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Topic: Mic Pre-Amp |
Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 23 Jan 2008 6:17 pm |
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Just picked up a new Boss BR-1600 CD digital recorder.
Have read about the wonders of a good mic pre-amp, but do I really need one when plugging my steel or other intruments direct into the recorders input? or is the pre-amp only good for miking purposes?
For those that have a BR-1600CD, how does the BR's internal pre-amp stack up to a good mic pre-amp? |
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Brian McGaughey
From:
Orcas Island, WA USA
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Posted 24 Jan 2008 8:55 pm
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Derrick,
My take on using a seperate mic pre-amp other than what is integrated in a recorder like your Boss is that it would be used mainly on vocals, especially when recording digitally. Most of these stand alone mic pres use tubes so as to sweeten and smooth out the sound. You could not plug your guitar directly into a microphone preamplifier.
My guess is that your Boss wants to see a balanced, low impedance signal like that from a mic with an XLR connector, or a line level balanced or unbalanced signal on a 1/4" TS or TRS plug. I doubt it has a high level/high impedance input for guitar, (althought it might for all I know!)
If it doesn't have an input for plugging in a guitar direct, you could use the DI output if your amp has one (assuming you don't mind not hearing the "sound" of your amp's speaker on the recording), or mic your amp's speaker and plug the mic into the Boss. I'll bet you already know all this.
I'm not a seasoned veteran at this stuff, but I can't imagine a microphone pre-amp making much difference on a mic used on an instrument amplifier's speaker, or at least a big enough differnce to be worth spending the money on a good one for recording guitar.
Hopefully some of the recording gurus will weigh in on this. |
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John Roche
From:
England
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Posted 25 Jan 2008 1:23 am
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In your case you would get away with a small mixer,
As long as it has phantom power for the mike, put the guitar in the line input , you then have some control on the mix and tone |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2008 9:09 am
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| Actually many Mic preamps have a dedicated instrument DI input jack, and they often sound very good. A good example is the Peavey VMP-2, turn up used on ebay frequently. Although you'd think the Peavey name wouldn't fit in with high-end audio gear, these are very well-regarded and sought after 8 tube preamps and the DI input sounds fantastic with bass and guitar. There are many other models with good sounding DI inputs, or a nice direct box such as a Stewart into almost any good preamp would give a substantially better sound than the inputs on a workstation. They have to skimp somewhere to fit all that stuff in a little box! |
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Jerry Gleason
From:
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2008 12:05 pm
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| I believe that he DI input on most mic preamps would bypass the first part of the input stage and input transformer, if there is one. This input stage is a big part of what gives a good mic pre it's "Mojo". The way it loads a particular mic to give it a great response. Not that there wouldn't still be an improvement using it just as a DI, but maybe not the kind of magic that a good mic / mic pre combo can give that makes it worth spending for one. |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 26 Jan 2008 10:13 pm
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A decent tube preamp,
ideally with a bit of top limiting
for safety of amateurs recording,
does wonders to warm up a
'to be digitally recorded' signal.
If you have SS mic and instrument inputs on
your interface,then get a tube pre,
so that you have a choice.
Chances are they scrimpted on the preamp on the interface,
rather than scrimp on the D-A converters.
So adding a better tube pre usually pays off.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many!
Last edited by David L. Donald on 1 Feb 2008 12:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Ernest Cawby
From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 31 Jan 2008 8:56 pm Pre Amps
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I have 2, a MIC 200 $ 49.00 from mucians Friend, it does have guitar in, delay, and many extras.You can use phantom poewer.
Also a ART TUBE PTE AMP. $29.00, SAME PLACE.
IT HAS A METOR.INPUT OUTPUT, VOLUME CONTROLS,X20 DB gain button,P. Power,Phase Reverse button,OPL OUT button,12
12AU7, 3 pin and 1/4" in jack, and out. 2 inputs and 2 outputs.
I like the MIC 200, has basicly the same thing. I use the MIC 200 and play my steel thru it, it does the same thing as the Black Box only more, some of my friends are using the MIC 200 instead of their Block Box.
ernie
ernie |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 1 Feb 2008 1:21 am
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Sadly Behringer refuses to give out schematics
for the Mic 200.
I have seen a review saying it also hums,
and seems to power the filament with AC rather than DC.
Fine for a 50's guitar amp,
but a no no for Pro use as a 'high end' mic preamp. IMHO
I thought it might be an interesting starting point
for building my remote mic pre-s,
Pull a couple apart and upgrade a few parts and,
then remote some of the controls.
But 2 strikes against it to begin with, for me.
Ernie I am sure it's fine for your home work.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many! |
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Steve Stallings
From:
Houston/Cypress, Texas
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 10:14 am
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A good preamp is a worthwhile investment. On
I've Fallen Everything was recorded thru a Presonus ADL600 as follows:
Steel-Profex-PV300-SM57-ADL 600
Vocals-mic-ADL600
Bass-ADL600
Electric guitar-Egnator TOL amp-2x12 Weber Alnico's-SM57-ADL600
Acoustic-mic-adl600
I am very happy with my preamp.
_________________
Steve Stallings
Emmons Legrande II 8X5 |
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