Preamp Shootout - AMS NEVE1073 vs API 3124+ vs R.N. Designs 5024 at GMP Recording Studios in Toronto, Canada ON. Marito Marques on drums Sound engineers: Josh Bowman Daren Mcgill Mat Snell
Man, on drums I'm such a sucker for the o.g. (AMS) Neve and it's papery "3k for days" texture. It's transient in nature and creams out when you saturate the amps just right, gives you something that just can't be manufactured later with plugins if it's not there to begin with. I love mixing, but tracking is where the magic really happens!
100% factual information. "Garbage in, garbage out." If anyone doesn't believe that gear matters--ESPECIALLY recording gear--I have a Pyle microphone to sell them for $1,000
"Papery"! I like the color from the neve-preamps, but I have never learned to love it's eq. I really want to, but every time I use it there is something that bothers me with the sound. Papery. That's the thing that turns me off. Most people seem to like it though so it's probably just me. I prefer SSL-like EQs. Good video btw. The API sounds more open and punchy on the snare, didn't like the Neve here. Neve wins for the kick drum however.
Great Job Guys! ..awesome sounds.... and confirms my experience that PreAmps make up about 10-15% of the sound. Ur drum sound sounds good primarily because of the Player, Engineering, Kit, Tuning, and Room.
Very subtle differences, mostly in the bottom end. I'm assuming the comparison you opened with was on the whole drum submix? I am curious how the original Sound City studios used their Neves to achieve those amazing classic BIG rock drum sounds. I'm assuming they ran a lot of overheads through them, then compressed.
Fantastic video. Straight to the point and lets us hear the difference. I picked up an AMS Neve DPX a little bit ago and will be using it to record a punk band in a week. Not sure if I want to use the 1073’s on kick and snare or overheads as they sounded fantastic there too. Do you have any thoughts/ opinions on what you’d use them on for drums if you had to choose? I’ll be using the DPX and Audient ASP800 and UA Apollo X4 with either API Vision plugin in the Unison slots or possibly Neve 1073 plugin. I’ll be testing a few options for sound but curious on your thoughts with the DPX.
listen to the sound of the whole drum kit, to me the API sounds better than the rest it sounds fatter and wider, but on the solo mics i liked the neve 1073, i wonder if the 1073 eq was engaged maybe?
seems to make more of a difference with dynamic mics, but the overall sound is not really different. nothing you couldnt adjust with a db here or there of eq
Even though the EQ on the AMS neve is not engaged it will have a slight tone effect. I heard a BAE shootout with just the pre only version vs the full eq and preamp. They sounded different in that the eq version had the same thing as the AMS a bit more top end. Interesting test, as a neve guy myself I though the API sounded great. the RN seemed a bit tubby and bloated to me a bit. Great shootout guys !
if you don't think the 1073 sounds different here than the other preamps (and waaay better), you're either lying or your ears don't work. it's even noticeable on laptop speakers. yes, it's ridiculously expensive and no one "needs" it. but it definitely sounds better in this video. the rest of the preamps had minor differences that didn't make them stand out the same way. if you can't afford a 1073, you shouldn't buy one. but it sounds real nice.
Kick: Neve Snare: API Overheads: Neve The difference is more predominant in the transient response than the frequency response. If you listen to the overheads for example, the neve saturates the sound of attack of the bell of the cymbals and it makes a much more smoother sound. For snare, the fast attack and punch of the API works really well for bringing those ghost notes.
The API’ have a weight, depth and punch to them that the other two didn’t have imo. But they’re less ready eq compression wise then the neves. Api when you want bigger deeper punchier rock drums. Neve when you want upfront, glued together, no harshness drums. Great for lighter music like the beat played in this video.
I find APi to be the most balanced and natural, yet fat sounding. It does seem to have a slight wide boost around 1k, but that makes the snare crack very well. I'm surprised at the high-lift of 1073. I'm not sure if I like it in this case. RND5024 sounded too tubby.
Love it, my preference: - Overheads: Rupert Neve Designs 5024 - Snare: AMS Neve 1073 DPX - Kick: AMS Neve 1073 DPX Can't help but loving the AMS Neve on the kick and snare. They're both sound nice, tight and snappy in the context of a mix right away. Maybe a tad thinner compared to the API, but luckily the AMS Neve packs a nice and warm sounding EQ to compensate for that. As for the snare.. for my taste it's almost unecessary to EQ it at all, maybe only a very gentle boost at 200Hz. The crisp high end it just about perfect for me, I wouldn't bother adjusting that. But again, that's my preference. Nice video, cheers!
The thing about the neve is that 8k silky thing builds up too much in a mix and it starts to sound too saturated. I think if I used ams 1073 for that drumkit I probably wouldn't use it also on vocals. API sounds great overall
I thought the 1073 sounded the best, overall. Definitely brighter. The API, I felt, was right in the middle and then the 5024 came in last. The snare on the 5024 sounded beach ball-y to me and the kick was too boomy. Nice comparison, thanks for doing it!
Geez, the snare and the bass drum show the character of each. I think the most balanced is the API, Neve is on the bright side and the RND has a weird midrange. Like the API the most.
I like the API alot, but that might be from my own bias, having learned to record and mix drums on an API board, though I will say I think the bleed sounded the best through the API. The 1073 to me is a little bit too scooped and bright for my liking, and I am curious how the EQ circuit could of effected that, even without any of the EQ controls going past 0. The 5024 actually I think is interesting in a minimal miking setup, but multi-miking a whole kit with those would create too much mud in the low mids. I would of loved if this test was able to include close-miked toms, but at the same time good gear doesn't come cheap. I would love to hear what it would sound like to get these preamps near the point of distortion to really get the transformers working hard, but even then each of these preamps have a distinct character that will take your mix in different directions.
Api overall, best on snare. BUT, worst on kick, 1073 owned that. 5024 was good but a little tubby for me. I’m looking for a pre for acoustic guitar, and while anybof these would be a blessing, the API just works in my ears.
Obviously I'm the only one who doesn't hear a difference that couldn't be equalized with a single flick of the equalizer. They're all pretty much the same
What? that's an incredible difference, i din't hear the same difference in other shootouts, is this for real? in this one the ams is waaay better. Are you serious no eq at all?
Idk I've heard 1073 recordings that sound fuzzed out to hell and API recordings that sound like a sledgehammer hitting u in the face. There's a difference. Guess its just not as apparent with two sparkling new pieces of gear recorded at lowish levels
Listening on poor quality speakers.. API: midrange slightly forward, transiently sharp, a little crunchy AMS Neve: more smooth high-end sizzle, a smiley-curve character Rupert Neve: a little darker and richer (slightly saturated effect) slower/softer on the transients. I distinctly prefer the API for drums, more natural, and the transient response seems more suitable. Other videos have shown how lovely and harmonic the AMS preamps sound on acoustic instruments though, and I think the Rupert Neve’s are good, fairly neutral (but still musical) all-rounders.
Okay so I watched the Rifftrax of the 1980 musical The Apple, then read the Wikipedia page for said musical which mentioned audio being mixed on a Neve, giving it a "Neve sound," which led me to trying to figure out what exactly a "Neve sound" is, which finally brought me to this video which commenters with much better ears than mine say is a brilliant comparison of these machines that all sound the same to me. It's 8:41am and I didn't get a moment of sleep last night. What am I even doing?
listen to the sound of the whole drum kit, to me the API sounds better than the rest it sounds fatter and wider, but on the solo mics i liked the neve 1073, i wonder if the 1073 eq was engaged maybe?
I had the same exact thought. At first I liked the neve because it sounded crispier and the my ears got tired of it. Then I noticed the API carried the weight of the snare really well.
the 1073 almost sounds scooped to me with a big bottom and crispy highs and the 5023 more what I was expecting in the way of classic neve vibe. That "eq'd" sound kinda piles up when everything has it. I was shocked that the api seemed kinda a best of both worlds- thick and punchy without being sooo crispy.
