Best Software Preamp Tube for Microphone

[aeb105]

Hi guys. I am still kinda new to this but here goes. I have a Sterling ST-51 Microphone and I want to get the best possible sound for vocals, I can without spending anymore money. I am currently using Tango Studio Linux. I don't know all the programs but I am looking for a real professional classic tube sound that will make my voice sound like they do on the radio. I have seen Guitarix but then I heard maybe its only for hard rock sounds. Looking for preamp like you would get in a Presona or good preamp. I am using Ardour to record the guitar portions and vocals. Is it better to buy a hardware preamp tube for your mic or is an emulator as good?

[brummer]

The best answer you will get by trying it yourself. It is simple to install guitarix from the Tango repository, and it isn't much expensive.
It is true that guitarix have (hard)-rock and metal in mind, but it can also be used to produce clean tube sounds.

[Capoeira]

Is this a serious question?

you don't make a 1MPixel image better emulating a 12MPixel camera!!!

If you just want to emulate the coloring of a tube Preamp you still need a decent preamp to start with.
Than you can reasearch things like "impulse responses" and "convolution"

[aeb105]

So I gather that an software emulator like Guitarix pales in comparison to a hardware preamp like the Art MP Studio interface or the Presonus $100 model?

[Capoeira]

So I gather that an software emulator like Guitarix pales in comparison to a hardware preamp like the Art MP Studio interface or the Presonus $100 model?

a mic preamp isn't a guitar amp
search for both terms to learn about it.
your mic doesn't work without a hardware mic preamp

you want to record an electric guitar or do you want to do?

[aeb105]

//

[aeb105]

So I gather that an software emulator like Guitarix pales in comparison to a hardware preamp like the Art MP Studio interface or the Presonus $100 model?

a mic preamp isn't a guitar amp
search for both terms to learn about it.
your mic doesn't work without a hardware mic preamp

you want to record an electric guitar or do you want to do?

No, I want to record vocals. I have an Sterling ST-51 condenser microphone like I said above and I want to make it sound the best it can.. This is about singing.

[brummer]

Is this a serious question?

you don't make a 1MPixel image better emulating a 12MPixel camera!!!

If you just want to emulate the coloring of a tube Preamp you still need a decent preamp to start with.
Than you can reasearch things like "impulse responses" and "convolution"

That is a real bad chosen example.
A camera takes, in the image processing the same role, then a microphone in the audio processing.
The Preamp comes into the processing chain after the source is captured. In that sense, a preamp is a effect you apply to the already captured source, more like colorized a Image, instead emulate a 12MPixel camera with the hope to get a better image.
All this mic need is phantom power.

So, I will repeat what I've said above, you will never know if guitarix suite your needs, if you didn't try it yourself.
Guitarix is modular build-ed, so you can choose the tube emulation to use, for voice processing you can leave the tonestack alone and use the 10band EQ instead. You can use your own IR-files for the convolvers to add the amp-color you like most.

[Capoeira]

That is a real bad chosen example.
A camera takes, in the image processing the same role, then a microphone in the audio processing.
The Preamp comes into the processing chain after the source is captured. In that sense, a preamp is a effect you apply to the already captured source, more like colorized a Image, instead emulate a 12MPixel camera with the hope to get a better image.
All this mic need is phantom power.

My example was not the best but it was a metaphor. your example indeed is wrong. A mic is just the "lense of a camera". you need a preamp to get any usable signal out of it .
But I get your point, he wants soft colorization and Guitarix can be an option, sure

[brummer]

Sorry Capoeira, but that is Wong. All you realy need is the Phantom power. the mic is in technical Terms the Full camera.

[raboof]

My example was not the best but it was a metaphor. your example indeed is wrong.

Let's not get bogged down into details about methaphors.

The point is indeed that there's 2 parts to this story: getting the signal into your laptop, and what to do to the signal once it's in your laptop.

Let's start with the former. So you have a Sterling ST-51 Microphone. What kind of sound card are you trying to plug it into?

sound like they do on the radio

Do you have an example of the kind of sound you're looking for? Do you want to use the microphone for speech or song?

[autostatic]

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 which has both phantom power and preamps. So basically you don't really need a software preamp. Of course you can try to get some vintage warmth with Guitarix or LADSPA plug-ins like the C* preamps. You could also try compressors like the Calf Saturator or linuxDSP's VC2B.

[aeb105]

This is what I was recommended to versus buying a better microphone:

http://www.samash.com/p/Presonus_TubePr ... nQodhGsApw

It's the Presonus Tube Pro-- and will give that nice classic tube sound that makes vocalists sound professional. Using my microphone without anything is a pretty dead flat sound that doeesn't mix well with the guitar portions of my tracks. That's what got me on the hunt. At first I thought it was just that I needed to add Reverb, so I used Rackarack and that just sounded weird. Anyway, my question is would the Presonus Tube Pro or any hardware at that level be miles above anything I can do in software emulation via something like Guitarix. Or is the difference so nil, that I shouldn't spend the extra $130 dollars to do it? I am using the M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB interface for sound card, but may keep the one AutoStatic recommende above if I can get it to work with Jack.

[Capoeira]

This is what I was recommended to versus buying a better microphone:

http://www.samash.com/p/Presonus_TubePr ... nQodhGsApw

It's the Presonus Tube Pro-- and will give that nice classic tube sound that makes vocalists sound professional. Using my microphone without anything is a pretty dead flat sound that doeesn't mix well with the guitar portions of my tracks. That's what got me on the hunt. At first I thought it was just that I needed to add Reverb, so I used Rackarack and that just sounded weird. Anyway, my question is would the Presonus Tube Pro or any hardware at that level be miles above anything I can do in software emulation via something like Guitarix. Or is the difference so nil, that I shouldn't spend the extra $130 dollars to do it? I am using the M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB interface for sound card, but may keep the one AutoStatic recommende above if I can get it to work with Jack.

man, I think you are going in the wrong direction.
Use some soft EQ and don't use guitarix to put a reverb on a vocal track. use st like the calf plugins. play around with frequencies above 4Khz with the EQ.

[aeb105]

This is what I was recommended to versus buying a better microphone:

http://www.samash.com/p/Presonus_TubePr ... nQodhGsApw

It's the Presonus Tube Pro-- and will give that nice classic tube sound that makes vocalists sound professional. Using my microphone without anything is a pretty dead flat sound that doeesn't mix well with the guitar portions of my tracks. That's what got me on the hunt. At first I thought it was just that I needed to add Reverb, so I used Rackarack and that just sounded weird. Anyway, my question is would the Presonus Tube Pro or any hardware at that level be miles above anything I can do in software emulation via something like Guitarix. Or is the difference so nil, that I shouldn't spend the extra $130 dollars to do it? I am using the M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB interface for sound card, but may keep the one AutoStatic recommende above if I can get it to work with Jack.

man, I think you are going in the wrong direction.
Use some soft EQ and don't use guitarix to put a reverb on a vocal track. use st like the calf plugins. play around with frequencies above 4Khz with the EQ.

You misunderstood, I said I initially used Rackarack and didn't like it so that is not an issue. You don't like the Presonus above? That is what is recommended to enhance voice recordings at the music store. What is EQ, if equalizer then, from what device or software?