How much of a difference does a higher quality preamp make?

soulryuu

soulryuu

New member
I recently got my hands on a used PreSonus 22VSL for $125CAD. This was a bit of an impulse buy, as I was planning to just buy and use a Blue Icicle for my amateur recording, which I can get my hands on for $50.65CAD.
I can still refund the PreSonus within a month, so it's pretty much an extended hold at this point.

My question is, will having the PreSonus really make that much of a difference for amateur vocal recording?
 
Keep the presonus. You dont want to use those little sticks (leave those to podcasters).
You'll have a lot more flexibility with a multiple input interface.
 
Could you explain to me what the difference in quality of the recording will be? I'm aware that I'll be having a lot more flexibility and quality with the PreSonus, but keeping this PreSonus would mean my budget would be exceeded by quite a bit, relatively.
 
Someone pops in pretty much daily with some variation of the "how much difference will my audio interface" make question. Welcome to today's version. Do some reading in the many, many other threads on this topic and read the sticky threads up top to get a general education.

Google "Blue Icicle" and you'll learn it's Blue's new stylish USB converter blah blah blah...

This is about audio... WTF, at the bargain, bargain, bargain basement end of the equipment food chain the stylishness of said device has to do with audio quality, I don't know. And that's the only adjective, apart from "new," they choose to throw out there in the headline... what do you think?
 
soulryuu said:
I recently got my hands on a used PreSonus 22VSL for $125CAD. This was a bit of an impulse buy, as I was planning to just buy and use a Blue Icicle for my amateur recording, which I can get my hands on for $50.65CAD.
I can still refund the PreSonus within a month, so it's pretty much an extended hold at this point.

My question is, will having the PreSonus really make that much of a difference for amateur vocal recording?
Click to expand...

Yes to the question. Save yourself the pain of realizing later that you have no way to upgrade without starting over. Keep the 22VSL or regret your past later...
 
Armistice said:
Someone pops in pretty much daily with some variation of the "how much difference will my audio interface" make question. Welcome to today's version. Do some reading in the many, many other threads on this topic and read the sticky threads up top to get a general education.

Google "Blue Icicle" and you'll learn it's Blue's new stylish USB converter blah blah blah...

This is about audio... WTF, at the bargain, bargain, bargain basement end of the equipment food chain the stylishness of said device has to do with audio quality, I don't know. And that's the only adjective, apart from "new," they choose to throw out there in the headline... what do you think?
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I just personally find that some of the answered questions are not specific to what I want to know.
Please don't simply assume I don't know anything at all just because I'm posting in the Newbie thread with a "daily question". I'm not getting a Blue stylish mic. I'll be getting a MXL770, and I have some training and a few years experience with simple AV and live performance mixing and EQs. This is why I'm even buying a XLR interface in the first place instead of blindly buying a Blue Snowball USB mic just because it's pretty. I just also happen to be on a tight budget.

Preamps and XLR-USB interfaces were, unfortunately, not part of my training, which is why I asked in the first place.

From what I've seen so far, most people seem to simply say "an Icicle with an XLR mic will be better than an USB mic". I realize this also includes the ability to upgrade.
I want to know if it will greatly impact the quality of the sound, and HOW exactly that impact will sound like.
 
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From Google of a MV770, it looks like you are buying a boat? lol!

Dood, chill. You are best keeping your interface. Don't waste your time getting upset. You have already received good advice. Take it. It should be obvious just from the reviews.
 
jimmys69 said:
From Google of a MV770, it looks like you are buying a boat? lol!

Dood, chill. You are best keeping your interface. Don't waste your time getting upset. You have already received good advice. Take it. It should be obvious just from the reviews.
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My apologies, I meant an MXL 770.

Also, I'm not particularly upset. I'm currently still trying to get my question answered. The responses weren't exactly reviews. Everyone was just saying "keep it." I would like to know the reasoning. What exactly is the difference in recorded sound for something like the Icicle and this PreSonus? Why is the Icicle considered a piece of junk?

Help a newbie out, please :)
 
You can typically figure that out just by the price man. The Icicle is an inline adapter that is likely not much better than an internal soundcard, other than the fact it has a specific purpose. That being said, only you are to judge what is quality for you.

You asked for opinion. I gave one. Anything with promotion saying it provides 'studio quality' is nothing short of crap IMO. If a product needs a sales pitch, then it is not. Other than that, I have heard many users who have realized the poor choice later.

You do what your budget allows and go from there. I am not going to tell you what is good for you. I can only say what I would never purchase myself from my particular experience.
 
Your biggest difference is going to be in S/N ratio and by extension dynamic range. Among other things, the Icicle only does 44.1K/16bit, while the PreSonus will do 96K/24bit. Also, I very much distrust USB power for noise purposes and I cant for the life of me figure out how they could get any kind of stiff 48V out of it.

TBH - It's not really rocket science anymore. Good (not great, but better than we had in the 90s) preamps and converters are actually pretty easy and relatively cheap to build. Frankly, you could probably get the same as that Blue thing from somebody like Pyle for half (if not much less!) the price. But Blue is actually a pretty respectable name and has been since they came out. If nothing else, I'd imagine there is some decent quality control. And it's a relatively handy and functional device. If you were asking whether you should get a cassette four track or this thing, I'd say go with the Icicle.


But I say keep the PreSonus if there's any way you can swing it without committing a crime or giving up too much of your dignity.
 
The icicle only allows recording up to 16bit 44.1 sampling, which is CD quality. The PreSonus will record up to 24bit, 96kHz. This is a pretty big difference in resolution, and in dynamic range.
The PreSonus will take care of your headphone monitoring issues as well. The XMAX preamps are probably quite a bit better than the one in the icicle.
Plus you get the ability to compress and EQ on the way in to the computer, which is great for monitoring.

The difference in sound will probably be subtle to your ear. When you stack a bunch of vocal tracks with it, it may sound noticeably better than tracks recorded with a cheaper interface.

It's hard to describe what the difference in quality would actually sound like. The step up from the icicle to the PreSonus is like going from a Ford fiesta to a Toyota corolla. Not like stepping up to a Cadillac.

And most recording folks learn to hear these differences after many years of recording.
 
soulryuu said:
I'm sorry, I just personally find that some of the answered questions are not specific to what I want to know.
Please don't simply assume I don't know anything at all just because I'm posting in the Newbie thread with a "daily question". I'm not getting a Blue stylish mic. I'll be getting a MXL770, and I have some training and a few years experience with simple AV and live performance mixing and EQs. This is why I'm even buying a XLR interface in the first place instead of blindly buying a Blue Snowball USB mic just because it's pretty. I just also happen to be on a tight budget.

Preamps and XLR-USB interfaces were, unfortunately, not part of my training, which is why I asked in the first place.

From what I've seen so far, most people seem to simply say "an Icicle with an XLR mic will be better than an USB mic". I realize this also includes the ability to upgrade.
I want to know if it will greatly impact the quality of the sound, and HOW exactly that impact will sound like.
Click to expand...

I wasn't assuming anything. And I was merely telling you that this question gets asked all the time and the answers are all out there for you already... but luckily others have come along and given you more detail and hopefully you've now got the answer to your question?

The general advice here will always be, unless there are other mitigants, not a USB mic, not a mic with a Blue Icicle (which is an interface, not a mic - you misunderstood what I was saying...), but a mic and a "real" USB (or other connectivity method) interface, and in most cases with more than one channel because it's almost inevitable that at some stage, amateur or not, you'll want to use more than one mic at a time.

And you already have one!

Well done, good choice... nothing more to do... step away from the Blue Icicle... welcome to home recording. Start saving.... :D
 
Some rash statements here!

" Also, I very much distrust USB power for noise purposes and I cant for the life of me figure out how they could get any kind of stiff 48V out of it"

Spook juice isn't "stiff" anyway. The source resistance is 6k8 per leg.

Yes some USB interfaces can be power hungry, my KA6 is one and there are USB ports that won't power it (actually just 2 front jobbies on ONE computer. Works fine on an HP lappy).

24b its does not give you better "resolution" JUST a lower noise floor, so low in fact that the analogue path becomes the deciding factor in dynamic range. 16bit is actually quite good enough IF the analogue path is pristine. Sadly in many cheap devices it ain't.

96kHz just extends the upper frequency response and there is a tiny advantage if you record sources at high level with a lot of HF energy such a cymbals but for us ordinary mortals it makes no difference other than clogging up hard drives.
"Noob" treatment? Don't mind "them" OP! Hearts (some have two!) heartight place. I was a total PC noob when I first ventured on forums som 8 yrs ago tho' I probably knew more about electronics and analogue audio than most of them! I was similarly diss'ed!
You get a tough skin or die!

(please excuse this post. Just now and again I find I cannot correct my typing the letters just get deleted. Not happened on HR before AFAIK. I have to get ready for a trip to the docs very soon so bear with?)

For insight into the question at the top? "Sound on Sound Oct, 2012"and subsequent offerings.

Dave.
 
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RAMI said:
Oh gimme a break. Nobody dissed anyone. Get that flag pole out of your ass already. Jesus, talk about whiny. :rolleyes:
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Charming as ever .
I did not say this forum diss'ed me or anyone else. I was referring to my very early experiences. I recall one especially vitriolic lady but it turn out that she had a serious drink problem. That is tough. I know!

Dave.
 
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RAMI said:
Who says that I was talking about you? I might have been talking to the OP.

But it's funny that whenever I randomly throw a rock into the ocean, it only hurts the fish that it hits. :)
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I alone used the term "diss'ed". Hoist by your own faulty logic nasty person.

Dave.
 
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