Warm Audio WA-12 Or A New Mic???

[TurboPablo]

I just sold my Diamond Comp and made a bit of money on it. Since the Warm Audio WA-12 popped onto my radar, thanks to Broslinga, I have become very intrigued with it.

My current recording setup includes.....

SM57, Mackie Blackjack, Reaper, EZdrummer2 and a Tech21 Sans Amp for Bass(which sounds pretty fucking killer if I do say so).

I like everything I am reading about the Warm Audio piece and wonder if it wouldn't do me some good.

Or, should I use the cash to get another mic? If so, what flavor?

Thanks douchebags.

I love you all.

[nightflameauto]

GAB answer: Both, and a new amp while you're at it.

My douche answer: WA12 because I want one right now.

Real answer: WA12 would probably give you more recording options than one new mic. It's nice having a mic pre with some settings that actually affect the result beyond gain. It takes a bit to learn the ins-and-outs, but it can make a difference once you do.

[Markdude]

It really depends on your goals. Are you happy with your recordings but want a very subtle difference in flavor? Then I'd go with the preamp. If you want a more drastic change, get a new mic.

Btw, if you're using the Onyx Blackjack, it honestly doesn't make a ton of sense to buy a standalone preamp. Even if you have the Blackjack's 1/4" input in Line mode, the preamp circuitry isn't bypassed, so you're still running a preamp into a preamp. You may or may not like the sonic character, but you wouldn't be using it as intended, just FWIW.

EDIT: I feel completely the opposite of nightflameauto. I feel that the possibilities afforded by a new mic (especially combinations of both mics) are much, much more drastic and larger in number than a preamp, even if the preamp has switchable impedance (and especially since the preamp is cascading into the same preamp you already have).

[TurboPablo]

Well, I have another amp that needs a run through. Once it get's worked on, I'll have a four holer to go with my 800 and Bassman.

As for mics', I have no idea what I am looking at. I bought the 57 because I figured as a industry standard, it's a good place to start. Since I play with a violently bright signal anyway, the top end comes through the 57 just fine. I also have a MXL 57 Condenser that I can use for finzies. I just haven't bothered in a while.

I like the idea of coloring things with the WA-12.

[TurboPablo]

Here is my most recent recording with the SM57 and Blackjack.

Gear used- LP Custom, Creme Brulee OD, JCM800, Creambacks. No bass. All guitar and EZdrummer2.

https://soundcloud.com/heezzies/drumjam-140-metulz

[TurboPablo]

I've also been thinking about buying a pair of 16ohm Crambacks for my 2x12 so I can wire it for 8ohm. Then I will stash my two 8ohm Creambacks for whenever I get a 4x12.

This way I can bring my Traynor back into the fold.

[TurboPablo]

So, regardless of my playing, would something like the WA-12 do anything good or bad for the clip I posted?

[newholland]

that's a tough call. having more mics is nice. having a great preamp is nice... but it's spreading the love as your input channel takes on a totally different sheen...

well.. since the warm is $400+ bux.. if you have the scratch now, i'd say jump on it. it'll never disappoint and it stacks SO well... and christ does it make a 57 sound great. for anything.

BUT. you should try a 609 or a ribbon. or a large diaphragm condenser. you CAN get those for significantly less money, and they'll sound awesome through the warm as well.. and guaranteed, they'll sound better than your mackies inputs, particularly if you run 'em hot.

this ain't to say you can't make great recordings without more mics, and without the warm. you absolutely can. but i can honestly say, i am really enjoying the sounds of my own output more WITH the warm than i did without it... it just knocks the burrs off about everything and really takes the gritty back a notch.

why'nt you try this- grab the warm, and put your sights on something like a cascade fathead (sub 2 hunnert bux)? that's another awesome general use mic like a 57, and it sounds pretty good everywhere! that way you're not drowning in options, and all yer options sound good, and yer still not broke.

[TurboPablo]

that's a tough call. having more mics is nice. having a great preamp is nice... but it's spreading the love as your input channel takes on a totally different sheen...

well.. since the warm is $400+ bux.. if you have the scratch now, i'd say jump on it. it'll never disappoint and it stacks SO well... and christ does it make a 57 sound great. for anything.

BUT. you should try a 609 or a ribbon. or a large diaphragm condenser. you CAN get those for significantly less money, and they'll sound awesome through the warm as well.. and guaranteed, they'll sound better than your mackies inputs, particularly if you run 'em hot.

this ain't to say you can't make great recordings without more mics, and without the warm. you absolutely can. but i can honestly say, i am really enjoying the sounds of my own output more WITH the warm than i did without it... it just knocks the burrs off about everything and really takes the gritty back a notch.

why'nt you try this- grab the warm, and put your sights on something like a cascade fathead (sub 2 hunnert bux)? that's another awesome general use mic like a 57, and it sounds pretty good everywhere! that way you're not drowning in options, and all yer options sound good, and yer still not broke.

Thanks.

This was my loose plan anyway. Get the WA-12, then another mic. Once I am settled wwith those, grab a keyboard/electric piano of some sort.

Question: Are you running your signal into the Warm and then sending it hot?gained up into your interface/mixer /DAW?

[Sizzler]

I have 2 wa-12s inbound. Going to throw them side by side on a tray in my recording rack.

In general I like to work in the box with plugs but I want something a little warmer for overheads and vocals (as I am not quite happy with the way plugs are working here). I will give them a shot for guitars/bass as well as running full mixes through them eventually.

[TurboPablo]

Yeah, I am going to grab one in the next week or so.

[Sizzler]

Sweet - I had put off going back to outboard pres for a while and with all the glowing reports on these and with the price being pretty reasonable compared to other stuff I figured why not give them a shot.

[TurboPablo]

Sweet - I had put off going back to outboard pres for a while and with all the glowing reports on these and with the price being pretty reasonable compared to other stuff I figured why not give them a shot.

Yeah, I haven't read any negative reviews on them at all.

The WA-12 and a ribbon mic will be it. After that I need to learn how to tweak recordings inside the DAW.

I'm too point>shoot>Fuhgettaboutit.

[Sizzler]

Sweet - I had put off going back to outboard pres for a while and with all the glowing reports on these and with the price being pretty reasonable compared to other stuff I figured why not give them a shot.

Yeah, I haven't read any negative reviews on them at all.

The WA-12 and a ribbon mic will be it. After that I need to learn how to tweak recordings inside the DAW.

I'm too point>shoot>Fuhgettaboutit.

My hope with the wa-12s is that I can just point and shoot on some key things

Ribbon is still on my wish list.... going to have to wait on that one a bit though.

[TurboPablo]

Right. I have no intention of over complicating anything. Just make it sound better while still maintaining a proper amount of laziness.

[newholland]

Thanks.

This was my loose plan anyway. Get the WA-12, then another mic. Once I am settled wwith those, grab a keyboard/electric piano of some sort.

Question: Are you running your signal into the Warm and then sending it hot?gained up into your interface/mixer /DAW?

it depends on what i'm doing. most times for guitar recording, i'll put the pad on and wind the warm up hot. but if i'm doing guitar direct-- i'll cool it back some. for acoustic or vocals, i'll cool it off til it's straight clean. i haven't found a way it DIDN'T sound good yet.. that circuit's got a shit ton of grip on whatever you put in it regardless of how hot you run it. saturating the transformers is cool-- but it doesn't really make EVERYTHING sound better, i've come to find. it really is great for screamy vocals and loud guits.. basses and it's pretty fun on rock drums-- but i recently found it's not super flattering for omni recordings of acoustic music. just sounds gritty from like 4-800 hz, and yeah.. not super awesome in the meat of an acoustic guitar/fiddle etc.

i send it to a direct in (bypassing the opamp of the interface) on my focusrite. i haveta really dump all the gain on the channel, 'cause you can generate one hell of a hot signal off that thing. i think mostly because it's orange.

[TurboPablo]

I'm trying to decide whether I want to get the warm first or the Fathead. I watched a few demos on the fatty today and it sounds pretty amazing.

[TurboPablo]

OK, so after looking at the Fathead Mic, I have a question.....

How significant is the difference between the original and the newer version with the Lundahl transformer?

http://www.zzounds.com/item--CAC98

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cascade-Fat-Hea ... 4d2bc82e33

The difference in price is rather significant.

[BroSlinger]

Dude, get the warm first.

Every mic sounds good with a great preamp.

Every mic sounds bad with a bad preamp.

[newholland]

OK, so after looking at the Fathead Mic, I have a question.....

How significant is the difference between the original and the newer version with the Lundahl transformer?

http://www.zzounds.com/item--CAC98

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cascade-Fat-Hea ... 4d2bc82e33

The difference in price is rather significant.

lundahls smoother. but i've been using 2 of the stocks forever. they still sound great. for the most part- i wouldn't even sweat the sexy transformers. it's IMPORTANT.. but y'know, compared to a 57 the grain you'll notice in a ribbon is so diminished as to be almost hilarious-- how smooth does it NEED to be, y'know? i can imagine it'd be super sweet with lundahls.. but fuck.. it'll be like the velvet orb..

you can also do that surgery yourself later by buying the daggone transformer- i think its' a $50 part. it's no harder than changing pickups.. goog it, f'ril.

personally, i've never sweated it, and i like 'em stock just fine.. and with the warm... oh yeah.

[TurboPablo]

Dude, get the warm first.

Every mic sounds good with a great preamp.

Every mic sounds bad with a bad preamp.

Roger that.

Since I have money to waste from the Diamond, I will use it to offset the out of pocket expense.

OK, so after looking at the Fathead Mic, I have a question.....

How significant is the difference between the original and the newer version with the Lundahl transformer?

http://www.zzounds.com/item--CAC98

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cascade-Fat-Hea ... 4d2bc82e33

The difference in price is rather significant.

lundahls smoother. but i've been using 2 of the stocks forever. they still sound great. for the most part- i wouldn't even sweat the sexy transformers. it's IMPORTANT.. but y'know, compared to a 57 the grain you'll notice in a ribbon is so diminished as to be almost hilarious-- how smooth does it NEED to be, y'know? i can imagine it'd be super sweet with lundahls.. but fuck.. it'll be like the velvet orb..

you can also do that surgery yourself later by buying the daggone transformer- i think its' a $50 part. it's no harder than changing pickups.. goog it, f'ril.

personally, i've never sweated it, and i like 'em stock just fine.. and with the warm... oh yeah.

Gotcha. Figured I would ask. Of course, now that I know it's a easy swap, I will inevitably do it myself.

That's just a insane markup for a transformer.

[newholland]

lundahl LL2912. $82. hell.. bout the same cost as a pickup too. don't forget, they gotta pay to put it in and test it too, and i think they pay americans to do it. but just pay the american currently residing in your home.. price was from K&K audio, too btw.

[TurboPablo]

lundahl LL2912. $82. hell.. bout the same cost as a pickup too. don't forget, they gotta pay to put it in and test it too, and i think they pay americans to do it. but just pay the american currently residing in your home.. price was from K&K audio, too btw.

Gotcha.

Warm Audio first it shall be.

I love buying stuff I don't really need.

Frivolity be damned.