Mic pres: Symetrix - Sytek comparison anyone?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I have a bunch of vintage&colored mic preamps, Neve, Cadac, Telefunken etc.,
but the only ones that would fit the clean&transparent category are two
Symetrix SX202s, one modded (thanks, Monte!) and one stock. Now I need
several channels of clean high-gain preamps for what has become a collection
of ribbon mics - Beyer M130s, M500s and S. Sank-modified B&O BM6. The
latter has a particularly low output.

To say that business has been slow around here lately would be an euphemism,
so I'm not in a position to invest a lot of (or rather any) money into
equipment. Also, I do like those SX202s, a huge feelgood factor and they
somehow always get the job done. What I'd like to know is whether an upscale
preamp like Sytek would be a significantly better match for ribbon mics
(noise, gain, clarity) than a fully modded Symetrix. Anyone had a chance to
compare?

--
Predrag

To reply, remove NOSPAM from my email address:
predrag.trpkovNOSPAM@ri.htnet.hr

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"chetatkinsdiet" <mwood5nospam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
newse2778.0409060708.399494c7@posting.google.com...
> I'd love to hear what others thought about the comparison as
> well...modded symetrix vs. sytek.

That's one of the problems with gear comparisons like this via usenet.
Besides taking the opinion of a bunch of people you've never met, usually
there's very few who have first hand experience with both types of gear
being compared.

For my part I'll say that the Sytek is a fine sounding unit and a good value
at ~ $250 a channel from Mike Stoica. He also makes a VLD (very low
distortion) model which he described as "excellent for older ribbon mics,
very low impedance capable , extremely low noise and low distortion", when I
was looking at purchasing one.

Give him a call, you may be able to work out a way to try one out with your
Symetrix.

Sean

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I've done AB testing with the SX 201 and it's predecessor and would not
personally recommend it to anyone for recording. Symetrix equipment is
popular for broadcasting, but I don't think they are well suited, sonically,
for more critical recording applications.

Get some advice form this group for better mic preamps and if price is an
issue, let everybody know in your post.

To put it in perspective, I'd much rather use an inexpensive ART preamp or
even the preamps on my old Mackie or Ramsa mixer than the Symetrix preamps I
have access to for recordings

To my ears the Symetrix SX201 is dull and lackluster, lacking in high end
response and not at all transparent. Considering the alternatives for a
similar or even lower price, I'd say that their noise figures are not all
that good either.

For PAs or the typical low fidelity broadcast, Symetrix shortcomings might
go unoticed, but I'd keep looking...

Skler



Predrag Trpkov <predrag.trpkovNOSPAM@ri.htnet.hr> wrote in message
news:chh7g4$227$1@ls219.htnet.hr...
> I have a bunch of vintage&colored mic preamps, Neve, Cadac, Telefunken
etc.,
> but the only ones that would fit the clean&transparent category are two
> Symetrix SX202s, one modded (thanks, Monte!) and one stock. Now I need
> several channels of clean high-gain preamps for what has become a
collection
> of ribbon mics - Beyer M130s, M500s and S. Sank-modified B&O BM6. The
> latter has a particularly low output.
>
> To say that business has been slow around here lately would be an
euphemism,
> so I'm not in a position to invest a lot of (or rather any) money into
> equipment. Also, I do like those SX202s, a huge feelgood factor and they
> somehow always get the job done. What I'd like to know is whether an
upscale
> preamp like Sytek would be a significantly better match for ribbon mics
> (noise, gain, clarity) than a fully modded Symetrix. Anyone had a chance
to
> compare?
>
> --
> Predrag
>
> To reply, remove NOSPAM from my email address:
> predrag.trpkovNOSPAM@ri.htnet.hr
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

<< You might find the Sytek lacking in the amount of gain vs. noise using
ribbons compared to more expensive high gain/low noise preamps (but
better s/n than the SX202) Channels 1-4 pickup progressively more PS
noise with the gain near max. Google search and you find other opinions
on transparent pre's suited for ribbons. >>

I have a Sytek without the Burr Brown mods, and I have tried it with a variety
of ribbon mics, including an RCA 44BX, RCA Varacoustic, RCA BK5b, BeyerDynamic
M160, M260, and Fostexes.

For sources like drums, horns and electric guitars, the Sytek is great. It
gets a lot of use around here.

For quiet, acoustic sources with older ribbon mics thru the standard Sytek,
it's easy to run out of gain and into noise.

I would love to try the VLD version. If you need, or intend, to use the Sytek
with ribbon mics, particularly vintage ones, consider that one.

HTH,

stv

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Having owned both, my experience is that the Sytek is a
nice step up from the Symetrix, although both are of the
clean group as oppossed to the "character" group of preamps.
My Symetrix is stock, so I'm not making the exact comparison
you are requesting. I sold the Sytek to buy a GML, which is
better still. Even with all the preamps out there, I would
recommend the Symetrix for someone with very little $, and the
Sytek as the next step up for someone with a little more $. After
that, it pretty much gets to the $1K per channel level.




"Predrag Trpkov" <predrag.trpkovNOSPAM@ri.htnet.hr> wrote in message news:<chh7g4$227$1@ls219.htnet.hr>...
> I have a bunch of vintage&colored mic preamps, Neve, Cadac, Telefunken etc.,
> but the only ones that would fit the clean&transparent category are two
> Symetrix SX202s, one modded (thanks, Monte!) and one stock. Now I need
> several channels of clean high-gain preamps for what has become a collection
> of ribbon mics - Beyer M130s, M500s and S. Sank-modified B&O BM6. The
> latter has a particularly low output.
>
> To say that business has been slow around here lately would be an euphemism,
> so I'm not in a position to invest a lot of (or rather any) money into
> equipment. Also, I do like those SX202s, a huge feelgood factor and they
> somehow always get the job done. What I'd like to know is whether an upscale
> preamp like Sytek would be a significantly better match for ribbon mics
> (noise, gain, clarity) than a fully modded Symetrix. Anyone had a chance to
> compare?