VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Nelson Jewell]

Hey Guys and Dolls,

Greetings from Maine.

I'm kind of new to VO-BB. I'm seeing a lot of recognizable names/working talent from other forums and the industry...it's great!

Question: I use an MKH416 with a dbx 286a mic pre. It gets the job done, but I'm interested in upgrading the mic pre. Does anyone have suggestions on a good marriage arrangement for the MKH416?

[tackerman]

Welcome to the board Nelson!
I've heard an MKH416 through an Avalon 737 and it sounds very nice. I'm currently using an NTK->Avalon and I'm thinking about swapping the Rode for a 416.
Of course, your mileage may vary.

[Nelson Jewell]

Hi Tackerman,

It's interesting that you mention the Avalon 737. I watched a Beau Weaver video yesterday on the VO Universe site, and in his tour of his studios he pointed out the three Avalon 737s he uses with a Manley Reference mic and MKH416. He eluded that he uses the MKH416 more.

[bobsouer]

Nelson,

I don't have much to offer regarding your question, though a studio where I often work also uses the Avalon (with a U87) and likes it very much. However, I did want to also welcome you to the VO-BB. By the way, you'll find loads of threads in this Gear section about this very subject so a bit of digging in the archives might yield some valuable insights.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

[Hart]

One of the reasons the 416 is so popular is because it has a "clean" sound. Many choose to pair it with a "clean" preamp for this reason so the producer has a file without any color to work with. On the lower end I've heard good things about the Grace 101. I elected to pair mine with the John Hardy M1.

Of course I also know people that intentionally add a little something through a pre and/or compressor so really it comes down to what kind of sound you want to provide.

My suggestion would be to find a dealer you like and who will let you try out a preamp before you commit to it.

Of course it's always good to have options so now I'm thinking about adding another higher end pre (or perhaps a full channel strip) for a different sound. No suggestions there yet as I've just started my research.
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Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

[Nelson Jewell]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the welcome. I'm familiar with your work. You're such a pro. I also know that you are a man of faith, as am I.

Yep, the Avalon seems to be a common theme among many. Here in the Bangor, Maine area there aren't any high-end shops to sample equipment. My next trip to Portland (2 hours south) I'll have to hunt down some shops.

Be Blessed

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the reply. I just checked out your site. Wow, great voice, delivery and sound.

For now the really, really high-end equip is out of my reach. Here in the north we're all wondering how we'll make it through the long cold winter without bustin' up furniture for heat...I kid of course.

Enjoy this great fall day.

[Dan-O]

Most VOs I know team up the 416 with a Focusrite Platinum Voicemaster Pro, myself included. They use it for its versatility to process the audio while recording; mainly for imaging and affiliate promo. I have also used the 416 teamed with a Focusrite Red 8, a couple of times. IMHO, it sounds brilliant with the Red 8. Sound Hound in NYC has that combination and so does vo-bb's Ben Wilson...crap, he has the Voicemaster, too! If you want to bump up the food chain a little more, I have heard good things about the Requisite Pal Plus with the 416.

[Eddie Eagle]

[ricevoice]

One of the studios here in Sacramento runs a 416 through a Millennia (not sure what model)... sounds fantastic, really punchy. I've got a dbx286a that I run both an NTK and a 416 through. I wanted to upgrade my pre before I bought the 416 but found higher-end pres were giving me too much room noise (I'm just in a spare bedroom and we're renting right now so I can't really invest in much soundproofing)... I use the gate on the 286 and it really helps. So I decided to give the 416 a try, figuring its hyper-cardioid pattern would help with the room noise even more and it has. I guess my point for the original poster is: if you're using the gate on your 286 and your room isn't soundproofed all that well, you may not get the desired results from the new pre. And Tackerman, before you give up on the NTK, you may want to consider upgrading the tube (if you haven't already)... I was really happy with my results when I swapped out the stock Chinese tube for a Telefunken.
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Chris Rice - Noisemaker
www.ricevoice.com

[JTVG]

Not to go against the advise of my friend Dan-O, because he's a pro in every sense. But, I personally wouldn't recommend the Voicemaster Pro. Yes, lots of people use them because they sound great but the majority of those people end up having to trash them or fix them a couple of years later. If you're ok with having to replace it around 2011 or so, go for it.

The Avalon sounds nice with the 416.
_________________
Joe Szymanski
http://www.joethevoiceguy.com

[Chuck Davis]

Joe. Curious....what part of the Voicemaster goes south after time?

I'm using one now with an NTK....really want to bump up to an Avalon M5 this year though, Thinking of keeping the Focusrite to use with a second mic....maybe a 416.
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Wicked huge.....in India.
www.chuckdaviscreative.com

[JTVG]

The problem is the switches that engage the various modules wear out. Mechanically, they'll be fine but they start breaking down or something to where they won't pass audio unless you yell really loud to "clear the fuzz" or reset the unit. It gets progressivly worse after the first time it's noticed. I'd say you can't go wrong with keeping it, at least until it starts failing and becomes unreliable in a session.

Jeff McNeal once suggested to me the possibility of soldering things so that you bypass those switches. Each of the modules would always be "on" (or off depending on how you solder them) but at least it might be reliable and some more use could be gotten out of the unit. I'm not enough of a electronics guy to figure out how to do this.
_________________
Joe Szymanski
http://www.joethevoiceguy.com

[Hart]

Man this thread has got me drooling. Must resist the G.A.S.... must resist the G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)
_________________
Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

[tackerman]

Thanks for the tip on the NTK tube swap Chris, I have thought about doing that but wasn't sure how much of a difference it would make. Where did you pick up your Telefunken? Are there other brands worth condidering?

[Chuck Davis]