtk
Very true
@@askdrtk ART TubeMPSTV3 for the price point is a nice bang for the buck also.
Excellent review,thanks👍 Another task we use them for is as a re-amper box. The compressor button/switch gave out on one of ours after a couple years but still a handy preamp/DI/reamper. Cheers,subscribed
Great Review! No nonsense, no subjective opinions just FACT. Truth be told most gear today is superior to 1950's and 60's gear, I know Blasphemy!! But use your ears not your eyes. The noise floor is lower, the gain before distortion is greater, the dynamic range is wider. I think a lot of the "Boutique " stuff is overrated, just because something cost 5x more does not mean one is getting 5x the performance, in fact I can attest that one is not. " Boutique " is marketing , i.e propaganda, not much more, certainly not worth the additional cost. Free advice 1) Spend your budgeted monies on a good sounding room first. 2) Get clean filtered power to everything you've got hooked up, amps, gear, recording medium etc...EVERYTHING, clean power isn't sexy but it's more important than a vintage Nueman or Pultec. 3) High quality cables and keep lengths as short as possible, patch bays are the Devil, with as few connection points as possible. 4) Write a great song and capture that performance. 5) Microphones 6) and last OUTBOARD GEAR ( I won't even comment about plug-ins) psssst they suck , ok I commented. I own this unit along with some " boutique" and vintage gear I bought before I got hip to the " Big Gear Con" , live and learn and honestly I can't hear much difference. ALBINI commented on this in regards to the RNC which he has several of, he said quote " I can't hear any performance difference from my high end compressors" the same is true of most outboard gear , including mixers, consoles or Desks if your British and pretentious as hell. The ART stuff will get the job done the rest is up to you. Reallocate your bread man,get that PC/ Voltage regulator from Furman , hon your carpentry skills and treat that room. Spend the rest on toys . Peace ✌️
Blasphemy!...What would Mr. N say? (He gave us so much, may he rest in peace.) Glad you enjoyed my review. I might as well get in trouble too. I agree, much of today's affordable gear performs far better than it gets credit for. The law of diminishing returns kicks in quickly, especially for those of us working in home/project studios. My WA-2A does the LA thing, not exactly the same as the Tele, but then again vintage LA's don't all hit the signal the same either. Same for my Lin76s. They do the 1176 thing, a bit different vs my 6176, and let's not get started with all the various 1176 revision's topology... I appreciate you sharing some of the most important advice everyone needs to hear. Treat you space first, then listen and go back to see what can still be improved. Then you begin to hear what the gear is doing. Cables and power may not be exciting, but after I moved to Furmans and Tripp-Lite Isobars (medical grade isolation between each sockets) plus good cables managed properly, not only did so many issues disappear, but it felt like the second best upgrade I ever made (after treatment), and I'm never going back. All that said, I do love gear and enjoy working with it, even back in the day with my Fostex four track...😄
@askdrtk Hahaha I didn't know about the Iso Bars Thank You !!! I compare gear to DNA especially the burgeoning sub class of DNA , Touch DNA, everything imparts its " palm print " on sound everytime we record it. I love gear also and I have the rooms to prove it Hahaha. I know I oversimplified things but that's only because manufacturers,add execs, recording mags and online reviewers have OVER COMPLICATED THINGS for decades . They needed " slappin down" a tad Hahaha
Love the DNA analogy, so true. I'm with you on the "gear escalation" as it seems to come back to once all the rooms are full of gear, can it be paired down, what other non-gear can go, or do I need more space...lol. In any case, as long as we keep enjoying creating music, regardless of all the toys that go along with it, we are very fortunate (but I still wouldn't mind a separate "console room" for experimental reasons...or maybe nostalgia...lol).
@askdrtk Do you think all the " gear hype" discourages some musicians from recognizing their talent ? I wonder some of my favorite albums were recorded on Cadsette Studios . Yo La Tengos Painful, Stereolabs Peng 33, PJ Harvey's 4 Track Demos, many more. Brilliant albums. I know from personal experience how musicians get " conned" into thinking a Big Professional Studio with hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment will make them sound better so they refrain from recording on whatever medium and gear they can afford. Personally to my ear the little Tascam MK III sounded better than anything I've heard recorded digitally. True Story , I recorded 6 songs on Tascam Portastudio MK III in 1996. I had a buddy who was interning at Sorcerer Sound in NYC , Living Color, Sonic Youth , Dinosaur Jr. , Tom Verlaine many more recorded there. My friend got me in on Sunday nights to re record what I did on cassette. Anyway I HATED IT, too much polish, and IMHO Neve 1073 sound like shit. It's just not worth the cost to me. I guess if you want to sound like Fleetwood Mac or Toto or Nirvana a BIG FM RADIO SOUND you gotta pay the $400.00 dollar and hour studio OR treat the room, tune the drums properly, get clean power to EVERYTHING, some 57's a Ribbon. a good condenser and a good bass DI THEN WRITE AND COMPOSE A GOOD SONG , Bingo! You're " there ". I have a Coles 4038 and a Beyer M160 but I also have a Peavey Rac 1 Ribbon and a MXL Heritage Ribbon are the Coles and Beyer 5 times better than the MXL and Peavey ? NO ! only 5 times more expensive. I know Kim Deal ( P ixies Breeders Amps) threw in the towel on that Big Studio thing after Last Splash. In fact she was so unhappy with the Albinis final mix she protested it was " too clean" and re recorded the vocals through a guitar pedal overdrive . BIG EXPENSIVE STUDIO PRODUCTION killed Punk and ushered in the 80's Sound ugh !!
The 90's Indie scene was a pushback against all that then Nirvana came along and demolished that ethic. Cobain knew it too , after Nevermind he submitted his follow up on cassette and Geffen said NO WAY , Nirvana capitulated and brought us their POS follow up. There is great gear out there CHEAP, the Golden Age of budget recording with professional results, all I'm saying
While it is unfortunate that some musicians believe the "big studio" is necessary, I think the pendulum started to swing back towards smaller project and home studios during the pandemic. Everyone had the chance to see major artists recording new music at home. Many were trying out "prosumer" recording gear and getting great results and more indie music was starting to be released than we have seen in some time. As we know, gear is not the barrier to entry to making music, it is and has always been musical talent (artists created by image and "marketing hype" aside) . It was always easier to justify a big expensive studio based on gear alone when the gap was wide, but today diminishing returns begin at a much lower cost than they used to. Yes, high end gear can be superior, but if the recording environment is anything less than ideal (for the desired sound), and the gear isn't setup to contribute to the recording quality, the upgrade does not produce noticeable results imo. Throw $200000 of pro gear in an untreated basement with 7 1/2 foot ceilings and see what difference you get compared to an entry level interface and a few plugins. If only we could get to a point where room treatment was a priority to make the recording space as good as it can be, everyone would start to hear just how good home and project studio recordings can be (and I won't even get into one genre vs another). While gear looks flashy in a high end pro studio and can deliver superior results, the real difference and value is in the recording space(s) and knowledge of the engineer doing the recording. If the recording space can be improved with treatment and a musician takes the time to learn how to record, including using affordable gear, recordings and mixes today can be at a level we never needed to make a record back in the day... Sadly, talent does go unrecognized when recordings don't "sound like a record" and while we are not where we could be yet, I do see some hope. I see many who now do it all...artist, engineer, and even promotion/distribution after taking the time to learn each role. It could even be that affordable gear might become part of the solution to the high barrier of entry in the top studios, if we can first get our recording spaces sorted out... All we need to do is listen to the results of a recording in a treated space at home with some compression from an affordable LA2A or 1176 clone vs a recording in an untreated space with the original gear and the concept of what a pro studio is starts to change. Only my opinion....everyone reading, create first, make music, and use gear as part of the creative process if it adds something to the experience (even the vibe) and sound, not as a requirement to get started.
How do you use it as an insert in a mix, how do you connect it to use the compressor as an insert?
There is not a dedicated line level input on the MPC, but I have tested line level through the XLR input and it does work in terms of signal level with the gain in the minimum setting. I set it up in a loop with a line out from my audio interface to the line in on the MPC and the line out on the MPC back to a line in on the audio interface. As I mentioned above, the gain level does work with the XLR input and the compressor functions as would be expected. This of course is not a bypass of the preamp, however with input gain set at minimum preamp coloration as low as possible (much like audio interfaces where in some cases the preamp stage is not bypassed with line inputs). Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I hope this helps out.
@@askdrtk Thanks for your reply, I'll try it out
Hey i want to know is the stock tube good?
I have found ART stock tubes to perform well and haven't found the need to change them out. I have tried swapping tubes in both this preamp and in their Voice Channel, but I didn't hear enough difference so the stock tubes went back in.
@@askdrtkgood to know! I’d like to save money on replacing the tube for some months, while researching an array of valve options.
Good video man😎
Much appreciated! 👍
Nice presentation. Cheers, Dave.
Thanks Dave, very much appreciated!🍻
Love the Tube MP thank you
Glad you enjoyed it. This is a very capable preamp with a nice sounding compressor.
Useful review, cheers from Hungary :)
Thanks, I am glad to help out!😀
My Art Tube MP/C stock tube is a Tung Sol 7025.
could this work as a di box connected into a pa system for a live acoustic gig?
Sorry I missed your question earlier. Yes, and the rear output switch gives you options for connecting to a pa and an amp on stage for monitoring at the same time if you need it.
I just remember mine being all buzz.....any recommendations? I couldn't figure it out.....
I'm not sure which other gear your were using / what the MPC was connected to, but I connect my gear to isolated outlets (Tripp Lite Isobars) to ensure EMI doesn't pass between gear - I do this even when my studio power runs through Furman conditioners as mine do not have individually isolated outlets. Another thing I like to do is add a ferrite core to the power supply cord about 3 inches from barrel connector that plugs into the MPC (I actually do this will any gear that uses an external power adapter that does not have one already). If you are using the unbalanced output to connect to an amp (with the DI input) noise can sometimes come back from the amp. In that case an isolation transformer (such as a CleanBox) between the amp and MPC will usually take care of the noise. Beyond that, the usual cable routing considerations apply - try to keep audio cables away from power cables. I can't say I had any particular issues with the MPC, but these few steps have generally solved an issues in the past. Hope this helps out. Cheers!
Awesome Review thank you very much for that great work!
How many noise do you get in comparison with a Triton FetHead? 'cause it sounded Very clean in your Recording. Im asking that because I'm an Voice Actor and use an Rode Procaster -> FetHead -> Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen...the sound for me is absolutely awesome but sometimes I'd like to get a Limiter...not the plugin one's, I'd like to get an Hardware ones for something like... In Scene one I'm whispering (fear surrounds...did you hear that?) and than getting loud (The Monster Attacks our Hero...!!! AAAAH!) you know what I mean, I think! :D
So in the whisperparts I sometimes got a little Noise and in the Screamparts ...yeah...CTRL + Z...new take because a Clipping...
But I don't want to change that gain up and down because of a Noisegate to filter my breathings (You know...low budget Productions without many post-processing).
Would that Preamp help me?
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed my review!
This preamp wouldn't be my first recommendation for voiceover as the tube circuit in the MPC tends to impart a bit more saturation than I would normally want for your application. It is a great sounding unit, but a better fit for vocals and instruments. For voiceover, I often recommend an outboard compressor / limiter. An LA3A style unit such as the Golden Age Comp 3A is an excellent choice as the peak control it provides is very transparent and its solid state circuitry is very clean. Since you have a 4i4, you have the additional IO required to use the COMP 3A in an effect loop. This means you would have the Procaster -> FetHead -> Scarlett (with the mic input routed through the COMP 3A in the Scalett internally) before the final audio it converted to digital and sent to your computer. You also will be able to monitor in zero latency with the COMP 3A and there will be no impact on your noise gate. I have a video on Focusrite Control Effect Loops that explains exactly how to set this up. Adding an outboard preamp can also level up your sound, but given that you are already using a FetHead, a 3A style compressor / limiter will have a much greater impact on the quality of your recordings. I hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk Thank you veeeery much! That helps a lot!!! :)
Hello, can't find this answer anywhere regarding this ART Tube MP/C - can you use both outputs simultaneously? Unbalanced 1/4 inch into guitar amp and balanced direct into interface, like a DI splitter?
Great question! Yes, you can use both the balanced and unbalanced outputs at the same time and the balanced out is transformer isolated, so no worries about ground loops. Hope this helps out!
Can someone help me please? This or art tube studio v3
Have you ever compared it with Pro MPA II
Not directly with the PRO MPA II. The gain structure on the input side appears similar other than variable input impedance on the Pro. The output stage on the MPC has an additional 10dB of gain vs the Pro which I would think ART did to account for the compression circuit. It would be interesting to do a comparison of sound, gain structure, and circuit topology of a few ART preamps (VoiceChannel, Pro MPA II, etc.) Cheers!
What do you think about dbx 676 vs ART Voice Channel? I would like a lot of coloration, grit and saturation. Thanks.
Having worked with both, there are positives and negatives with each in terms on onboard effects, but in terms of pure tube drive, the DBX offers a wider range of "usable" saturation control imo. That said, both are capable of considerable coloration / saturation and can provide an aggressive sound. I hope this helps out. Cheers!
@@askdrtk Thanks. I see that both are relatively old and not very popular, not that I care about what the majority thinks, but are there maybe some better options?
You could also look at the new Warm WA-MPX. It lacks some effects found on the dbx and ART, but is is based on a classic design. Moving up in price, the Avalon 737 is popular as well. The thing is, there is not a lot "new" in tube preamps / channel strips as many are based on classic designs (often for good reasons). In the end, its about sound. I have new / old / expensive / budget gear in the studio and those considerations never come up in choosing what to use when recording or on a track or mix. I choose what best fits based on my ears. New gear can be exciting when it is released, and may even improve on what is currently available, but when companies keep making gear for a long time that also says something about how it is received over time. Just my thoughts, but may help...
Dear Americans.... see? It's not "oot" an d "aboot".... it's "oat" and "aboat"... Canucks represent... (PS: Great review, there, bud!!)
Can you only get this Pre Amp online
It is carried by Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Long and McQuade, etc. You'd have to check local store stock, but both Sweetwater and L & M are showing in-stock for both in-store and online.
can I use this in live
Great question! Yes you can. The built in compression is very good to smooth out live vocals just enough without losing the dynamic feel during live performances.