The ART ProMPAII, a Two Channel Discrete Class A preamp, is a remarkable piece of audio equipment. In this review, we’ll dive deep into its features and performance to help you make an informed decision.
Pros:
- Sound Quality: The ProMPAII delivers exceptional audio quality with its Class A design, ensuring crystal-clear, warm, and natural sound reproduction.
- Versatility: With two channels, it’s ideal for a wide range of applications, from recording vocals to acoustic instruments and more.
- Solid Build: This preamp is built like a tank, ensuring durability and longevity.
- Gain Control: The variable input gain allows precise adjustments, making it suitable for various microphones and instruments.
- LED Metering: Clear and straightforward LED metering for monitoring input levels, preventing unwanted distortion.
- Phantom Power: +48V phantom power for condenser microphones, enhancing its versatility.
- Low Noise: Thanks to its low noise operation, your recordings will be free from unwanted interference.
- Affordability: It offers professional-grade performance at an accessible price point.
Cons:
- Size: It’s quite big, so it might not fit well if you have limited space.
- No Digital Connections: It doesn’t have options for modern digital connections, which can be a problem if you use newer recording gear.
- No Tube Sound: If you like the warm sound of tube equipment, this preamp doesn’t have it.
- Limited Sound Control: It doesn’t have knobs for adjusting the sound, so you’ll need extra equipment for that.
- Power Supply: Some people have had problems with the power source, and getting a replacement can be a hassle.
- Weight: It’s heavy, which is good for durability, but it might not be easy to move around for some folks.
Conclusion:
The ART ProMPAII is a great option for people who want good sound without spending a lot of money. It has more pros than cons, so it can be used in many different recording or sound setups. Even though it doesn’t have all the fancy features of pricier preamps, it’s really good at doing its main job, which is making the sound sound excellent.
Z Clip –
Can you find a better sounding mic pre with more functionality than the ART Pro MPAII? Absolutely. Can you find a better mic pre anywhere near this price range? Not in my experience.The controls are intuitive and the sound is excellent. My only two complaints are:1.) The stock tubes that come with this unit are CHEAP. If you get this, I would recommend ordering a pair of high quality tubes as well. I went with TungSol 12AX7 Gold Pin tubes, and the difference in sound was substantial. l’d probably have bumped my rating up to 5 stars if the stock tubes had been better.2.) It would have been nice if ART had put the XLR inputs on the front of the unit next to the 1/4 inch inputs. As it stands, the XLR inputs are on the rear. I have my components mounted in a stationary rack integrated into a desk, and hooking up mics can be a bit of a chore. This is a small complaint, but it’s something to be considered.Beyond that, this is a great buy for someone looking to see big improvements in their sound without spending vast sums of money.
Brandon –
If you are looking for your first pre-amp (or a versatile swiss army knife of a unit for your rack) and there is any doubt in your mind over buying this pre take it from me personally that this is worth it. The only bad thing I could manage to find is the tubes are sub-par to the rest of the unit, which those are easily upgraded. Everything is wonderful, the metering is accurate and the controls are simple and sturdy. It adds plenty of flavor to your mics; I use an Shure Sm7b which is relatively flat and this pre warms it up beautifully. It has all the gain you’ll ever need and the impedance control can totally flip the sound of your mic from open and large to tight and in your face. The adjustable voltage function squeezes an entire new flavor into the unit, which makes it incredibly versatile on a very large array of sounds. One of my favorite uses is the High Z Instrument input on the front. I love the way this unit warms up a bass guitar before sending it into a DI. On terms of quality, this box holds nothing back. If you are mixing music primarily “in the box” and don’t have any hardware, I highly recommend this unit to start.
Arpeggio Scruggs –
Have purchased two of these units, and one failed within the first year. The working unit is a flexible and noise free pre-amp feed into my studio, serving two independent channels of vocals. You have absolute control of every facet of the sound, with pre-amp and boost, gain, balance and volume selections, and I love the old radio station style Vu meters which remind me of my old days as a DJ.My failing unit had multiple independent problems pop up immediately – it was being used as a stereo infeed with the left channel on one side and the right channel on the other – which is managed by the button selector on the right side of the ART Pro MPA II. The balance was hard to manage, until I noticed that the right side was intermittent and dropping out altogether at times. I had to switch off the unit power and then back on to get some stereo time out of the unit. But the right channel would fail again later. Then the left channel Vu light burned out.So, ART finally gave me a RA and I have returned that for repair/refurb.UPDATE: I was sent a refurbished device which had obviously been dropped – as I had to take a pair of channel locks and bend the rack mount wing back into a straight alignment – and one of the Vu lights was not working right out of the box. So the refurb specialist hardly even looked at this unit they sent me.This is the last ART device I will buy.
Chris Irwin –
For radio station. Replaced tubes was easy but watch some YouTube videos first…you can use to much force. Works great all our microphones went from too quiet to too hot if you don’t turn it down…a much better problem to have. Slight delay as it warms up when you turn it on from when the microphones go on. We are a24/7 radio station with a bunch of audiophiles as DJs and none of them are complaining…and they will complain believe me. Very satisfied solved several problems for us. We have been using it constantly for about a month…more use than an individual would prob do in a year…zero problems which as the de facto tech guy for the station is enough to make me weep with joy…it’s a complex operation and this is something I haven’t had to go back to and fix. I will try to post an update in a year.
Jerbear –
I’ve been using this preamp in my home studio for over a year. It’s the only tube pre-amp I have found in this price range that is worth buying. My only issue is there’s not much headroom. The noise floor is a bit high for my fancy. This might be improved with a cooling system. Overall the sound is definitely warmer and cleaner than the cheap preamp on my interface. You can improve the sound a bit by installing better quality tubes. I love the impedance control and low cut filter. The mid/side matrix and stereo xy settings are cool as well. It’s got plate voltage and phase switches. A lot of good controls to get the sound you are looking for, and great vintage db meters. I plan to keep using it until I can afford something in the 1k range.
Amazon Customer –
Switched the tubes out immediately with orders from tubedepot (very easy to do, even for beginners like myself). I have 12AX7s and 12AU7s depending on how much breakup I want.I was very pleasantly surprised with the build quality for the price point. I am a recording novice so I am still on a learning curve when it comes to reducing the noise in my recordings, but when people who know their a** from a hole in the ground are over they can get great quality recordings, so I won’t ding them on that. I will very likely get another unit.
Dizzaddy –
For the money, it’s a great preamp. It sounds good with a good mic at reasonable gain settings. If you push it to try to get a fatter sound, it starts to sound better, but then when pushed a bit further, resorts to some fairly ugly clipping. This unit is far better than the pres on any of the small, inexpensive Mic Pre – A/D Interfaces on the market like the little Lexicon or the Focusrite 2i2, etc. It is still a far cry from something like an API or Vintech or Millenia, but for $150/channel, it rocks!
Chanoch Manela –