DIGI 002R using external pres

[DonGraham]

I am a new owner of the DIGI 002R.....Seems a pretty decent piece of gear so far.......I am just wondering how many of you guys are using the stock preamps in the DIGI 002 and what do you think of them???? Also if you are using outboard preamps, what are you using and how are you hooking them up through the 002---line in/digital in/ or what??? thanks for the replies..
Don Graham

As a side note I am looking at the NEVE Porticos for an extra 2 channels of pre

[AlexW]

I have a Soundcraft Spirit M12 front end to my 002R. Use the preamps on it connected to the line inputs on the 002R. I also have a 2-channel Apogee Minime connected to the S/PDIF input. At present, I haven't had to go above 14 tracks simultaneously so I haven't had need to use the 002R pres.

[taperocket]

Alex, how do you like the minime, is it worth the big price tag?? Got any samples?

[Chris Shaeffer]

I have a 002 and I don't mind using the stock pres. They aren't fantastic or anything, but they're fine for non-critical tracks if you have something better. And fine for everything if you don't have something better. They're comparable to Mackie pres, better or worse depending on your taste.

For my "golden channels", though, I use a FMR Audio RNP into a TC Electronic Finalizer plus into the 002 S/PDIF. This is a much higher quaity preamp and converter and the difference is very obvious. You could do something similar with that NEVE if you have a rack unit anywhere that has S/PDIF outs. I also have a Sountracs Solo MIDI 16 channal mixer that I feed to the analog in and an ADAT XT-20 to the ADAT I/O on the 002. Yeah, its 20-bit but the last 4 bits are swallowed by the noise floor anyway so you don't really notice the difference. It also sounds better (to my ears) than the stock pres on the 002.

Don't be afraid or ashamed to use those stock pres- they aren't bad- and realized that there is always going to be something better if you have the cash for it.

Take care,
Chris

[reshp1]

I use an M-Audio Octane via 8ch ADAT lightpipe. Not a huge improvement over the stock pres, just a little smoother and less grainy. The stock ones will definitely get you by though.

[jonnyc]

I use the stock pre's and a presonus digimax lt via lightpipe and honestly I don't think the presonus is too much above digi's pres. If you buy external pre's that aren't light pipe you'd wanna put those on inputs 5-8 on the back of the digi I believe they show up as analog 5-8 on your input select.

[BrettB]

I have the ADA8000 as extra pre's, but most often I use the Digi ones

[AlexW]

Originally Posted by taperocket

Alex, how do you like the minime, is it worth the big price tag?? Got any samples?

I like it but don't really use the pres on it. I got it mainly for the conversion and the clock--I can slave the Digi 002R to it and it makes everything in the system sound better to me. I also have a Tango 24 ADAT interface slaved to it.

There are some songs up here I recorded with it (City Summer Rain and Tangled Repetition): http://www.myspace.com/rustylike

The vocals on Tangled Repetition were routed through the Line Ins on the Minime via the pres on the Spirit M12. The kick and snare were also routed through the Minime in similar fashion during the drum tracking.