ART Pro Channel Microphone Preamp and Compressor (Model 215)

Professional tube-based microphone/line recording channel. 3 independent world-class modules: tube mic pre, switchable optical/ variable mu compressor, and tube EQ. Warm, smooth, and silky sound quality.

Overall User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10

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"The best bang for the buck in its price range."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
 
 
 
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:
It definitely has the best feature set in its price range - legitimate tube preamp with HPF, double-duty compressor (either tube or optical mode for different sounds and applications), and legitimate tube EQ with two sweepable mids. Each section would be a great unit on its own, and in fact they were before Art combined them as a channel strip. I like that they've kept a modular design - you can patch into or out of each individual section, or even re-patch them to re-route the signal flow (like if you'd rather have the signal go from the preamp to the EQ before going into the compressor). I've found that I like to have a few different compressors available to choose from for different applications, and I can easily bypass the internal compressor before coming back into the unit for EQ. My one complaint is that the compressor doesn't have variable attack or release times - instead, you have a button that chooses "fast" or "slow" for attack, and "fast" or "auto" for release. I have to admit that these options work for 90% of applications, but for control freaks who really want to fine-tune their compression (like me), it's a bummer. That's why I keep an FMR Really Nice Compressor sitting on top of this unit to patch into and out of. The VU meter sucks, though - there's no defending it. It's far too sluggish to have any meaningful use, and while it looks cool, I wish they had used the space for attack and release knobs for the compressor.

Quality:
It feels nice, smells nice, and looks nice. I knocked it off of the table once onto a hardwood floor and it hasn't had a single problem (cosmetic or function-wise) since.

Value:
The absolute best bang-for-the-buck in its price range. You'd have to spend significantly more (around $1,000 or more) to get a significantly better channel strip.

Desirability:
It looks clean and nice - not too techy and not fake-vintage.

Sound:
Great sound for the price range - it's very clean and the tube pre doesn't color the sound much (can be a good thing or bad thing depending on what you want out of it) until you really drive it. It's a legitimate tube-based design in a world of "just stick a tube in there somewhere and it'll sell" products, and it sounds great and clean. I've heard that swapping out the tubes for better ones can make the sound even better, but I have no complaints thus far.

Ease of Use:
The manual is pretty solid, and anyone who already knows what they're doing shouldn't have much of an issue with it. You have to MAKE SURE that you set up your gain staging correctly, or it'll be noisy, especially if you're using a lot of make-up gain coming out of the compressor. This isn't an issue with the unit as much as an issue with proper gain staging - when I first got it, I was bummed that the compressor section was "so noisy" until I learned to set it up properly (get a good signal coming from the pre, get the compressor zero'd vs. the original signal, then use the master output for whatever makeup gain you might need). The actual interface is perfectly usable.

Support:
I haven't needed any support yet, but the manual is nice and helpful. I wish the manual/company was a little friendlier about encouraging swapping out the tubes, but I understand that they have to cover their butts if someone fries their own unit.

Overall:
I'll use it until I can afford something significantly better. And then I'll still use it.

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"Prochannel for the rest of us."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
 
 
 
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:
I have played e-guitar and condenser mics through the unit. Great amplificaiton, nice detailed and warm sound. Compresser and equalizer also present, with ability to arrange the order. Many possiblities. I am still experimenting. Workmanship is not so great, but it is the insides and function that counts.

Quality:
I do not have much to compare it too. It appears to be a very good buy for the money.

Sound:
I find that I must use rather high amplification settings with the unit, but ultimately, the sone is warm and very good.

Overall:
From what I have red and done, this is a very good buy. I do not have the ability to compare this to more expensive or other similarly priced units. I cannot always hear some of the effects of the unit, but this may be both my ear and my other equipment's limitations.

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"If you can't afford $1500 for a preamp, then this is what you need."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
For the price, I don't think you'll find anything close to this for features. The only thing that's missing for me would be variable impedance, and more attack/release control on the compressor. However the compressor as it is still performs exceptionally will. The option to have optical or tube compression is nice.

Quality:
I gave this a ten, simply because for the price you won't find anything better than this. This is IT. Like other reviews have said, you'd have to spend $1000 more to get anything noticeably better. For the guys who said they are getting a lot of noise... you don't know how to use it. The one thing to make sure of is that you use the Hi-Z output so you don't have to add another gain stage going into your DAW. The only problem I've had with this unit was that for a while the compressor was taking around 5 minutes to kick in after turning it on. The problem went away on it's own, so I never ended up doing anything about it.

Value:
Like I said... for the price, this is IT.

Desirability:
It's no Avalon, as far as sex appeal goes, but it does come across as a serious piece of gear to people in the studio.

Sound:
Very clean sound. EQ works just like it should. The compressor is quite transparent - much better than most bundled software plug-ins. The tube preamp is very clean, only colors sound when it is nearing overdrive but even then still produces a pleasing sound.

Ease of Use:
Read the manual. If you already know how to run a channel strip, this will be no problem.

Support:
Haven't needed it yet.

Overall:
The price has dropped since I got mine around 2 years ago. I'll probably buy another one soon.

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"Do your homework - Then Listen"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
 
 
 
Quality:
Rugged and roadworthy.

Value:
Well worth the price in comparison to equivalent units. Specs are good or better than others. You won't be disappointed when you hear it.

Sound:
Very Quiet and lots of gain. Pre sounds musical and EQ is acceptable. I use in studio and live. Dependable. Always can get desired result. NICE comp in unit well worth the money alone.

Overall:
I am very satisfied with the Pro Channel. I own 2 and find them very versitile from drums, guitars and Vox. Your only limit is your imagination.

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"Great inexpensive single-piece frontend for home or B-room recording"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
 
 
 
I've had this thing for a week and already love it. It really does have that fat vintage "class A" sound when driven hard. It's got 3 tubes in the signal path, and unlike the behringer "tube" pieces, they really do light up and you can actually hear them. It does fantastic things for snare, bass and rock vocals, and it's worth every penny. This is not a transparent piece of gear! It has the ability to add quite a bit of smooth distortion to the signal - like a distressor with balls. The compressor section is fantastic; even though it only has switches for "fast", "slow" and "auto", these settings work great. The EQ section is no focusrite, but it is quite musical if used sparingly. If I have any complaint, it is a little bit noisy when you use all of its features at once - but to get the sound that comes out of this box with less noise you'd have to spend $2000 or more... besides- we're making rock and roll here - if you're worried about a little noise you're in the wrong buisness. This is an all-around great piece for a B-room or a home studio.
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"Smooth, warm ,detailed and extremely versatile."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
 
 
 
It tracks guitar like butter.It takes a bit of finessing to get a good vocal sound;but once
you get the gain stages under control it's
great. It sounds clearer,warmer and more open
than the VC1Qcs (Joemeek)...
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"What noise? none here."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
 
 
 
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:
Just about anything you need for recording vocals, guitar, bass... even violin and viola. Everything sounds good through this thing if you know how to use the settings.

Quality:
Best in its class by far. Sounds as good as things costing much more. Very durable. I've traveled with mine in my gigging setup, and it still works great.

Value:
Well worth its price. Sounds almost as good as much more expensive units...

Desirability:
It's a sexy beast.

Sound:
For this price range, this is the BEST mic preamp! The sound is silky smooth that is close to Universal Audio's much more expensive 610 recording strip. This unit is NOT noisy. It is dead silent. If you are getting noise, then check your cables and power source. Cheap cables will cause it.. i use mogami gold studio cables. Dead silent. Noise can come in through the powerlines as well. Get a furman power conditioner to help with the power line noise. Also, cheap mics can be noisy. Get a shure studio mic.

Ease of Use:
Well, it can be complicated to figure out... but in general, crank up the gain and let the tube compressor cool down the hot signal. The result will be a silky smooth, fat signal. It will make your vocals sound perfessional. I own two.. one for the studio and one for live performances. It makes even weak voices sound powerful if you crank up the gain and then let the compressors tame it.

Support:
I sent them an email asking a question, and they replied promptly.

Overall:
Get it and crank up the gain... let the compressors cool the hot signal down to about -5db to 0 db depending ont eh quality of your recording system. Some dont like too hot signals. Others have huge headroom. It's awesome.

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"POTENTIOMETERS ARE GARBAGE BUT THE FEATURE SET AND SOUND IS GREAT WHEN FIXED"

Overall:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
 
 
 
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:
A great combination of features.

Quality:
Ok...here's my story. I ordered one of the these in the US but I live in Canada...no problem really. I got the unit and started using it but it sounded brighter than other preamps I tried. After using it just a few times my mic sound started giving me intermittent problem - no sound alternating with screaming loud sound and noise. Ok... here's where living in Canada is a problem in situations like this. I should have sent the unit back for repairs (I think their support is probably good). However, I did not want to ship it across the border and wait for it's return from across the border... so I took it apart to see if it was a simple problem (I have a reasonable amount of knowledge in this although I'm not a repair person). There is a circuit board inside that contains all the potentiometers (all the control knobs for the front). I quickly found that if I pressed this board the sound would cut in and out. This board has a 40 pin connector so I took the board out of the unit. This board has virtually no electronics parts (just the potentiometers) so I suspected that the board had some poor solder joints or perhaps a crack in one or more of the traces. I redid all the soldering and was testing resistance values when I noticed that I was getting infinite resistance on a number of the potentiometers (there are 11 pots). I squeezed (physically) the pots while checking their resistance values and the resistance across the pots would jump to the correct values. Eventually I pulled 9 of the 11 pots (2 of them are sort of unique and appear to be quite different). I replaced the pots with ones I purchased locally (about $1.50 each) and the unit works perfectly now. I'm shocked to think that ART would put so much effort into designing and building a unit that has good quality parts except for the controls! So...if you have one of these units, check the potentiometers - they are garbage. If you have questions, email me at martin.mcgeough@gmail.com

Value:
Great value if you can get beyond the problems I mention above. I can't say what it's truly worth...if people have problems is ART willing to fix all these?

Desirability:
I like how the product functions now...it took me a lot of time to get to this point with the unit however.

Sound:
When I finally got this unit working properly it sounds quite good and has a lot of flexibility of use. PLEASE READ BELOW!

Ease of Use:
Pretty easy - if you're using this you probably have an idea of most of the features are used.

Support:
After 2 emails they simply sent me the schematics I asked for.

Overall:
If I knew the build quality was so poor I would have looked for something else - if you can get through these problems quickly, it represents good value.

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"Not a one trick pony but it's a noisy beast."

Overall:
* * * * * * . . . . 6 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * . . . . . . 4 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
I Want It:
* * . . . . . . . . 2 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
This unit does have a lot of features. From 48v mic amplification to compression to parametric eq it does a lot. Unfortunately what it does is add quite a bit of noise to the signal as well.

Quality:
I'm not real happy with the overall quality of this unit because of the noise issues I've mentioned.

Value:
I'll give it a five, it does give you a lot sound sculpting capabilities, noisily at least.

Desirability:
If you want sex appeal get an Avalon or a Neve 1073. I'm pretty sure those might do the trick...

Sound:
The sound of this unit is noisy. It anything out of the green in the meters starts to buzz for digital recording with soft parts.

Ease of Use:
This unit is easy to use.

Support:
I haven't needed to use support so I won't give it a 10 or a 0...

Overall:
I'm going to get another pre amp very soon!

1 of 3 people (33.33%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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"TOO BAD THERE ARE NO STEREO INS AND OUTS,STILL A GREAT UNIT"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * *