VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Philip Banks · Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:13 am Post subject: Avalon VT-737 SP

I was talking to a producer yesterday after a session and he suggested that the Avalon VT-737 SP and a Neumann U87 is a great combination. Knowing that Dan has just bought one I thought it warranted further investigation. All looked fine and I suspect that the sound is fabby. I then put on my thinking head as this would be a business decision. My Focusrite Penta supplies 48v phantom power to my mic and obviously amplifies the signal, or pre-amplifies it if you like. That's all it does and that's all it is required to do. So what would the lovely Avalon bring to my party? I can not speak for subtleties but I am able to measure certainties. My certainty is a minimum of 25 knob redundancy. Yep, there are at least 25 knobs or buttons I would never touch. Bear in mind I am not a gear junkie and have no real audio production expertise ask yourself why I would pay good money for something I would never use? I wouldn't and didn't. One thing is for certain I'm sure in the hands of experts this preamp is money well spent and can't wait to hear the results Dan gets with it.

Here's the kicker. I asked the producer if he was happy with the session.

"Sounded fantastic!" Ok, nuff said.

He's worked with (adopts kneeling position) Don La Fontaine and also described my sound as "the British Don La Fontaine". High praise and he was being sincere but to be honest I can't hear the DLF element.

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

Banksey,

Since I am a gear junkie and an Avalon 737 owner, I will chime in. I also had a U 87 for a short time, and it sounded quite good through the 737.

I also have a Mackie 1202 and an Apogee Duet, and both have solid state pre-amp capability.

The Avalon definitely adds a little bit of edge(unlike the 1202 and the Duet) that I like. But others have said you can get the same thing without spending $2K, especially since you don't plan to use the EQ and compressor.

However, certain producers and engineers may feel most comfortable with the 737, since it is relatively clean, safe, familiar, and respected for the most part.(although some purist musical types turn their noses up at it).

But mainly it's my understanding that the tubes make the difference.

I suspect that you will hear from several other VO-BBers on this topic before all is said and done.

Philip Banks · Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:36 am Post subject:

Gp · Guest

Don't fix it, if it isn't broke!

I've heard alot about the venerable 737. Not all of it good. For the money there are much better pieces.

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

I didn't really appreciate what the 737 brings to the party(and I'm talking about just the pre-amp, not the EQ and compressor----neither of which get much use) until I got the Mackie because I needed a mixer for phone patch sessions, and then got the Duet as a travel interface/pre-amp.

I tried recording straight into the Mackie and then into the Duet---again, both solid-state pre-amps----and in both cases got a very useable, clean signal that works perfectly well for most purposes.

But then when I went back and recorded into the 737, there was a tangible difference. Not necessarily better, but with a little more of an "edge" and a touch of character.

It depends on the mic. My two main mics---Gefell M930 and AKG 414, both tend to sound a little bland until they are run through the 737. I think a U 87 might be able to stand on its own a little better.

Deirdre · Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:22 am Post subject:

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

Okay, busted by the word police!

Substitute "noticeable" or some other synonym.

Dan-O · The Gates of Troy Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1638

This seems like a great time to jump in on the conversation. Here are two files that I recorded yesterday to make a comparrison of my old Focusrite Platinum Voicemaster Pro and the Avalon 737. This is raw audio using a Sennheiser MKH-416 mic. I should note that I am in the process of re-applying new acoustic treatments to my booth, so there is a little boom in the room.

(EDIT: samples no longer available)

Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

Dan - that mic and those pre-amps work nicely on your voice. Rich and full.
The Avalon sounds marginally better. If the Avalon is a "9", the Focusrite is an "8".

But, by the time that type of VO is processed for the final product, you'd never hear the difference.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:17 am Post subject:

Take a great voice, add a mic accepted as a superb instrument, plug it into one of the top preamps, place all 3 into an enamel bucket and what will you hear?

The bucket!

Voice Overists rules remain the same.

1 -Voice
2 -Room
3- Mic
4 -pre
5 to INFINITY -"also ran"

Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

Philip, what do you use for your soundcard/interface or in otherwords how does your analouge signal become digital?

That's where I'd upgrade if at all - you might hear more of a difference with that than with any preamp changes. It doesn't sound as if this is a weak link at the moment, but maybe this change would be worth the money...certainly more so than an Avalon would.

I'm considering something like the Metric Halo gear - great preamp and converter in one simple portable box. It has bells and whistles too - but you don't have to use them.

As it is, I'm happy with what I've got and I find now that it's the room and mic placement that changes the sound more than anything else.
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Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

Bruce · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:54 am Post subject:

I heard an appreciable difference between Dan's two pieces. With the Focusrite the sound (especially during the copy read) was darker and just a bit flattened (as if it was a bit distorted) to my ears, while the Avalon was brighter and cleaner. On a scale of 10 I'd rate the Avalon 2 points higher.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

Dan-O · The Gates of Troy Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1638

"The Bucket"

I think I have a new name for my studio. Like I mentioned, I had most of my Auralex off the walls and my traps removed, plus a big window. Sound tends to bounce around in those conditions. Once I heard the samples, I was reluctant to post them, at all. Once I get the new panels and traps installed, I will plug the Voicemaster back in for another comparrison.

Philip Banks · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:06 am Post subject:

You did warn us Laugh

For the purposes of the exercise it didn't matter. A Ferrari stuck in traffic is still a Ferrari.

Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

I give the Focusrite a 6.25 and the Avalon a 8.75...give or take 3.61 points.

The Avalon is just so much better in the mids, the lows aren't flabby at all and mosssssssssssssssssst importantly the Focusrite smears the sibilants. You aren't sibilant, you pre was.

So many of those channel strips have bells and whistles to fix the signal that they aren't capturing all that nicely. Kinda pointless. I'd rather have a nice $800 box from Focusrite that is just a solid preamp (speaking of which, any word on how their new ISA One is)?
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Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!