Importance of tube preamps?

[egosheep]

my bandmate has a friend, "Kelly" who keeps telling him the most important thing he needs to get for recording is "a few good tube preamps" for micing the drums etc.

so now whenever we talk about what gear to get, he says "i'd love to get some nice tube preamps. Kelly says thats the most important thing i need to get a warmer drum sound."

This is kind of a pet peeve of mine, because although i have tube amps, tube pedals, and tube echo units etc, i don't view digital stuff like it has some disease, sound is sound. And whenever i suggest to my bandmate that he try some vst preamps or tube emulation stuff, he's pretty skeptical. I've told him, if you want the drums warm, record them on a cassette 4 track! He has this idea that once they get on the ADAT, its over, it's digital and the sound can't be improved.

It's not something he can afford right now anyway, but its driving me crazy, hearing "man, i wish i had a tube preamp" when he's never even used one. What i'm asking is, is his skepticism valid? How important do you think preamps are and how well to the vst tube emulations compare?

[Scot Solida]

Obviously if he's never used one, your friend's skepticism has no validity. He's just parroting what he hears and reads with no basis for his own conclusions. Good engineering comes from using your own ears, not reading something or following the status quo.

I like a tube pre on somethings, myself, but have concluded that I am mainly a "solid state" kinda guy. My favorite records were recorded in the early days of solid state gear, and I find that I gravitate towards quality solid state pres and compressors. For instance, after much expense and experimentation, I found that my most-used vocal chain is via a Chandler TG2 pre through a vintage Urei LA3a...both solid state. However, tube has its place in my sound too. These aren't arbitrary decisions, but things that should be decided based on mics, mood, and the overall effect you are trying to achieve.

Listen to your ears, not your friend's bullshit.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

VST tube emulations may be able to warm things up some, but don't expect the sound of a well designed tube preamp from them. On the same note, having tube preamps doesn't guarantee anything either. Cymbals, well tuned drums, and a drummer who knows how to hit the drums and cymbals when he's recording, are far more important to a good drum sound than the pre's. After that, I'd argue that mic selection (paired with at least decent preamps) and placement are going to make a larger impact on the drum sound than the pre's alone. Finally, solid state (i.e. non-tube) gear, can be amazingly warm if well designed. API, Neve, Chandler, GML, Great River, etc., all make phenomonal solid state preamps that would have no problem getting a warmer more detailed drum sound.

Basically, the tube thing is a myth, and like all good myths people have accepted that tubes are warm as common knowledge, and will repeat this misinformation. I guarantee you that a preamp from any of the manafacturer's I listed above would provide a "warmer" (and better) drum sound than one of those cheap Presonus or ART tube pre's, but would your friend think that. If you're unhappy with the drum sound your getting, start looking for the weakest points in the chain. Is it the drummer? The cymbals? The kit? The mics? The preamp? The engineer? ADAT? Converters? Once you've got that figured out, you'll know where you need to start upgrading.

Would I tell you not to buy a good tube pre if one could be afforded? No. Would I tell you to only buy tube pre's? Absolutely not.

Out of curiousity: could you post a clip of your current drum sound?

[where02190]

I'd say your tube junkie friend has read one too many trade magazines. The most important thing in recording drums is a great drummer. Second is a great room and kit(they are tied).

Good tube mics add a characteristic often described as warm. It's a coloration due to to the tube circuitry. Recently there's been a rash of cheap tube mics, some that sound ok, some that just plain suck.

Tell your friend to make the best of what he's got, concentrating on proper kit tuning, room placement, and the acoustics of the room itself. A few well placed mics on a kit can sound huge with the right kit and room.

[egosheep]

Thanks for the replies, that makes me feel better. yeah, funkybot, i'll try to get a drum sample up tonight, i'm at work right now.

i felt the same way, i never thought, "don't get a tube pre!!", i just felt like, it's not a golden ticket or anything. Seeing as how there's a lot of other gear i would like to get first. I feel like saying, "Yeah, and it would be great to be recording on 2" tape, too, with plate reverb..." Lots of things sound good, but they're not the only way to get a great sound.

[where02190]

Personally I'd rather have a couple good ribbons that a tube mic for drums.