Gear Feature- Preamps, Compressors, and EQ

When it comes to outboard gear, I have always felt like my knowledge was lacking. Of course I know how a pre-amp works, but when it came to the decision of which one to use for a certain instrument, I was clueless. Knowing how crucial it is to make informed decisions in the studio, I took the opportunity to head down to the studio and research a few notable pieces of outboard gear.

Daking Mic Pre IV

First, let’s talk about preamps. The first piece of gear that struck my interest was the Daking Mic Pre IV. I have used daking preamps in previous sessions, mostly for tracking electric guitar. A little history about Daking- the company started building gear in the early 90’s, pioneers in the industry of small quality gear for home studios. Since then, their products have become a staple in home and professional studios alike.

As for features of the preamp, this model has a metal gain knob as well as 5 buttons: 1/4″ input, line input, pad, phase flip and phantom power. Users praise this preamp for its ability to add warmth and character to any sound being recorded. If I could find one downside to this piece of gear, it would be the fact that the gain knob is not continuously variable, making it much harder to find the sweet spot when setting levels. I personally am looking forward to trying it with acoustic guitar next time I’m in the studio.

Universal Audio Model 4-710d

The next piece of gear that I took a look at is the Universal Audio Model 4-710d. The big thing about this preamp is flexibility. It is built with a tone blending circuit that combines both vacuum tube and solid state technology. Featured on the front is a variable knob allowing you to switch between tube and solid state, or a combination of both. Audio Engineer Chris Dugan speaks on the 4-710d, saying: “These four preamps are really more like at least eight, or more if you consider all the blending possibilities. There are so many combinations of tube and solid-state flavors you can create.” In my experience with using this preamp, I’ve never touched the tone blending knob. Now that I understand its use, I’ll be sure to try it out in my next session and experiment with different settings.

The 4-710d features fully variable knobs, however they are labeled with relative scale markings and not actual dB values. It also features classic 1176-style compression (Studio E features a reproduction of this compressor) on each channel, controlled by a 3 position switch. It gives you the option for a fast or slow attack/release, and has a set compression ratio of 4:1. This is usually one of my go to preamps to begin with, and now with my increased understanding I’ll be able to get much more out of it.

Focusrite ISA 428 MkII

While the Daking and UA mic preamps both are praised for the colors they add to the original sound source, the Focusrite is praised for the opposite. Hugh Robjohns for Sound on Sound notes that “the ISA428 does exactly what you expect it to, in the way you expect it to.”

It is said to have a rich warm tone, while still able to maintain all the clarity and detail of the original source. This preamp features a large scale gain adjustment knob, as well as a fine tune trim knob. It also has an input impedance control button as well as a continuously variable high pass filter. This preamp would work very well for instances where you are using a microphone that has a characteristic sound to begin with.

Universal Audio 1176 Limiting Amplifier

Moving on to the compressors, we are going to look at the Universal Audio 1176LN. This is a reproduction of the original 1176 compressor that came out in 1967. This compressor was designed by Bill Putnam during the move from vacuum tubes to solid state technology. It has been used in a handful of well known recordings since the 1970s. This particular compressor was revolutionary for its attack and release speeds, not seen on previous gear.

This compressor is also widely enjoyed for the color it brings out in any recording. The 1176 adds character to the sound before even applying any compression. It is not uncommon to simply run the signal through it without engaging the actual compressor. This compressor is said to work great on drums, and is generally best for high transient recordings. That being said, this is a highly versatile compressor that can enhance most audio signals that cross its path.

Portico 5015

I also decided to check out the portico 5015, as I recalled using it in a previous session. The 5015 was designed by audio engineer Rupert Neve, another pioneer in the industry of audio gear. It features both a preamp and a compressor, as well as a low pass filter. The portico is said to be very transparent, lacking the color and warmth of the 1176. This can be a positive, especially if you want to maintain the original sound of what you are recording. I would personally like to try this one on some exposed dynamic vocals, as I can see it being a good option if overprocessing is a concern.

Warm Audio Tube EQ

The last piece of gear I took a look at was the Warm Audio Tube EQ. This EQ is essentially a clone of the Pultec EQP-1A, with a few different features and a lower price tag. It features a flip switch for power, as well as an EQ in/bypass switch. There is a shared boost/cut for the lows (as seen in photo) and a separate boost and cut for the highs. The EQ also has a single knob to control the bandwidth. It has 5 additional frequency points not featured on the Pultec, allowing for more flexibility. I personally am not one to use outboard EQ in every session, however I am interested to give this one a try next time I visit the studio.