----------------------------------- D. M. Gremlin Tue Oct 21, 2003 6:25 am V67G+3 PreAmps: Mackie XDR, Presonus TubePRE, AudioBuddy ----------------------------------- So, the three pre-amps in question:  An XDR pre-amp on a [url=www.dm-gremlin.com/sales/product_info.php?cPath=26_123&products_id=467] VLZ-Pro series mixer, a [url=www.dm-gremlin.com/sales/product_info.php?products_id=137]Presonus TubePRE, and an M-Audio Audio Buddy.  The setup - My Esteve nylon string classical guitar, played through an [url=www.dm-gremlin.com/sales/product_info.php?products_id=444]MXL V67G microphone - the direct outs on the VLZ-Pro mixer were connected directly to my Echo Layla 24/96 card, and the TubePRE and Audiobuddy were also connected directly to the Layla via [url=www.dm-gremlin.com/sales/product_info.php?cPath=115_134&products_id=566]3' Mogami patch cables.  I also used a [url=www.dm-gremlin.com/sales/product_info.php?cPath=115_118&products_id=531]15' Mogami xlr cable to connect from the mic to the pre-amps. Here are the clips (streaming .mp3 format, 192kbps): [url=www.dm-gremlin.com/music/tests/v67-guitar-abuddy.m3u]Audio Buddy - [url=www.dm-gremlin.com/music/tests/v67-guitar-tubepre.m3u] TubePRE - [url=www.dm-gremlin.com/music/tests/v67-guitar-vlzpro.m3u]Mackie XDR Here's what I thought - To me the Audio-Buddy sounded a little 'dull'.  It sounded the same sort of dull with both the vocals and the guitar, but not significantly dull.  In fact, I think if you were to put a BBE sonic maximizer plug in on this it would sound just fine.  The pre-amp kind of reminded me though of the difference between the Behringer pre-amps on the board that was meant to be a copy of the Mackie 24x8 and the Mackie 24x8 itself.   I thought the TubePRE sounded.... well, like what one would expect from a tube pre-amp.  Slightly warmer, with a nice contour.  All in all a good sound.  On the vocals the tube seemed to (audibly as well as visually) give a mild amount of compression.  I had the drive setting right around where the gain setting was so the signal was getting as much tube level as it was straight pre-amp level.   The XDR preamps?  Well that's what I'm used to listening to all the time, so maybe I have a little bit of bias towards this one.  I like them... I won't bother saying more than that, you can listen and make up your own mind.   The difference in price?  Well the guys at Guitar Center actually got me a really good deal on it - it's a shame that I'm going to return it.  Its M.A.P. is $119, but they sold it to me for $100 'out the door'.  Considering you get two pre-amps for that amount of money it's not a bad deal.  The TubePRE I'd probably sell for about $85 if someone called for the price and you'd only get one pre-amp.  The difference in tone between the pre-amps is pretty minimal, but I would still go with either the VLZ Pro's XDR pre-amps or the TubePRE over the Audio Buddy presonally.