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GAP 73 or Speck 5.0?
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chuckweis
Contributor IV


Joined: 27 Feb 2008
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:43 pm    Post subject: GAP 73 or Speck 5.0? Reply with quote

I have no experience with either of those pre's, but am considering each to pair with a Studio Projects C1 or CS5.

Tokyo Fan has some old sound clips on here, and I thought the Speck sounded mighty nice (as did the Pre 73), but the Speck seemed to have something extra that I can't pinpoint. Perhaps it sounded a bit more forward.

Does the transformer option on the Speck give enough "mojo" to add some good color, or is GAP the way to go out of the two for that?. Pretty significant price difference on the Speck. Just wondering if it's justified.
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Frank F
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Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 4421
Location: Park City, Utah

PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 3:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What do YOU want to hear from your pre? Are you looking for a solid sound, with or without a solid bottom? Are you looking for clear and clean through the spectrum? Do you really NEED more than a single channel pre or do you require two?

Using the Golden Age 73 and comparing it to any other pre-amp is like comparing apples to oranges. I would say the output is clean and has low artifacts when driven properly (much like some Neve pre's). As for power capability, I am not a big fan but then again I use some mics which require a bit more uuumph.

The Speck MP5.0 has some options I like such as a number of signal routing alternatives. The MP5.0 also works with balanced and un-balanced gear. This is a great utility preamp and has clean sound (overall), but is a bit linear in my personal opinion. This Speck does not seem to light up any brighter, darker, thicker etc., but rather offers a true delivery of the source.

If you choose the Speck, buy the optional Jensen transformer, you will be glad you did.

My suggestion: Buy what you need, not what you want or has been recommended by another person or - heaven forbid - a salesperson.

Try both in YOUR STUDIO, try several other pre-amps too, then decide which product fulfills your needs the best.

Frank F
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Rob Ellis
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Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 2385
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chuck, observation.

I have also been in pre-amp mode recently. I have the much-vaunted John Hardy M-1, but have gradually come to question if it puts my voice in the best light.

On a whim, I decided to test drive a UA 710 Twin Finity pre from Guitar Center , and while it is not as highly regarded as the M-1, it does seem to showcase my voice
(and my Neumann) in a better way.

The jury is still out, and I have 30 days to try it. Mainly, I'm re-iterating what Frank said----take what OTHERS say for what it is, an opinion and nothing more in most cases.
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Steve Knight
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Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 186
Location: Somewhere between Baltimore & DC

PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 4:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm using a UA 710, and I like it, although I have to run the output almost all the way up to get a good level on the Neumann (maybe there's something in the cpu I'm doing wrong),..I just got a Rode NTG-3 delivered today, can't wait to hear how that sounds
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Rob Ellis
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 5:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Steve,

ha ---spending too much time at Gearslutz had made me a bit of gear snob and thus circumspect about any "mainstream" piece like the UA 710. But I like it too.

And in all seriousness, the UA 710 actually gets some pretty good press on the gearhead websites.
Quote:
I have to run the output almost all the way up to get a good level on the Neumann


Check your other settings, because I have no problem getting a good level with the Output at about 5 and the gain at about 6. I'm running it into
an Apogee Duet
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Mike Sommer
A Hundred Dozen


Joined: 05 May 2008
Posts: 1222
Location: Boss Angeles

PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The only way you will know is to try them out.

I find the GAP on the C1 really rounds off the high end on my Rev1 C1. The one thing about the GAP is you can drive the transformer for more distortion color. You can also change the impedance and get two different sounds from the GAP.

In terms of gain output the GAP and the Speck are the same at 70 dB.
Still, the only way you will know is to try them out.

Here are Chris' files with the U87:
GAP
http://www.chriskoprowski.com/mylinks/U87ai_GAP73pre.wav
Speck
http://www.chriskoprowski.com/mylinks/U87ai_Speck5.0.wav


---------
My Opinion from the above two samples:

Each have their own sound.
The U87 & GAP are what I consider a classic combination. The GAP is rounding over and smoothing out the Honk of the U87, it very smooth and full- very pleasing to listen to.

The U87 & Speck, are nice too. But the midrange Honk of the U87 comes through loud and clear, and becomes a little fatiguing on the ear.


Of the two, the GAP is the most pleasing to my ears.
Both have their uses and therefor can not be denied.
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Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.


Last edited by Mike Sommer on Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:07 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Mike Sommer
A Hundred Dozen


Joined: 05 May 2008
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steve, the 710 has 60dB's of gain output. I guessing you're using a TLM 103- with that you should be at about 45dB tops. Check your tube, make sure you don't have any of the roll off/ pad switches engaged.

The 710 is basically the 610 with a IC taking over most of the solid-state components of the 610.
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The Blog:
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Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.
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tokyofan
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Joined: 13 Mar 2006
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Location: Tokyo, Japan

PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 6:22 pm    Post subject: re Reply with quote

I'm still using both pres...Speck for clean, detailed, and transparent. GAP for more warmth and thickness. I like them both for different things. Now you're getting me curious about the Twin-finity! Smile
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Rob Ellis
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 8:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really go back and forth as I experiment with both. I could keep both, but
I'm inclined to keep things simple. Plus with the UA 710 I can go clean
if I want to by dialing it more in the solid state direction.

Leaning toward the 710 at the moment still, but trying to remember that
sometimes the "newness" can be deceiving.

But it also seems that the 710 provides a lot of detail and warmth but still
doesn't pick up quite as much room as the Hardy does. For my setup, the Hardy may be accurate to a fault.

EDIT: However, I won an audition last week w/ the 87/Hardy combo, and just got the word on winning another one from earlier this week with the same combo, and the M-1 does have that velvety, xtremely classy sound..... cool
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chuckweis
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Joined: 27 Feb 2008
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 9:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I've been running with a Grace for awhile now and want something that'll color up my sound as an alternative to the ultra clean sound of the Grace (a sound I find sometimes even bordering on sterile.) I prob can't get more of an alternative sound on the cheap than the Pre 73, so it looks like a purchase of the new version 2 of the unit is forthcoming. It should play pretty well with the C1....or CS5, yet another choice to make.
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Rob Ellis
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

trying not to hijack, but Laugh Laugh Laugh Laugh

this UA 710...everytime Im ready to take it back to GC, it surprises me with
something new.....if you drive it right, it can sound really sweet on both the
solid state and tube sides.....
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chuckweis
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 1:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well thanks Rob, for throwing yet ANOTHER option my way! Gasp

(Have you tried your 416 with that thing yet?)
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Mike Sommer
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Joined: 05 May 2008
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Location: Boss Angeles

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 710 (610) is a classic preamp. This pre (precisely the UA610) was the preamp used on the Beach Boys Pet Sounds album, Mama's and the Papa's, and much of the Early Capital recordings (those that were not recorded at the KHJ Melrose Studios) along with many of the great recordings of the 50's and 60's.

In those days, if it was not recored with an RCA preamp, it was Bill Putnam's UA610 preamp, or Altec, Neve, and Telefunken. Of course there were others, but they were custom builds, as really they all were- or I should say the mix desks they came in.

For a lot of that Bill Putnam preamp Mojo, I'll run my audio through my LA2A, even without compression.
_________________
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.
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Rob Ellis
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
(Have you tried your 416 with that thing yet?)


Yes, and if you drive it wrong, it's kind of mushy and smeared, but if you drive it right, (settings differ w/ each mic I have found) then you get a nice,
punchy sound w' presence.

The 416 seems to have a narrower window for getting the right sound with a pre-amp like this, moreso than a typical condenser.
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Steve Knight
Contributore Level V


Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 186
Location: Somewhere between Baltimore & DC

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 12:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know what you mean Rob,..here's a file with my newly-arrived Rode NTG-3 into the 710

http://www.fileden.com/files/2010/6/5/2880764//NTG-3StMarys.mp3
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