- A superb vocal mic pre with warm transparent character
- Great for use as a Tube DI Box
- Great for production, broadcast, and voice over work
- Perfect for the professional and home project studio
- A quality vocal mic preamplifier suitable for all vocal styles
Product Description
The Studio Projects VTB1 is an outstanding, full-featured tube mic preamp at a knockout price!The Studio Projects VTB-1 is the ultimate in low cost mic preamplifier technology. Incorporating true class A/B switching, the VTB-1 is a totally discrete circuit. Unique to the VTB-1 is the ‘Tube Drive’ – a variable drive to a 12AX7, that lets you blend as little, or as much of the Tube Drive as you want. This gives the VTB-1 the most flexibility of any mic preamplifier in… More >>
Studio Projects VTB1 Variable Tube Studio Mic Preamp
Tags: 12ax7, flexibility, knockout, preamp, Projects, Studio, studio projects, true class, Tube, tube drive, tube mic preamp, Variable, variable drive, vocal mic, vocal styles, VTB1
#1 by P. Russ on April 27, 2010 - 2:13 am
You’re not going to find a better preamp in this price range. That said, don’t expect this to have the same effect on your recordings as a thousand dollar piece from UA or Grace. The difference between its all tube and solid state settings is subtle, but it’s nice to be able to blend your choice between the two. I recorded the same vocal line through the same mic with the VTB set to the tube side of the knob, and then again without the VTB and spent the better part of an hour a/b’ing the two tracks to see the difference. There is a LITTLE more warmth in the VTB, and it shows a little bit clearer, but it’s not going to blow you away. A job where the VTB really shines though, I have a Duncan performer soundhole pickup for my acoustic that has always had problems direct to PA that sounds great with this added to the signal chain
Rating: 4 / 5
#2 by ianorth on April 27, 2010 - 3:44 am
Very clean. I am using this primarily for vocals with a Shure SM7B. The tube is of questionable value, but at this price, I can’t complain.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by D. Lockman on April 27, 2010 - 6:28 am
This is a budget preamp, but probably the best in the price range.
It is made to go especially well with the Studio Projects C1 mic.
But it has all-round applications, including guitar and bass as well as mics.
It’s HOW you use it (with caution & restraint on vocals, somewhat
less restraint on Git & bass), that counts most of all.
Watch distortion/noise levels carefully, as with ANY preamp,
avoid extreme settings on most vocals (except special FX), & you should do well.
The tube blend “smooths-out” detail somewhat. I don’t use it
on vocals much, just git & bass, where it often works well.
The fact about preamps is this:
The biggest, and cheapest, improvement in sound, with preamps in general,
is going from NO preamp to just USING a preamp.
In other words,
moving from NO preamp to say, A VTB1, used skillfully with your
modest studio cardioid condenser mic, will get you at least 50 to maybe
80% of the way to “great fidelity”. (Those are my “fuzzy numbers” for illustration).
It’s Getting up to 95-99% fidelity that takes the real $$$$$$$$$$$, and names
like Avalon, Neumann, Telefunken, Manley and Grace start popping up.
But the SP VTB1 gets the job done for the home recordist without big buck$,
but maybe a reasonably decent condenser mic or 2,
and the patience and focus to use ‘em effectively.
Rating: 4 / 5