Thanks for doing this. Learning a lot from your videos. Hope you can help me on this: I have 2 coils CA70´s and use them for tracking drums, on rooms, but just can´t get to that point of distortion you get in 36:00. Maybe because you use another preamp before the coil and you get more gain? If that´s right? Which preamp? Or maybe because you use condenser mics. Muchas gracias amigo!
You're more than likely not going to be able to get that much distortion during tracking running right into one of the Coils. At the 36 minute mark on drums, I'm running line level signals from my DAW into the Coil, then switch the CA-70 to "Mic" level (I do that around the 35:56 mark). You're going to overload most preamps if you run a line level signal into them at Mic level. If you want to get this same result when you're tracking, you'll have to start with another preamp and then plug that into one of your Coils. If you run the Coil at Mic Level, you'll get some pretty audible distortion. I've done this on drums a few times. I'll take one microphone that's picking up the whole kit and run it into my API preamp to get some good level. Then I'll run that into one of the Coils at mic level and get some crazy distortion, then blend that signal in just a little bit with the rest of the kit. It can add some life and nice attack to everything.
Those mic capsules are much too far apart to be comparing mic pres on a source like acoustic guitar. Move the mic even half an inch on such a thing and you can easily have 3db of tonal change.
I tested before hand with both of them going into my AEA TRP preamp and was not able to tell a difference going between them. With my discussions with Coil audio, they also requested that I do it this way rather than use a splitter. I think it was the right way to do the test, and I made sure to leave enough space on each source and not mic too closely. I don’t think you’re wrong, but in this case it wasn’t an issue, and the source material and mic positioning was chosen to mitigate and potential differences. All that to say….. 😂 Download the files, they speak for themselves and do a great job showcasing the differences between the preamps. You’ll just have to take my word for it, the capsule distance just wasn’t a factor.
THANK YOU No idea how I landed here, but this has been a seriously fun ear-opener! [ender beat is well-hypnotic] These somehow slipped by me for years; I've just now been digging into info on the Coil preamps for the last few hours. I loaded up on preamps about 10 years ago and have not been tempted to exchange any of my front-end yet... until today. These seem to reduce some of the usual snags re: tracking workflow, reducing ITB mix-tweakage and bus coloration. 2 grand per-channel for a preamp with "bizarro EQ" is getting a bit rich, but it seems like this is effectively more of a channel strip (transients are so well-behaved that a compressor seems superfluous) that pays dividends in several ways that other units won't. (feel free to correct any of my misconceptions)... _saluté!_ 🍻
I agree about the channel strip behavior. I can imagine needing to scoop these preamps in a mix more than others to get everything to sit nicely, but as a performer I would be so inspired to play through one of these. As for which one to pick, the 286 would be my choice since it has a little more top-end.
Wow! This is EXACTLY what I've been waiting for here on the 'tube! Thanks, brother! I've had COIL on my radar for a few years now, along with DW Fearn, and after your detailed exploration, I am confident in moving forward with the CA-70 to start. Cheers
@@MillSounds After hearing the mixes through the 286 in part 2, I have to rethink this. The open yet focused and 'hi fi' nature made a pair of them a no brainer for mix bus. Beautiful! I'm still loving the heft and character of the 70, but it sounds like bang-for-buck, there's more utility and options with the 286 to start. And it will have to be a pair, yes!
I don’t have anything from this video, but I have full session files in the Part 2 video description (drive.google.com/file/d/1edklMNs-O3y8YF9fwpCJk_GJUanMfooA/view?usp=sharing). Those should be a lot more useful!
I didn’t use any splitters for this review or the Part 2 video. Coil requested that I try to do it without a splitter, so I used Vanguard Audio stereo mics in Part 1 and 2 and so I could send the two channels to each of the preamps. Outside of this review, I use the radial mic splitter.
holy **** that API pre-amp comparison! the Coil sounds present / finished whereas the API sounds like it needs additional compression and EQ. I am really blown away.
I continue to be surprised at how finished things sound to the Coils. I had another channel strip with EQ and Compression that I really liked and ended up selling for one of the Coils. Even with EQ and Compression engaged on the other strip, I preferred the Coil on its own, pushed a little bit.
