I'd ideally arrange a listening test and go from there.... The 1073 is a recognised classic so that would no doubt bias me in that direction.
I'd be put off the Focusrite as they stopped being reliant on high end gear some time ago and the unit is probably put together by malnourished chinese children.
However, if it sounded better to my ears in a listening test then those chinese kiddies would get paid still.
I'd ideally arrange a listening test and go from there.... The 1073 is a recognised classic so that would no doubt bias me in that direction.
I'd be put off the Focusrite as they stopped being reliant on high end gear some time ago and the unit is probably put together by malnourished chinese children.
However, if it sounded better to my ears in a listening test then those chinese kiddies would get paid still.
Any reason why the RND pre doesn't even get a mention?
Cunt's right about a listening test. Also having done equipment tests on more recent Focusrite gear I'd be weary/want to test it before spanking a load of money on it.
I know someone who used to work with/for Rupert Neve and from the stories he's told me, a lot of craft goes into his designs and having used Neve equipment (rather than just basing my opinion on hype/reading bullshit in magazines) I'd naturally lean towards either the 1073 or the 5012.
One thing I would also say (I'm sure you know this already but I'm posting it for the benefit of anyone who doesn't) don't necessarily trust what the spec sheets say as when I was doing the equipment testing I found the spec sheets to be wholly inaccurate or borderline lies for some equipment.
Cunt's right about a listening test. Also having done equipment tests on more recent Focusrite gear I'd be weary/want to test it before spanking a load of money on it.
I know someone who used to work with/for Rupert Neve and from the stories he's told me, a lot of craft goes into his designs and having used Neve equipment (rather than just basing my opinion on hype/reading bullshit in magazines) I'd naturally lean towards either the 1073 or the 5012.
One thing I would also say (I'm sure you know this already but I'm posting it for the benefit of anyone who doesn't) don't necessarily trust what the spec sheets say as when I was doing the equipment testing I found the spec sheets to be wholly inaccurate or borderline lies for some equipment.
I know what you're saying about spec sheets... listening is certainly the best way to go.
There is a very specific reason why i am asking, but i'd rather wait for a few more responses before revealing why.
Personally if i was looking for a certain something i generally do a couple of month researching mainly because i want to make sure i get what is right for me regardless of reviews, i'll find out whats recommended... the top 5 or so, and set about doing some home work on getting into specs and just understanding what is what if that makes sense, ideally i like to getting out and about and judge fior myself, i always make sure i buy what's best "bang for buck"
If I had to jump in and pick one right now without a real shootout (and not having to consider the monies) I would be going for the 1073, mainly due to it being the most simple, and the price point (around 2k GBP?).
I'm guessing that it would have the best pre-amp, no EQ, HPF, comp etc, just raw badass pre-amplification, and I cant remember hearing anything bad about them but have heard a tonne of praise.
I used the Portico that has one channel of pre with comp (cant remember the name) a couple of years ago and thought it was good but ended up using a UA pre that was a bunch cheaper, just seemed to work better for what we were doing (female vocals, we had a few different mics to pick from and 2 pres).
I kinda feel like I fell out of love with Focusrite, they were the first channel strips I ever used and I thought that they were the be all and end all quite a few years back. I'm guessing it is the cheapest here though, and I would probably grab that if it was my money on the table TBH.
And true tings about spec sheets, I personally have been put in a position where I have had to put something on a cut-sheet for a client that I know was wrong, it was either do it or don't get paid by the client.
On another occasion I proofed a spec sheet and a development team had sent over a calculated Max SPL figure of 170dB on an active loudspeaker, got them to double check that...
Ok, so prob not gonna get a lot more response on this thread. That's understandable given the unlikely use of these sorts of pre's (or any in most cases) in DnB production.
The main reason i'm asking is that all of them have Rupert Neve in their heritage. Rupert designed the 1073 in (rather weirdly) 1973 when he owned The Neve Company. He sold the company 2 years later. He then worked as a design consultant for Focusrite where he designed the original ISA 110 for George Martin, on which the current ISA models are based. Both of these companies still reference these facts despite the current incarnations of the products being different tonally to those original models. Hence original 1073s are still sought after.
Rupert then started Rupert Neve Designs in 2005 and still designs their circuits to this day. The brand is huge in the US, where they are based, since Rupert became a US citizen in 2002. Rupert Neve Designs is relatively unknown in the UK compared to the other 2 brands that are UK based and trade off the back of the work he did for them decades ago.
I am soon to be the director of UK operations for the brand and am just considering my plan of action. It appears to me that awareness to the brand in the UK is it's main short fall so expect to see the name popping up more and more in the not too distant future.
Maybe the pre's weren't the most relevant to DnB but it was an easy target when looking for evenly featured products across the brands. However, there are a few very well known names in DnB using Rupert's Master Buss Processor and with his new summing mixer due to arrive on my desk any day now i'm expecting the electronic scene to start taking a bit more notice.
Check Kosheen running some vocals through the MBP:
Congratulations, pretty high level genius to be working for/with to be fair.
The brand's main attribute I would say is that the designs are based on Neve's expertise/knowledge NOW and undoubtedly there will have been mistakes in previous designs that he has learnt from or, he's still be making those same designs or very similar now. Essentially, the strength is that he's only going to have become more of a badman given that his badmanistry is based in his knowledge.
Personally the best thing to do would be to send me over a load of equipment and I'll gas about how great it is to all the people I know who can't afford it and therefore won't be able to buy it. Surefire success plan right thur.
Oh, and get some of the units in educational facilities where they have a high turnover of students. I used a Focusrite Red at uni and ended up buying a Focusrite Green, used a Lexicon ended up buying one. You want to get future customers comfortable with using the units and used to how they sound - courses normally have like 100 people a year or something which means 100 people using those units and becoming potential customers when they leave.
Don't do a prickuid hedge though and start mentioning them even when not relevant!
Cheers dude.
To be fair i have been selling their equipment, plus sE, Apogee and Waves for the past year and i've not harped on about it. Just enough so people know i'm here
Mod X, i'm already on the education tip. Have been working on that for months, it's not a quick process but think i'm getting there now.
There is also going to be a marketing campaign initiated from the US side of things along the lines of 'then and now' in terms of Rupert's designs which will highlight the point you're making. Once that appears it will be rolled out over here too.
Most stuff is in hand, so looks like we're on the right track. Wish things happened a bit quicker but just have to be patient.
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