question about muto 828 preamps, dmp3 and spdif :)

[earworm]

ok,
here's my story:

i've been recording my overheads with two mics plugged into my studiomaster mixingdesk preamps, works ok but doesn't sound so clean,
then i did a few tests with my octava mk012's directly into my moto 828 preamps, it sounded cleaner (nomore hiss and a bit more 'solid,but a bit more dirty in the low midrange.. hard to describe of course)

so then i thought...maybe a simple but clean 'stereo' preamp can help me,
so i'm thinking of getting the dmp3 for drum overheads, but i have no idea if thats a step up from my motu preamps..

next question is; if i get me the dmp3 i'll most likely plug my two mics in that machine, and plug the preamp into my tc triple c, then i can use the spdif out (that goes to the spdif in of my motu) , then i can record ten tracks at the same time,
but then again i start having my doubts,; spdif is the "amateur" way of using digital signals, right? so in theory, does spdif sound worse than the motu 828 preamps or line ins?
honestly, i haven't heard much difference since i haven't done any big tests yet, but i will

then the final part:
whats the difference between the motu XLR preamps (channel 1 and 2) and the line ins (also channel 1 +2, using an XLR-Jack-combo connection)
its one plug, both xlr and jack, so if the preamps have a particular sound,
then i assume the jacks, line ins, have the same sound, no?
or are line ins of soundcards something totally different than the xlr preamps on soundcards? i have no idea !

ok, thanks for reading this !

[pdadda]

I'm not sure I understand the MOTU channel question. There are two pre's accessible on the front panel. The analog in's on the back don't have pre-amps.

[Hard2Hear]

The MOTU 828 pres are pretty clean and pretty useable to me.

Channel 1 and 2 are seperate from the guitar/mic 1 and 2. Channel 1 and 2 (on the back) are just normal line leven ins like all the other jacks back there.

If youre asking about the combo jack on the guitar/mic ins, then yeah, they have the same sound cause they connect to the same preamp. the line ins on the back have no sound cause they don't have pre amps in them.

H2H

[NL5]

I'll try and answer everything if I can -

I would guess the DMP3 would be a small step up maybe - I would go a bit higher if you really want a noticable increase.

SPDIF doesn't "sound" at all - it's just a way to transfer data.

If it will sound better going spdif or line in depends on the converters that converted it to digital. They may or may not be better. I'm not familiar with the triple c.

Line in jacks have no preamp, the front xlr in's are preamps.

Hope that helps.

edit - dammit H2H beat me to the punch.

[Hard2Hear]

Little trick on the 828.

Run the direct outs from the front inputs (theyre just above the inputs on the back)out to a decent compressor then back in to 2 of the line inputs on the back. Then you have compression on the pres provided. It works out well, I have it set up this way and get alot of use out of it. I never like just a clean mic pre...I always want a little something on it.


H2H