Best preamp / signal chain for solo grand piano

[vibrance]

I am recording a very nice Kawai 6.5 ft grand. I am *not* concerned with mic placement.... I am using and Earthworks PM40 piano mic which is an *amazing* tool for live performance or studio miccing.

Just wondering what preamp might be best for solo Classical and Jazz piano. I do love that old ECM sound.....

Brand new to UAD and right now using V76 and loving the tube warmth. Someone suggested Neve RS88?

Also- an old school engineer told me to put the Fairchild 660 in the signal chain- live- but don't engage it. It does add some seriously fatty warmth just sitting there.

What reverbs are recommended by those who know... Liquidsonics? Thanks for the tips

 

[klasaine]

1970s ECM reverb was a combo of EMT plate and Lexicon 224.
Jan Erik Kongshaug, the longtime ECM engineer likes the earlier Harrison consoles (digitally controlled analogue).

 

[bellows and brass]

My choice would be , piano -mic - hardware preamp-recording device.
Season to taste afterwards.

reverb?
capital chambers, liquidsonics Cinematic rooms (actually,any of them) or my new fave, savant Quantum 2772 Evolution

 

[Matt Hepworth]

The Neve 88RS might be more appropriate for classical (it's quite a clean preamp), but the V76 is great on so many things.

 

[jnorman]

The earthworks system is not quite the correct way to record classical piano. It is quite good for jazz and popular music, but classical piano really needs to be recorded more at a distance in a nice acoustic space. Generally, I use transparent mic pres (Sonosax, sound devices, grace) and schoeps Mk2 pair, km183s, or MSTC64 around 6-10’ away depending on the space. I never use any kind of “colored” anything plugin to alter the actual sound of the instrument.

 

[Gitaarwerk]

The earthworks system is not quite the correct way to record classical piano. It is quite good for jazz and popular music, but classical piano really needs to be recorded more at a distance in a nice acoustic space. Generally, I use transparent mic pres (Sonosax, sound devices, grace) and schoeps Mk2 pair, km183s, or MSTC64 around 6-10’ away depending on the space. I never use any kind of “colored” anything plugin to alter the actual sound of the instrument.

I really don’t enjoy classical recordings that way . I closer mic my (classical) recordings. Of course, it does really depends for what piece.
I really do enjoy the Schoeps, altho they are too expensive for me as hobbyist. An UA Sp-1 pair fits the bill for now.

I donhear, (non ua) Millenia pres do the work on piano recordings. Also pretty transparent.

I do agree that anything that colors does not make a piano recording much better sounding. Obviously, talking classical