mic preamp issue, maybe

[greg54]

When I record vocals, the mic pre that I've been using (Warm Audio WA12 Mkll) sounds like it feeds back with some consonants.  I tried turning the gain way down, but when I sing certain consonants, it's like it feeds back (slight ringing).    It's not the mic, because it does it with every mic I use.    And I have a little vocal booth I made.  I'm thinking it's the mic pre.

Maybe someone has an idea of what the issue could be.   Or perhaps a recommendation for a better mic pre.

[OutrageProductions]

The cheap 'Cinemag' transformer that they used in the signal path was notorious for de-laminating, sometimes causing ringing.

Beg, borrow, or steal a different mic pre to confirm.

[greg54]

Suggestions for a decent mic pre?

[jackson white]

23 hours ago, greg54 said:

Suggestions for a decent mic pre?

my goto atm is the Camden EC2. if ur not unduly influenced by herd marketing, ART has several options which do well for their price range.

Edited August 30, 2024 by jackson white
sp...

[greg54]

I've been looking at the Camden EC1.  Thanks!

[mettelus]

4 hours ago, OutrageProductions said:

The cheap 'Cinemag' transformer that they used in the signal path was notorious for de-laminating, sometimes causing ringing.

Beg, borrow, or steal a different mic pre to confirm.

Another thing you can try to confirm quick is another environment to confirm it is also persistent outside of the vocal booth to eliminate resonance in the booth as a factor.

[greg54]

I had the mic in a closet a while back.   Same issue.

[OutrageProductions]

7 hours ago, greg54 said:

Suggestions for a decent mic pre?

I use either an Avalon or a VoxBox which are out most folks price range.

However, I used to have one of these for use with my laptop on location which worked pretty well. They were only $99 back in the day...(sigh)

[Alan Tubbs]

I haven’t had a problem with original warm.  Or the tone beast.  Perhaps you can check against your standard interface pre?  If the Warm is the problem I would complain to them.  The are (were) very responsive and used to go out of their way to be helpful.  

[greg54]

1 hour ago, Alan Tubbs said:

I haven’t had a problem with original warm.  Or the tone beast.  Perhaps you can check against your standard interface pre?  If the Warm is the problem I would complain to them.  The are (were) very responsive and used to go out of their way to be helpful.  

I've had the WA12 for about 3 years, so it's not under warranty.   At this point, I don't know what they could do.  

The WA12 sounds better than my interface.  I just don't like the ringing it does on certain consonants.

[jesse g]

I have two WA 1073 EQ micpres from Warm Audio for some time now and I've  never had a problem with them or their Cinemag transformers.   I also have a Presonus Eureka which is still going strong and a Focusrite ISA One, however, I reach for the WA 1073 EQ first usually.

Contact Warm Audio so they can assist you in troubleshooting the problem.    Personally, I love WA Products

Edited October 24, 2024 by jesse g

[Jim Roseberry]

I've got a pair of WA273-EQ preamps (four channels).

One of the two developed an intermittent noise issue (early on... so Sweetwater swapped that out).

Haven't had a single issue since.

For the cost, they're hard to beat.

[Alan Tubbs]

The Newton is a reasonably priced RND channel strip with an excellent pre.  The isa one is good and cheap, relatively for a standalone.   It isn’t as thick sounding as the wa76.  But I found that putting a nice transformer somewheres in-line can help get “that sound” without a +$500 pre.  But  again, you are going to be spending that much per a channel on a decent comp or eq, so ….

[Starship Krupa]

One troubleshooting test to either confirm or eliminate the external preamp from the equation would be to run a cable directly to your interface, using its built-in preamp instead of the WA.

If you do that and the ringing goes away, you've narrowed down the possible causes considerably. If it doesn't, it ain't the WA.