Will this sound TOO warm? at DVinfo.net

Jarred Jones · November 6th, 2013, 07:54 AM

I'm considering getting a Warm WA-12 pre amp for either a AT 4047 or a Mojave MA 201 for voice overs, both fairly warm mics.

My question is, since the WA-12 is known for warming up sound, will that make the recording TOO warm? Since I'm combining a warm mic with a warm pre amp, will that cause some sort of imbalance and make it sound muddy/bad?

Does the WA-12 have any way of disabling it's warmness boost?

Thank you for reading.

Steve House · November 6th, 2013, 06:59 PM

The only way you can tell is to record the voice talent reading the actual script with the mic and preamp in question and then make an artistic decision to answer the question "Is this material being rendered in the sound I want it to have to convey the message my production is intended to convey?" What is appropriate for narration of explorers trekking across an Arctic ice flow might be totally out of place as narration over a scene of lovers in a gondola on a Venetian canal.

Rick Reineke · November 7th, 2013, 08:19 AM

Does the WA-12 have any way of disabling it's warmness boost?
> According to the published specs, it has an impedance switch which would change the tonality.
FWIW, the published specs look impressive.. but typically test parameters are tweaked to appear impressive. Nothing like a hands-on demo, one should try it out to hear if it meets their personal criteria.

Benjamin Maas · November 10th, 2013, 05:58 PM

I wouldn't consider either of those microphones to be exactly "warm" microphones. I don't know that pre, but beware of preamps that have too much color. Color can be a great thing, but it's also like reverb. You have too much and you can't reverse it.

Looking at the specs on this pre, it is supposedly based off the API 312 design which is a very nice pre (it's the pre that is used in the API A2D preamp). It depends on how close it matches, but this is what I can tell you about the API: It is very flexible, but not terribly extended on the top end. There are 2 pads on the API which massively affect tone- the 2:1 switch and the pad. The pad gets a much less transient, almost squishy sound and the 2:1 tends to give you a bit more punch to the sound. The unpadded signal is nice, but definitely on the darker and less extended side of things. Compare to something like an A Designs Pacifica, the Pacifica is a bit more 3D and is definitely more extended on top.

I use the API on vocal mics a fair amount and it tends to work pretty well. The pad state will change depending on the style of vocal and the mic used.

Again, I don't know how well this matches to the 312, but they claim that it is modeled after it... My experiences with the 312 may or may not translate to this one.

--Ben

November 6th, 2013, 07:54 AM	#1
Jarred Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 27	Will this sound TOO warm? I'm considering getting a Warm WA-12 pre amp for either a AT 4047 or a Mojave MA 201 for voice overs, both fairly warm mics. My question is, since the WA-12 is known for warming up sound, will that make the recording TOO warm? Since I'm combining a warm mic with a warm pre amp, will that cause some sort of imbalance and make it sound muddy/bad? Does the WA-12 have any way of disabling it's warmness boost? Thank you for reading. Last edited by Jarred Jones; November 6th, 2013 at 09:10 AM.

November 6th, 2013, 06:59 PM	#2
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	Re: Will this sound TOO warm? The only way you can tell is to record the voice talent reading the actual script with the mic and preamp in question and then make an artistic decision to answer the question "Is this material being rendered in the sound I want it to have to convey the message my production is intended to convey?" What is appropriate for narration of explorers trekking across an Arctic ice flow might be totally out of place as narration over a scene of lovers in a gondola on a Venetian canal. __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!

November 7th, 2013, 08:19 AM	#3
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	Re: Will this sound TOO warm? Does the WA-12 have any way of disabling it's warmness boost? > According to the published specs, it has an impedance switch which would change the tonality. FWIW, the published specs look impressive.. but typically test parameters are tweaked to appear impressive. Nothing like a hands-on demo, one should try it out to hear if it meets their personal criteria.

November 10th, 2013, 05:58 PM	#4
Benjamin Maas Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 150	Re: Will this sound TOO warm? I wouldn't consider either of those microphones to be exactly "warm" microphones. I don't know that pre, but beware of preamps that have too much color. Color can be a great thing, but it's also like reverb. You have too much and you can't reverse it. Looking at the specs on this pre, it is supposedly based off the API 312 design which is a very nice pre (it's the pre that is used in the API A2D preamp). It depends on how close it matches, but this is what I can tell you about the API: It is very flexible, but not terribly extended on the top end. There are 2 pads on the API which massively affect tone- the 2:1 switch and the pad. The pad gets a much less transient, almost squishy sound and the 2:1 tends to give you a bit more punch to the sound. The unpadded signal is nice, but definitely on the darker and less extended side of things. Compare to something like an A Designs Pacifica, the Pacifica is a bit more 3D and is definitely more extended on top. I use the API on vocal mics a fair amount and it tends to work pretty well. The pad state will change depending on the style of vocal and the mic used. Again, I don't know how well this matches to the 312, but they claim that it is modeled after it... My experiences with the 312 may or may not translate to this one. --Ben __________________ Benjamin Maas • Fifth Circle Audio • Signal Hill, CA http://www.fifthcircle.com