Feature:
The variable valve voicing works very well, just dial in the sound your looking for.. The only thing I can think of that might be usefull would be a low cut switch, but it does work very well without it..

Quality:
It is constructed of steel and look like it will hold up for quite some time.

Value:
Great deal for $120.

Sound:
You can get great sound from this preamp. It's all in how you set it up.. Use a quality mic.. I use the Sure beta 87.. Use quality cords.. I use "monster cable" mic cables.. Then finaly plug it in with a 1/4" plug. Don't run the mic cord out into the mic input on your board.. Thats why some people complain about noise.. It's running through two mic preamps.. I get great sound and the noise is so low that I can't hear it even through headphones hooked to the board.. You can't go wrong with this preamp..

Feature:
I only miss the earth lift.

Quality:
The knobs are long and therefore handy but also a threat to damage in my pre-amp flightcase.

Value:
Good price for a good sound!

Desirability:
It looks cool with the VU-meter!

Sound:
Very full tube sound!

Support:
I never needed any contact with the company.

Overall:
I only miss the earth lift, otherwise it is a cool complementary di/pre-amp to have. It is cool for phantompower, DI, eq settings, pad. I use it for a lot of different instruments and voices.

Feature:
It has plenty of features; too many. The variable voicing isn't as useful as I thought it would be -- most of the "voice" settings aren't useful IMHO because they're overdone. For example, the acoustic guitar setting boosts the highs too much, making it sound harsh and brittle. I just use the limiter setting.

Quality:
Seems solid enough. Nice all-metal chassis. I like ART's chassis design *much* better than some of the competing products, which have the tube sticking up through the top of the pre-amp (!). One time the meter light started to flicker, but it didn't affect the sound; eventually the problem went away on its own.

Value:
I wouldn't pay extra for the variable voicing feature, but I do think the V3 sounds better than its Tube MP siblings. Maybe this is a newer design, or maybe it's just my imagination, but I liked the V3 better.

Desirability:
Sex appeal? Um, no. In fact, I'd be deeply concerned about anyone who gets that sort of stimulation from changing their gain structure...

Sound:
Great for its price range and portability. I use it to take the edge off the piezo pickup in my acoustic, and to fatten up my electric. Guitar signal comes into the V3 then into a Boss GT-3 using 1/4" patch cords. I've never tried the V3 with a mic.

Support:
I e-mailed ART about the meter light thing, and got a polite and helpful response -- four days later.

Overall:
I like this unit a lot. I tried several other pres (SansAmp Acoustic DI, PreSonus Blue Tube, & others) and I thought the V3 had the most pleasant and musical sound for my application. I'd definitely replace mine if it were lost or stolen.

Feature:
The voice knob is pretty cool. All the controls are easy to understand & operate.

Quality:
The V3 seems well made & pleasant to look at.

Value:
I could not find another product like this for this price.Great value!

Desirability:
I like the color & the design of the unit.I added larger rubber feet so it would set ontop of my G/DEC securely.

Sound:
i just got it & it sounds great. i run my AM/DLX Strat thru it into my G/DEC 30. What a differance! It adds more dimention to the sound spectrum.

Ease of Use:
I found it easy to figure out & adjust to tweek the sound I want.

Support:
N/A

Overall:
THE V3 is very versitile. It's a mic preamp, DI box, it definitely does what I got it for, to enrich the sound of my Strat thru my amp! I also have a GnX4 workstation I plan on running W/theV3 & expect the same results.

Feature:
For a compact budget preamp, it has the V3 settings which save so much time when it comes to mixing the recorded tracks. It has a built in compressor/limiter based on what settings you use. It has Phase reverse, phantom power, +20dB pad, VU Meter, 1/4" and XLR inputs/outputs, comes with wallwart ac adapter.

Quality:
Made in China. but real sturdy, the knobs dont feel cheap, the paint/decals are sharp and crisp, the LEDs and VU meter work well and are easy to see/read.

Value:
For the ease of use, good sound, and features of this little box, its definitely a little more than what youd exepect to get for 100 bucks.

Desirability:
purple and black color scheme....works in a funky way i guess....still a nice thing to look at on your desktop.

Sound:
The sound quality has been perfect for my needs. I record track at a time into a soundcard, mixerless, so this preamp/DI box does it all for me. The people who said the V3 voicings sound too exaggerated or harsh, well that may be true on its own but record the tracks and put them into the mix, and youll find youll barely have to reach for EQ to let the track sit in the mix. Since getting this unit Ive never had to really EQ guitar tracks, vocal tracks (using the Studio Projects C1), and bass tracks. And thats why the sound gets a 10. I havent had any hiss problems at all, but Im guessing the hiss comes from people using it in conjuction with a mixer, which is a double amplification of the signal. The tube is a part of the signal chain because it wont produce output with the tube removed, Groove Tubes 12AX7 produce a better tone, so consider replacing the stock tube. DOesnt give any tube overdrive, just subtle warmth and at full input some bluesy type overdrive. So just make sure you have its output going to the recorder and not a mixer, and use the V3 voicings, theyre there to make your recordings sit in the mix easier. For 100 bucks this sounds great.

Ease of Use:
Because of its basic control knobs (input/tube, output/master) and auto-set limiter, its simple to use. Good thing since beginners are probably the target market for this preamp. Not to say that as a bad thing as its a great value.

Support:
EMailed the company asking about changing the tube and they got back to me within a day.

Overall:
I give this a 9 because its probably one of the best budget preamps, works as a DI box, has a compressor and the V3 voicings make mixing a hell lot easier. If your making your first recording preamp/DI purchase for your home studio, i strongly recommend this one over the other Tube MP models.

This mic preamp is so simple to operate with
very little chance of making mistakes...The
OPL functions works like a charm. I'm no longer scared if there is any excess or non-
tolerable signals in the high's or low's.

This is a keeper for me. !!!!

Feature:
What else could you want? VU Meter, Phantom Power, voicing, etc... anything else you need for this price?

Sound:
Fattens things up for the most part, but can get hissy sometimes. Not sure why.

Overall:
Have used it a bunch of times. Have experienced clean fat sound, and have experienced hiss... but the clean sound outweighs the hiss. Price is great too.

Feature:
Lots of presets to choose from depending on the feel you want. It's pretty good for how low price it is.

Quality:
Just got it so it's hard to tell, but the box arrived from Fed Ex pretty thrashed- but the tube and casing are in great shape.

Value:
Seems to be nice and solid for the price.

Desirability:
It;s only a one tube pre, but for my little lo fi studio and D.I.Y.sound it's perfect.

Sound:
Just played it for over three hours with no problems - just the smell of a nice hot tube and a warm sound.

Ease of Use:
Just plug and tweak and play.

Support:
No experience.

Overall:
If it holds up I'll just keep it, not upgrade. I checked other reviews and compared especially to a Behringer I decided to go with the ART and I'm happy. I like the compactness, the ease of use, the solid metal body, ooh.