Preamp????

[Dioxide]

Not really a nubie but what is the sole purpose for a preamp?? I'm recording using a delta 66 & 44 and it suggests one I've been using my mixer to run into my boxes and Vegas audio software to mix and add FX, would a preamp thicken up the sound thats pumped into the boxes, and then I just use my mixer for monitoring purposes???

[genob]

Originally Posted by Dioxide

Not really a nubie but what is the sole purpose for a preamp?? I'm recording using a delta 66 & 44 and it suggests one I've been using my mixer to run into my boxes and Vegas audio software to mix and add FX, would a preamp thicken up the sound thats pumped into the boxes, and then I just use my mixer for monitoring purposes???

Preamps are mainly used to increase the signal strength with instruments/mic's that do not have preamps installed in them...

ie: you're basic off the shelf stratocaster with passive pickups will need to go into a preamp to get the volume up for a nice clean healthy recording.

It also goes the same for microphones... you usually want to run a mic into a pre to give it extra boost for recording.

Preamps in combination with compressors/eq's help you shape the sound you want to be recorded.

I use the preamps built into the channels of my yamaha mixer which gives me enough volume to record.

Some pre's shape the sound, it's all in what you like

just my 2 cents.

g

[apl]

Preamps also power the circuitry in a condensor microphone with the phantom power function.

[AlChuck]

I've been using my mixer to run into my boxes...

A mixer typically has preamps in it, in each channel that has a mic and/or instrument input.

It's possible they are not that great -- noisy or whatever -- and you can get better ones, but it sounds like you have no real need for one, unless your mixer is purely a line-level mixer.

[Dioxide]

Well I really only have four outs on my mixer thefore I can only have four seperate channels recording at once, and when recording drums I have no room for scratch tracks. so I need a preamp that can do 8 seperate in to 8 seperate out.

[apl]

Originally Posted by Dioxide

Well I really only have four outs on my mixer thefore I can only have four seperate channels recording at once, and when recording drums I have no room for scratch tracks. so I need a preamp that can do 8 seperate in to 8 seperate out.

Each input usually has an insert. You can patch that input to your recording interface using the insert.

[genob]

Originally Posted by Dioxide

Well I really only have four outs on my mixer thefore I can only have four seperate channels recording at once, and when recording drums I have no room for scratch tracks. so I need a preamp that can do 8 seperate in to 8 seperate out.

there are plenty of 8+ channel mixing boards out there with pre's on each channel...

be careful, the quality of the preamps on some of those boards is poor... look for a board with pre's that have a low signal/noise ration -100db or more.

there are a few products out there that are rackmount preamps that have 8 channel i/o's... check musicians friend for "rack preamp". if money is an issue then go with a solid state pre like the behringer's, sm pro... (tubes are much more expensive).