Preamp for metal - bedroom studio help

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natew010

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I'm planning on setting up a bedroom studio - I already have a pair of the new Mackie 8" monitors, and can't decide between a Mako Mak4 or an Engl e530 for my preamp. These would both be going into my interface and used with impulses. Is the Mako worth the extra 500 bucks? What I play is mostly the heavier stuff, but still like a nice clean sound for those Opeth-type passages, etc.

Also, with that said, what would be the best way to set this all up? Do I need a load box? Or can I just run both of these into my interface (was thinking of getting a Sapphire Pro) and then use impulses? Would I need a poweramp sim as well?

Thanks in advance....
 
The Mak4 or Engl would be good for what you want. It's just a matter of taste at this point. Listen to sound clips, and decide on that one.

You wouldn't need a load box for this since there is no power amp in this setup. Just preamp. To make it sound it's best, you will need to send the outs of the preamp into the Line-in's on your interface, not an instrument or mic in. After you have the dry preamp signal running into your computer, you just load some impulses in a convolution program, no power amp sims are really required.

Hope this helps!
 
Thanks for the response! Any suggestions as to which impulses sound the best?

Also, do I need an impulse loader as well, like LeCab or something like that? I'm new to the whole preamp --> impulse thing.
 
natew010":2zz3td6y said:
Thanks for the response! Any suggestions as to which impulses sound the best?

Also, do I need an impulse loader as well, like LeCab or something like that? I'm new to the whole preamp --> impulse thing.
Click to expand...

Andy Sneap forum has alot of free ir's
 
Go to "fearcomplexmusic" on youtube, he is the best guy with bedroom recording like you are doing. He has one whole video on just using impulses. Check it out, it helped me tons when I started using impulses.
 
I use some Redwirez impulses, mainly the Recto and Uberkab, they're quite good. There's a free Marshall cab too.

Two Notes' PI-101 is great too and also has a free Marshall version.
 
Any suggestions on interfaces? I was looking at a Lexicon I-ONIX U42S USB 2.0 or a Focusrite Sapphire Pro 24 (firewire)
 
The Engl e530 is kind of thin sounding compared to everything else in the Engl family. I used it among other preamps, with RedWirez IRs and Recabinet 3 for awhile. I was never 100% satisfied with the e530. It always seemed to be lacking a certain growl that I wanted. I would personally lean towards the Mako Mak 4.
 
I've heard people say that it sounds a little thin also, but I've heard some awesome sounding clips of it as well. I haven't really heard an evil sounding metal sound of out the mako yet, unless someone has some they can post?
 
There's a VST that emulates the drive channels of the e530 --- TSE X30

Don't know if that makes the decision process easier or not.
 
For the clips I've heard of the e570 there's no way I can justify 1200 more dollars :P and I'd like a real Pre amp. Maybe an mxr 10 band with the e530 would beef it up
 
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