Below is one of the few comments left by the late voice legend, Brian James. Brian answers Terry Daniel’s question about mic preamps.
Source: Voiceover Universe.
by Brian James on July 10, 2008 at 3:10pm
I believe that the Preamp is 50% of your sound…I have seen plenty of people spend big bucks on a mic and then hook it to a crappy pre! If you have a budget set then I would just as soon see you spend half of it on a decent pre than blowing it all on a mic and then finding it STILL doesn’t deliver the sound you are after. To spend less than a grand I would look around for a good used Focusrite…maybe a RED 8.New they are around 1,800.00.That was my first real Pre and still is in my studio. I remember how the light went on the first time I spoke through that RED 8..”there is the sound I have been looking for!”
There are several decent pres in that price range but remember there is a reason some are very expensive…sometimes they are worth every cent! And if you still tweak it all with software..you STILL need a good clean quality sound going in. Never sell yourself short on a Preamp.