ART Tube MP Studio V3 BK Reviews

BEST BUDGET PREAMP

I am not a pro audio person but this preamp makes me feel like one! It really makes my voice seem crisper. Not sure of the terminology, but I like how I sound with it over just my Focusrite 2i2. Really enhances the 2i2. I am going to hopefully start doing more voice stuff and I think this was a great step in the right direction for it.

So-so

pros :

nice construction not much plastic stuff .

Gives a nice boost

Cool retro kinda looking

cons:

no power on/off switch

Realised it gives a little highs and cuts bass. Maybe its about a set up - I cannot give it as a clear con.

Good amp!

I have been using the MP studio amp for quite some time now with the Shure sm7b dynamic mic, with the Focusrite 4i4 interface and the cloudlifter Cl1, and for me, this combination adds a lot of things to my tracks when I want to record a live instrument.

Quality

Qualified product with very interesting preamp presets. Usable in many spheres of music. At a reasonable price you get a very warm sound with such a convenient box!

No power button

The only way to turn this thing off is to unplug it from the power. Epic fail :)

totally cool tool for the price

at this price the art tube mp studio v3 is great. I looked for some analogue sound to source into my sampling chain. I got some self construction if you wanna say so. my sampling chain aint just for sampling realtime audio I also have my analog hardware effects in this chain. so anyways I switched the art tube into the sampling path as a general signal booster. so the tube output goes to all my sources, sampler, effects and also my guitar.

the guitar boosting is a big part of the tasks of this tube cauz my guitar signal was too weak and too digital in sound. this tube does what it does best, making my guitar sound like an accoustic instrument which it actually is.

the line signal also benefits from the art mp studio v3. I got output boosting options by metering the values of IO to find the volume boost effect and I also got those sound modes which can be selected by a good quality poti.

at my finishing point I really have to mention the tubes design. the deep blue colour of the housing and the oldskool vu output meter really make this device nice to look at, especially in the evenings when I got some studio led lighting shining on it.

Useable tube preamp & DI

First of all, I have to say I love the looks of this piece of equipment with its old-school VU meter. Aesthetically it looks much nicer and like a more expensive machine compared to the higher grade Art preamps.

There are a number of presets with the main difference in sound between them being different eq profiles, principally more treble or less. The other difference is whether you want the (preset and non-user-adjustable) limiter to work or not. Honestly I couldn't tell the (very subtle?) variations between the "neutral" and "warm" versions of the presets.

It's a good active DI as well.

It does add a subtle pleasant sonic aspect to the sound thanks to the magic of the tubes--this magic mostly consisting of a natural soft compression inherent to the design of the tube itself. I used it for recording and even during practice to alleviate the digital harshness of most of the equipment we get to use these days. Recommended for both its sonic properties and DI usefulness.

However it's not quiet like a thousand-dollar piece of gear and there is a great difference in the input level of the presets with the limiter always on as opposed to the sounds without the limiter. Their outputs are not matched well and the VU meter and the red overload light function at completely different levels. The decay time is quite long on the limiter facility so you want to make sure that the signal never triggers it greatly as the significantly squashed sound will result in poor recordings.

good

Despite its low price and limited possibilities, the sound has changed dramatically, and it has become warmer

But if you raise the sound about half in and out, the noise starts to rise.

Disadvantages lack of power button..

Cheap portable Mic preamp

Inexpensive portable Mic preamp with tons of presets to achieve ok sounds with just any mic. I sold it after being my first preamp for 6 years. Never had a problem with it. It lacks headroom for some applications.

Great entry-level preamp

I've read a lot of negativity about ART Tube preamps, but I have no complaints personally. I needed a small portable preamp for home studio recording & this little thing does the job and more. It's extremely portable & can be used for a DI also, which is an added plus. I decided to go with this particular model for the added voicing effects & VU meter -and it did not disappoint. There's plenty of options to lock in any tone you're looking for, whether it be for vocals, guitar bass or keys. One thing I will add is that you must understand how the input/output knobs work; I read a lot of complaints about fuzz noise & hissing sounds. The trick is knowing how to dial in the output level so that the signal isn't too hot. Also, you get what you pay for -this is an entry level preamp. That being said, do not expect it to sound like a 10,000¤ Avalon preamp. If that's the quality you're hoping to achieve, then this preamp is not for you. However, if you're searching for something small, reliable and well-built, I recommend the V3 all the way!

Great as a first preamp

I've been using this preamp for the last 6 months, and it's been my go-to tool for recording just about anything. The variable valve voicing is a very nice feature as a sort of 'cheat' EQ on the way in.

For this price, this preamp is about one of the best buys you can make for recording in a home studio.

I would like to see ART improve their VU meter - it only shows the output level. It would be good an input level to see how much you are driving the tube - even an LED meter would be useful.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the preamp.

A very capable unit at a superb price

Possibly the best 'value for money' item of musical equipment I own, I have used and continue to use the Tube MP V3 (nearly nine years later!) for adding tube driven warmth to both vocals and various recorded instruments, including electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar and keyboards. I recently secured a publishing deal with music recorded using this unit.

Although there is no need to match the labelled settings on the selector dial with the actual instrument in use, a little experimentation with the dial allows you to find the best sounding setting. Input and output levels can then also be set to keep signal clean or overdrive the valve to suit. Unit also has phantom power for mics, reverse phase and db boost switches. All in all a brilliant value, highly usable unit - proving that you do not need to spend seriously large amounts on overpriced preamps and effects. Let your ears decide which products to use and don't waste your money by being a product snob!

preamp

this preamp is great, optimal construction, heavy duty, great features, sounds good!

the useful clip/led for the input signal is an important element, another product such behringer don't have this features.

advise

A nice piece

If you need to match the impedance of your instrument (guitar) with that of some equipment (e.g., a mixer) I an only recommend box. It has a pleasant round sound when used without the filters. Voicing is also very useful - a variety of different sounds can be set. The only problem I had was to select the input and output levels - it was either too low, or the clipping LED blinked. I did not use it much yet, most likely I will find a good setting.

Tube Warmth

I've used it just for a day now and I already feel the difference between the recordings I did earlier and now. Especially good sounding on vocals and acoustic guitar.

This is the one.

Toimii ja roimii todella hyvin saundiin, ainakin roden nt1a mikin kanssa mahtava, smuutti ääni jonka näämä loihtivat on juuri sitä mitä tältä tuotteelta hainkin! Sen sit sainkin! ;)

In terms of home studio value, a perfect adquisition

You'll definitely don't find this preamplifier in a professional studio sound chain. This having been said, let me recognize that you'll find it every time in the pole position of my home studio record line. This will be true for voices, acoustic guitar and electric guitar... Some may say that they don't hear any difference in the sound when using this tube preamplifier. That you need a real big sized valve to get this precious old times vibe. Well, let me be subjective and tell that the Art Tube makes me happy. Of course not in the amount as a sixties Marshall combo would make me, but anyway. Specially when acoustic guitar is involved, it nicely warms up the sound. With the voice it does it in a more subtle way. With the electric guitar, turning the input knob clockwise you get a beautifull overdrive. Do the opposite and you get clean levels... Then, some may not care about the old fashioned needle pointer. Then again, I love it. When adjusting recording volumes it's a lot easier to notice the clips with this than with leds... The preadjusted control for different inputs helps quickly to get the desired result. That's all.

good piece of kit

simple robust and delivers .