preamps and practicality

[joojoo1234]

This message is for those who have used quality preamps. I am needing a better daw interface and my girlfriend who is a classical pianist of very high quality is wanting to make an album. We would like to do it ourselves. However, I am wanting an extremely good result while she (as she just told me) will be happy with a good result. I am wanting it to be as good as her ability. We have a 9 foot Baldwin that is, while not a beautiful piano of Steinway quality sound (a little twangy) it is quite usable and may be able to be colored a little with Ribbon microphones and such. I have heard people talk of the RME preamps. I have also seen the new Sapphire recording interface that is supposed to have excellent preamps and then I hear from other people that I am crazy to get 4 - or eight junk pre's and instead should invest 2k in the pre's alone outside of the mics etc... So I am trying to balance my need for a good daw interface with multiple outs and her need for a specific level of preamp for this piano project. Forget the mic here as that is a whole other subject. What level of pre's are good. Are the pro's spoiled and out of it not realizing what this newer gear preamps are like? Are the presonus or focusrite or even the newly designed high def preamps in the alesis daw interface good enough?

If you have used different level of pre's - give me your thoughts.

Thanks

[joojoo1234]

http://www.tweakheadz.com/microphone_preamps.htm

thought I would reply to myself on an article with just my topic concern if anyone is interested... as far as what I would like - the rme fireface 800... but ... $$$ considering the mackie f400 or the focusrite 10 i/o

[stanlea]

What is your actual gear ?

[senso]

hello,
I'm obliged to test Usine with a lot of sound cards: Presonus, Motu, M-Audio, Digidesign, RME, Tascam, Roland and many others.
Verdict: RME are far away from others in terms of AN/NA conversions, Preamps & Drivers. The only ones that can give professional results.
No hesitation.
I don't know Focusrite, but why take any risks? RME has 10 years experience and it's important!
When I need very precise Preamps, I rent them for a couple of days. It cost very cheap.

[joojoo1234]

Yes - I would like the 800 from RME but at 1500 thats a no go. We all have to make compromises and I think as I primarily think of myself as a acoustic minded composer I will go with the class a mic's in the firepod. That way I can get "good" of both. Thats what I am thinking since I last posted.
Thanks for the response. Maybe the 9632 with the xlr adapter by rme would be a possibility.