Warm Audio 412 VS Black Lion Audio B12A-Quad - Mic Pre DEATH MATCH Shoot Out

Рет қаралды 5,514

Күн бұрын

In this gear review, I took some time to run some tests on these 2 awesome microphone preamps: Warm Audio 412, and the Black Lion Audio B12A-Quad.
Includes Voice Over reading through a Shure Sm7b and some singing through the Stam Audio SA-87.
Overall I feel the build quality is slightly better on the Warm. Sound-wise, I hear the Warm as having a thicker, more "vintage" sound, while the BLA sounded a little cleaner and more open.
One feature I did not mention in the video is the "Tone knob" on the Warm, which is an impedance switch, which I was told by Warm's support team added 5 or 6 db of gain to your mic. Super helpful with dynamic mics like the sm7. Shout-out to Warm's support which was super responsive and very helpful.
Both would make a great addition to any studio.
DOWNLOAD THE RAW AUDIO HERE:
drive.google.com/file/d/1f2tV...
Song is Pusher Love Girl by Justin Timberlake, which I obviously do not own, but I used the official audio provided by JT's KZfaq Channel.
Book is 1984 by George Orwell, duh.

Пікірлер: 30

@hamanino 8 ай бұрын

thank you very much

@nugznmugz 9 ай бұрын

Probably late to the game, but I just bought a used WA412 and had to adjust the knobs. It seems like they can get pressed in, or made to be off center, and that can add some drag at certain points in the turn. I just took mine all the way off and re-centered them. They all work much smoother now.

@dangervilleproductions 8 ай бұрын

thanks. yeah the QC game at Warm seems a bit off. But been using the Pres a lot lately on drums.

@christopherdunn317 2 ай бұрын

LOL hell i was just using mine the other day and the knob came loose ?

@ulyssesbenton9921 8 ай бұрын

That song 🎵 is a hit

@DOMINIQUEHERROD Жыл бұрын

you have a great voice !!!!

@dangervilleproductions Жыл бұрын

thanks

@legacyShredder1 Жыл бұрын

Unless the knob is straight up broken you should be able to reset the knob step gear on the WA rack. I've had the same thing happen to even pricier units , and it was always caused by pressure being pushed straight into the knob causing the gears to skip out of place; it happened in shipping every time. I've always just reset the gear and everything was fine.

@dangervilleproductions Жыл бұрын

really? very interested in how to do that. I'm not sure how I would reset that gear. Do you have to take the unit apart?

@legacyShredder1 Жыл бұрын

@@dangervilleproductions You have to take the lid/cover off the top of the the preamp unit. The steps or clicks when you turn the knobs can be increased or decreased, that way the same potentiometer can be used in multiple different units that have differing amount of steps. Did you keep the Warm Audio WA412? If so I can either find you a source to reset it, or I can upload a video demonstrating how to do it.

@dangervilleproductions Жыл бұрын

@@legacyShredder1 Yes I did keep the Warm unit. I bet people would be interested if you made a video showing how to do it, if there isn't one already.

@nugznmugz 9 ай бұрын

@@legacyShredder1 Yea we're interested if you feel like it!

@legacyShredder1 9 ай бұрын

@@nugznmugz I forgot all about this. Do you have a messed up knob on the WA412?

@Gretsch0997 8 ай бұрын

I think your excellent singing far outweighs the preamp dilemma, you have a great voice !! Either of them would work. Both are in the same price range. Id say pic the one that looks the best or coolest to you.

@dangervilleproductions 8 ай бұрын

hey thanks. I have a pair of the Warm audio now, mostly being used on toms.

@ajiraditya 5 ай бұрын

Man i forget that i come here to compare the preamps. I think you can make any song sound good with your vocals.

@dangervilleproductions 5 ай бұрын

hey thanks!

@theopacalypse 7 ай бұрын

Sweet voice

@dangervilleproductions 7 ай бұрын

thanks

@Guitapapa Жыл бұрын

Thanks for doing this I was just searching for this comparaison ! I download your files and listen in my Studio (Nuemann kh80+ Sub Kh 750 on Pro tools HDX ) Those preamp are pretty dam close … For me Warm Audio have a more this kind of sweet and pleasant tone while BA have maybe more air but it is subbtle … My vote is for the Warm Audio but It's hard to find a winner here

@dangervilleproductions Жыл бұрын

I am glad you found it useful. I think your assessment is spot on! Wish I had the real API to compare to! Make sure you subscribe to the channel, i've got some more gear reviews in the works.

@legacyShredder1 Жыл бұрын

@@dangervilleproductions I had 3 units of the API 3124 (12 preamps,) but I've sold 2 of them so far and I replaced them with 5 units of the WA412 (20 preamps.) That's how much I like the Warm Audio preamps. I'll eventually grab another rack or two of the WA412. I may hold onto my last rack of API for the purists that come into the studio, but I personally don't use it unless I run out of my other preamps.

@dangervilleproductions Жыл бұрын

@@legacyShredder1 thats interesting! Would have thought the "real" thing would be better. just goes to show...

@legacyShredder1 Жыл бұрын

@@dangervilleproductions Both API and Warm Audio use absolute top grade transformers and opamps which ultimately determines the quality of sound and saturation. I won't say that Warm Audio has a better API style preamp than the actual company of API, because that would be silly of me. They do sound ever so slightly different although they are both clearly the same type of circuit. Even though they are slightly differing in sound the quality of outcome is the same. When I can have 20 fantastic WA preamps for the same cost as 8 API and the same quality result, I have to go with the 20 Warm Audio. I'm recording full bands with massive drum kits live in the studio. Some times we just mix the full live recording with only a few extra overdubs, and sometimes we keep only the drums and overdub everything else. It all depends on how tight the band is. If we have to comp instrument and vocal parts we're obviously going to overdub all of that. Long story short, I need an ass-load of preamps. I haven't actually counted how many preamps we have, but I would say it's probably in the 60ish range. Whatever helps me get huge track counts without sacrificing quality, I'm there. I need what works the best, not a name.

@dangervilleproductions Жыл бұрын

@@legacyShredder1 Agreed. At a certain point cost vs quality has to be a real consideration. Like you're saying on a drum kit, the difference is going to be totally unnoticeable in a mix at the end of the day. if it sounds great, it sounds great.

@echodream 20 күн бұрын

Talk Warm Audio 3:44 Black Lion 5:47 Sing Warm Audio 4:12 Black Lion 6:14 + Fx Warm Audio 4:45 Black Lion 6:50

@fookoo567 5 ай бұрын

WOW! no auto tune?

@hensleyratsizaonen 2 ай бұрын

Seeing the Rosetta, is it still relevant this days again the other converters?

@dangervilleproductions 2 ай бұрын

Sure, I have two of them. Its older stuff for sure, but high quality, and you can get them pretty cheap. Eventually when my old mac dies I will have to do something else, but for right now, why not? Some of our favorite records were made on them.