The original Tube MP made pro-caliber tube preamping available to ordinary musicians and home studios. The MP Studio goes a step further by adding a VU meter for better level control and ART's OPL (Output Protection Limiter), which controls and maintains the output peak signal to protect hard-disk recording systems and soundcards. The VU meter reflects the impact of the OPL circuitry when it is activated, which allows more effective fine tuning of the audio signal. It is a valuable tool for recording in project and home studios and can also function as a DI box with impedance matching and preamplification for line-level sources. Includes a 3-year warranty.
ART Tube MP Studio Mic Preamp Features:
Provides Superior Preamplification for: Microphones, Instruments and Line Level Sources
Posted by Harp Junkie from Carmichael, CA on Feb 4, 2010
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Active Musician
Reviewer's Play Style: Folk, Ballads, Light Rock, Blues, Country
Skeptical because I'd been disappointed with a similar model from a "B" brand, I ordered this with some trepidation.
My first ART Tube MP Studio Mic Preamp just arrived and I've only had a chance to begin experimenting with it during one band rehearsal last night. Wow!
I play harmonica, often using a Nady SP-1 mic because I like the way it rolls off the screechy high harmonics. Man, did this preamp ever warm up and fatten my sound!
Everything works exactly as expected. I didn't notice any discernable "noise" being injected by this pre. I'm getting more of these for our vocalists.
The VU meter is a nice touch; very useful.
Overall
Quality
Features
Value
Cheaper by the dozen
Posted by Shram McFram from Orange Co, CA on Dec 22, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: 30 years guitar, bass, song writing, recoring.
Reviewer's Play Style: Alt-jazz-coma-folk
I had an ART preamp earlier in this decade, and a compressor too. I was using a Roland digital recorder and these units helped boost vocals signals going into the unit until both of them pooped out after a year or so. When I recently acquired a couple of ribbon mics (Cascade Fathead II) I decided I'd hold off spending 4k on mic pres for the time being and try the ARTs and see how they sound. Ug. OK, so the sound isn't all that bad, but BOTH of the units I received from MF, out of the box, have the same issue: the VU meter is totally non-functioning. I mean, these are brand new units, and the main improvement feature from the unit I had back in 2002, the VU, doesn't move. At all. Right out of the box. Both of them. Did I mention these are brand new?
Overall
Quality
Features
Value
quirky, cheap, useful
Posted by Mr. Scruddie from CA on Nov 13, 2009
Experience w/product: I have heard about it
Reviewer's Background: professional musician/recording engineer
Reviewer's Play Style: folk/psychedelic
Honestly, I can't say I notice a lot of difference in "warmth" between this and my solid state preamp... other than the warm glow of the VU meter and tube.
However, I have had this for about a year and I do really love this pre for what it does do. I use it all the time for recording - almost on everything. It works just like I want/need it to. I normally use it with a large diaphragm condenser mic (with the built in phantom) and do not find noise to be an issue at all. Also use it to mic amps with a sure dynamic.
The only noise I encountered was when I first got it, there was a sort of intermittent static that would show up occasionally, but which seems to have disappeared now and hasn't come back since.
The main thing I don't see mentioned much is the OPL button. This makes the pre into a compressor/limiter basically. In this mode, you can crank the gain and then the output sets the amount of compression by limiting the output. I use this in recording all the time just for that feature - it gives it that sort of 60's pumping compressed sound. Usually if you start from dead silent it will let the first transient through and then has a very slow release for everything that follows.
I use it to record mainly acoustic guitar and other acoustic instruments (dulcimer, percussion, toy piano, banjo, melodica, flutes). I use it for basic utilitarian recording and also sometimes crank the compression on it to use more as an "effect."
This is not a super pristine transparent mic pre. It is a quirky cheap tube preamp with compression.
I gave all five's because this product does exactly what I wanted it for. +20db gain is noisy even with good cables and with levels set correctly. Inputs are fine no problem there. All in all can't really complain. Good price, solid product, gets the job done.
Overall
Quality
Features
Value
Just Buy It
Posted by spencelimb from Springfield, MO on Oct 20, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Active Musician & Engineer
Reviewer's Play Style: N/A
First off, let me start by saying that I am a multi-instrumentalist, but in bands I usually play drums. That being said, I typically need to use rackmounted dbx and presonus preamps together. Well a few months back, a friend left his Tube MP at my house, I started messing around with it for vocals and guitars and I got attached to the convenience.
When I saw one for this price I had to order.
Neither of the two I have used so far have had noisy 1/4" ins or outs, unless I had a bad cable or poorly grounded instrument; same with the XLRs.
This very minute, I'm using the 1/4"s with the +20db going from a Gretsch Projet going in to an Orange Crush 15, and I'm getting some sweet tube warmth and distortion out of a cheap practice amp. I bought for recording, but this is definitely a nice side effect; and my wife appreciates me not firing up the big amps.
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