@@WarrenHenry Love the content! Shootouts tend to be subjective imo. One mic pre is going to work better than another depending on the source. But let’s be realistic….A mic pre isn’t going to make or break a song. All these mic pres sound great. Keep up the awesome videos!
I like the Neve the best and then the focusrite 2nd. I don't know if it's me but something sounds wrong with the Warm Audio. Are you sure it's not defective?
if feel the exact same way. It sounds nothing like the neve shootouts ive heard. The author thinks something is wrong with it too. He should contact warm
The Warm has this harsh warbly thing going on with the high end. Honestly the Neve has it a little bit too. I love the detail of both Focusrite products. I think an FM electric piano is already harmonically rich and colored enough and benefits from a cleaner preamp which is why I believe I preferred samples A and D on the blind video.
Hi Warren, would you recommend the ISA over the WA73EQ for vocals considering the ability to change the impedance? The lows seem better controlled and more detailed as well as more open and airy in the top end. More of a smooth buttery and creamy kinda sound if that’s what you’re going for?
If you are looking for a more open airy top end then the ISA is the preamp. The WA73 is more mid forward. If you want out of the box flexibility with your mic collection then the ISA is the first preamp to buy due to the impedance switching
Warren, would you say that the ISA is smoother than Warm Audio 73eq? I own a Telefunken TF11 FET mic and the top and is not so smooth despite the amazing sound of this mic. So I’m looking for something to smooth my top end and my budget is between either a used ISA or an used WA73eq
Hi and thank you for your question. The ISA is much more transparent than the WA73 EQ. That is primarily due to the transformers which are used. The ISA uses Lundhal known for their clear sound and the WA73 EQ uses Carnhill known for their more colored sound.
Hi, how did you send the FM synth into the Neve? Via the line in or did you bring the synth to the microphone level and then use it to get into the 1073? I still have a DX7, sold all the others, I just love it🍻 Rhards
what I didn't understand is that I want a stereo audio track to pass between these 2 units I have (focusrite isa one) and I have tried the return and send connectors to give it an analog signal but the equalizer does not seem to respond or the vu meter...am I doing something wrong?
Unless the pre amps are being used by either vocals, string or wind instrument it pretty much renders this test unusable for me. Vocals would be the best for really being able to tell which pre amp stands out the best. It would really be amazing if you could run the test again with a vocalist using the pre amps with one professional quality microphone at a close up distance and maybe one with a rapper who stands off more. Here's hoping...
I agree and I think you’d find the ISA the winner in most cases. The magic of the ISA is the ability to change the impedance. Really makes mics come alive. It will have less color than the 1073 so it will still depend on the style and singer of course. Bonus caveat is that both the ISA and 1073 are Neve’s! Rupert designed them both and created the topology of both. Simply can’t go wrong with either.
@@WarrenHenry I'm back again listening to this two years later in my other studio on Genelec 8010s instead of 8020s in my main studio which is a larger room. The Neve made my ears prick up straight away and the ISA is a solid investment (if you pardon the pun). All of these pre amps sound great but the Neve and the ISA are the two that stand out the most to me. Since this test was done I've had my vocals as well as an orchestra recorded through the Neve with a Neumann mic at Errol Brown's studio, which was a very big learning curve for me. I still love the ISA but I understand the hype of the Neve and why it's revered. Differences are only fractions and only trained ears will notice or wonder why one seems to stand out. They all do a great job
The ISA takes it for me in this shoot out. Great shoot out 🙌🏼
Paul, Thanks for watching ✌🏽🙏🏽
@@WarrenHenry Love the content! Shootouts tend to be subjective imo. One mic pre is going to work better than another depending on the source. But let’s be realistic….A mic pre isn’t going to make or break a song. All these mic pres sound great. Keep up the awesome videos!
I guessed the NEVE one right, best sounding, it's something special that preamp. I liked ISA One the 2nd.
That's my conclusion too
I like the Neve the best and then the focusrite 2nd. I don't know if it's me but something sounds wrong with the Warm Audio. Are you sure it's not defective?
if feel the exact same way. It sounds nothing like the neve shootouts ive heard. The author thinks something is wrong with it too. He should contact warm
The Warm has this harsh warbly thing going on with the high end. Honestly the Neve has it a little bit too. I love the detail of both Focusrite products. I think an FM electric piano is already harmonically rich and colored enough and benefits from a cleaner preamp which is why I believe I preferred samples A and D on the blind video.
Hi Warren, would you recommend the ISA over the WA73EQ for vocals considering the ability to change the impedance? The lows seem better controlled and more detailed as well as more open and airy in the top end. More of a smooth buttery and creamy kinda sound if that’s what you’re going for?
If you are looking for a more open airy top end then the ISA is the preamp. The WA73 is more mid forward. If you want out of the box flexibility with your mic collection then the ISA is the first preamp to buy due to the impedance switching
Warren, would you say that the ISA is smoother than Warm Audio 73eq? I own a Telefunken TF11 FET mic and the top and is not so smooth despite the amazing sound of this mic. So I’m looking for something to smooth my top end and my budget is between either a used ISA or an used WA73eq
Hi and thank you for your question. The ISA is much more transparent than the WA73 EQ. That is primarily due to the transformers which are used. The ISA uses Lundhal known for their clear sound and the WA73 EQ uses Carnhill known for their more colored sound.
Never Neve away.
Like the neve...I just bought a Heritage audio 73...like it alot. Still like my blue robbie better though.
Neve and isa were close .
Either of the two does it for me. Not really a fan of the other two but they can do a job
Neve All Day...
focusrite isa feels more in front, more like a record
Hi, how did you send the FM synth into the Neve? Via the line in or did you bring the synth to the microphone level and then use it to get into the 1073? I still have a DX7, sold all the others, I just love it🍻
Rhards
Hi and thanks for watching. I used a direct box to bring the signal into the preamps.
@@WarrenHenry ,thank you for the fast reply🍻
Thanks for the great videos Warren.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏽
@@WarrenHenry Always brother.
what I didn't understand is that I want a stereo audio track to pass between these 2 units I have (focusrite isa one) and I have tried the return and send connectors to give it an analog signal but the equalizer does not seem to respond or the vu meter...am I doing something wrong?
I just found a 500 series Focusrite Red 1 for $450. I snatched up that bad boy!
Unless the pre amps are being used by either vocals, string or wind instrument it pretty much renders this test unusable for me. Vocals would be the best for really being able to tell which pre amp stands out the best. It would really be amazing if you could run the test again with a vocalist using the pre amps with one professional quality microphone at a close up distance and maybe one with a rapper who stands off more. Here's hoping...
Will keep that in mind. Thanks for watching✌🏾
I agree and I think you’d find the ISA the winner in most cases. The magic of the ISA is the ability to change the impedance. Really makes mics come alive. It will have less color than the 1073 so it will still depend on the style and singer of course. Bonus caveat is that both the ISA and 1073 are Neve’s! Rupert designed them both and created the topology of both. Simply can’t go wrong with either.
@@WarrenHenry I'm back again listening to this two years later in my other studio on Genelec 8010s instead of 8020s in my main studio which is a larger room. The Neve made my ears prick up straight away and the ISA is a solid investment (if you pardon the pun). All of these pre amps sound great but the Neve and the ISA are the two that stand out the most to me. Since this test was done I've had my vocals as well as an orchestra recorded through the Neve with a Neumann mic at Errol Brown's studio, which was a very big learning curve for me. I still love the ISA but I understand the hype of the Neve and why it's revered. Differences are only fractions and only trained ears will notice or wonder why one seems to stand out. They all do a great job
B. Neve 1073lb
Neve wins.
That neve is the winner