Insider’s Secrets
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The Best of Both Worlds
There’s a reason why tube preamplifiers have long been favored by audio engineers (especially in this age
of digital recording): they impart a warmth and richness that makes most sounds larger than life. However,
there is no denying that tube preamps also tend to color the incoming signal somewhat, albeit in a way
which most listeners find pleasant and desirable.
On the other hand, the recording of voice and acoustic instruments sometimes requires precise signal
handling with meticulous attention to detail, definition and accuracy. Applications such as classical or jazz
recording demand faithful transfer of performances exactly as they happen, without coloration, processing,
noise or distortion, and that is where solid-state preamplifiers shine. Plus, by capturing the sound as it is,
you can leave sound sculpting and “coloration” decisions until later, during the mixing stage.
So the question is, which kind of preamp to use? Up until now, the only solution has been to have an
arsenal of both kinds at your disposal, but with the 710, that’s no longer necessary, since it provides both
designs in one box, as well as a unique Blend control that allows the user to dial in the precise contribution
of each preamp to the overall sound. As a good starting point, we recommend that you set the Blend control
to the desired degree of tube coloration, then back it off slightly (towards the TRANS position) to dial in the
precise amount of “snap” and detail you want in your sound.
Drive Metering
Because it shares lineage with vintage guitar amplifier designs, the 710’s tube preamplifier can contribute
precise amounts of even-order harmonic distortion (the kind the ear enjoys listening to) to your signal,
ranging from pleasant amounts of rasp to all-out grunge. The Drive meter function can be a great tool in
helping to decide how high to raise the Gain control because it indicates how much tube saturation is
going to be present in the output signal. It does this by monitoring the signal that is driving the tube. If
what you want is crystal clear tube tone, then the meter will be bouncing around near the low end of its
range. If what you are after is a ton of tube dirt, then drive the meter into the red; there is nothing wrong
with either extreme. Once you use the Drive function a few times, you will develop a feel for it, and should
be able to dial in the desired tube character quickly and easily.
When in Drive mode, the 710 meter is calibrated so that 0VU is equal to 1.2% THD on a 1KHz sine wave.
However, measured distortion levels can be misleading because they are so source and style dependent.
2% THD on a sine wave is a fair amount of distortion and will be apparent to even the non-musically
inclined. On a vocal track, however, that same 2% THD sounds like some really nice tube warmth. On an
overdriven guitar, 2% is barely even audible. The most important thing to remember when using the Drive
function is that there is no “wrong” meter reading, only wrong tones for a particular track. So use the meter
as guide, not as a pass/fail test. Do what feels and sounds right, and don’t be afraid to push it.
Vocals, Vocals, Vocals
Just as certain microphones work best with certain vocalists, so too do certain mic preamps. The
presence of not just one, but two completely discrete preamps in the 710 mean that it will work
wonders with just about any microphone... and with just about any vocalist.
The crisp precision of a condenser microphone, for example, can be matched perfectly by the uncolored
accuracy of the 710’s transimpedance solid-state preamp... or you can instead opt to use the tube
side to “warm up” the tone. Better yet, use the Blend control to dial in exactly the right amount of both
preamps to match both the microphone’s frequency characteristics and the timbral quality of the
vocalist. And if you’re using the already warm sound of a tube microphone for vocals, try
complementing it with the 710’s solid-state preamp (or use the Blend control to dial in a combination
of the two that favors the contribution of the TRANS side).
Electric Guitar and Bass
There’s something very special about the mix of tube preamplification and electric guitar and bass, which
is why tube amps are so prevalent in that world. Cranking up the 710's Gain control will impart anything
