Mindprint En-Voice MKII

This is an analog tube mic preamp with built in EQ and compression. You have the usual balanced ins (XLR and Jack) and outs (XLR and Jack) plus an Insert for external FX or compression. There is an option for a digital in/out but I don't know how well it works.
On the front you can also plug in an instrument and the LED meter either shows the input or the output level.
You can buy some feet for the unit but it really is meant to be installed in a rack.
Everything is built very well and feels very robust. The knobs are quite nice even though they are quite close together. This makes it hard to read on the device which controls you are actually changing - you basically only see knobs when you look at it from a slight angle - but you get used to it after a while. I just think the writing is too small.

UTILIZATION

I think the setup is pretty straight forward. Only the compressor presets I don't care for too much. It is nice to have some quick access to specific tasks but I would have prefered to have a couple of more parameters to adjust myself instead of having to guess through a bunch of presets.
The LED meter is pretty efficient but I found the preamp to be a little too delicate when you reach the maximum gain. It seems with the gain that there is a lot of way just until you reach the 'yellow bar'. After that you have to be very gentle in dialing in the right gain setting.

SOUND QUALITY

I think this unit does color the sound quite considerably. But that is to be expected from a tube preamp. I like the instrument input better than using it as a microphone preamp - even though I do use the Envoice more for the latter. When recording vocals they become quite harsh once the tube kicks in. I find the sound actually to be annoying after a while and I have not been able to get a silky sound out of this machine. Of course using an AKG 414 this is difficult - but I also used it with a Brauner and a Neumann U87. So it definately is the preamp. I can't say that it is a bad unit but I will go for the sound I get from an SPL next time. The instrument input on the other hand sounds pretty good. Here the harshness and tube saturation complement the signal very nicely and give it a nice edge.
As I said - I always use the compression a bit but I have found one I generally like and I don't use it as a sound shaping tool. Personally I don't really care for it. But for users who don't have a lot of experience this might be a very good feature.

OVERALL OPINION

I have used the Encore for about two years now. A good friend of mine has used the older version for longer and had to have it repaired twice. It seems they were really sensitive with overloading and the way power was supplied. With the older versions clipping also really meant clipping. So once you hit red it meant redoing the recording.
They improved this in the new version but I still feel like saturating the tube too much just makes the sound rather unpleasant (especially voice).
I don't think I would buy this preamp again even though it is great value for its money. If you want to buy one then don't get the earlier version used!

This is a strip, it said the device found in a prampli, an equalizer and a compressor.
The lamp uses tachnologie normment brings warmth.
XLR Connectors and Plugs symtriques 6.35, noting a USB interface optional
envoice MKII is the rack but can be purchased cts plexiglass to make a device simply place it on a table
Manufacturing exudes srieux and the solid

UTILIZATION

Very easy to use, the sound is good ds that connects a microphone or instrument, the manual is perfectly adequate

SOUND QUALITY

My 12-string never sounds as good with this device, like the song recorded with a microphone Rode NT2A, it's really easier to have the desired sound.
It's hard to talk about transparency or color of sound, in fact I am tempted to say that it is transparent, but warmer, so is it really transparent?

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for only one month, and I love its simplicity of use. My only other exprience of prampli prampli Samson is a simple (well enough for the live) and also a Behringer Ultragain (I do not like, but this is obviously not the same budget !)
The report quality price seems good, even if the investment is actually consquent, the real question in this case is: Do I need a strip of quality? If rponse assurment is yes! Then there is no hsiter!

This is a tube preamp featuring the functions (from left to right):
Assign-Meter (VU meter choice of input or output)
Line-dB gain (gain line or instrument-infinity to +22 dB)
-Input select (choose between Mic, Line / Instrumentation or Digital)
Mic-Gain dB (gain of 19 to 75 micro)
-48V (48V Phantom Power ON / OFF)
Low-cut (low-cut filter at 80Hz)
- 20dB (-20dB PAD)
Semiparametric EQ-LF (20Hz to 300Hz, -15 to +15 dB) / OFF
Parametric EQ-FM (0.1 kHz to 11kHz, -15 to +15 dB, Q of .15 to 3) ON / OFF
Semiparametric EQ-HF (20Hz to 300Hz, -15 to +15 dB) / OFF
Tube-compressor with adjustable saturation of these (0% to 100%), Threshold 2 dB to-28dB, ratio of 1 to infinity, 8 preset compression attack / release (3 for voice, 2 for guitar, 2 bass, 1 for drums), filter & ON / OFF
-Bypass to bypass all processing on the signal path
-Output dB (-infinity dB to +8)
-Power ON / OFF

The connections are as follows:
Instrument-Input jack asymmetrical facade
Mic-XLR
Entry-Line XLR or TRS
-Insert Send and Return jacks in symmetrical
-Jack or XLR Line Out balanced

This preamplifier is rack-mountable, 1U.

UTILIZATION

Configuration very simple but comprehensive manual and extremely clear and effective, with some councils compression settings for different sounds to be obtained. The manual can be downloaded in five languages ​​(including French) on the site MindPrint.

Personally, I do a manual never been as clear and "not boring" to read.

This gives a good sound easily. Never did my Apex 435 sounded better!

SOUND QUALITY

The sound is warm and very effectively. The preamp has an enormous headroom, without providing audible breath, unheard of for me: we could save with insects!
This amp brings out a warm color due to his lamp, which is exactly what I wanted. The sound is beautiful, very precise, flexible and pleasant to listen, whether for making instruments or voices.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for two weeks. Before, I used the SPDIF MindPrint TRIO. And even if the preamp it is excellent, there's no photo, it's just not the same band ...

With experience, I do it again this choice with your eyes closed. I count myself indeed resume shortly for stereo recording.