quick question, mic preamps

[guy0012]

on a mixer, are mic preamps the outputs that you use for multitracking?

[RAK]

Originally Posted by guy0012

on a mixer, are mic preamps the outputs that you use for multitracking?

a mic preamp (on a mixer or other wise) is short for pre-amplifier. It boosts (amplifies) the level of the microphone before (pre) going to the mixer in order to get the microphone up to the same level that the mixer and/or recording device wants (line level).

microphones aren't the only thing that needs a pre-amp. Not sure if you're a guitarist or bassist, but imagine the two main parts of a guitar amp. The head and the cabinet. While these are often combined into one unit, the head includes the pre-amp boosting the signal to a usable level for the cabinet, which is really just a speaker.

This is not to be confused with power amps, which provide power to passive monitors/speakers, and occur just before the monitor/speaker, in the signal chain.

[guy0012]

yeah but lets say i get a delta 1010 and want to plug the channel inserts from my mixer to the outputs of the 1010, is that where they go? this mixer http://www.behringer.com/MX2442A/index.cfm?lang=ENG

[RAK]

Originally Posted by guy0012

yeah but lets say i get a delta 1010 and want to plug the outputs from my mixer to the imputs of the 1010, is that where they go? this mixer http://www.behringer.com/MX2442A/index.cfm?lang=ENG

The outputs from your mixer send a line level signal (probably at +4dBu, but possibly switchable between -10dBu and +4dBu line level). So if the delta1010 has line level inputs, then that's what you do.

If you plug the line level outputs of the mixer into the mic level inputs of the Delta, then you could have a probably with clipping the mic pre of the Delta, because the signal you're feeding it is hotter than what it's looking for (mic level)

[Robert D]

The usual method for utilizing a mixer as a front end for multi track recording is to take the soundcard inputs from either direct outs on each mixer channel, or if it doesn't have those, use one half of the TRS inserts as direct outs. Take a look at the block diagram of your mixer to see what you're doing.