Preamp to mixer to .....

[gbondo9]

So I'm getting an Audio Buddy mic pre amp.
I already have a cheap Behringer 6 ch mixer (and Im very familiar with the general consensus on these). The mixer has mic pre's in it, but I want to get away from using those...upgrading if you will.

So I know that I plug my mic into the audio buddy.
-If I plug the Audio buddy into the mixer, aren't I still going to be using the Behringer mic pre's??
-Is the mixer (being of low quality itself) gonna degrade or color the sound of the mic/pre?

Im going into either Sonar, or my BR-8, depending on the situation. I like using the mixer because I like to be able to EQ the sound before I record it (and with the BR-8, this is almost neccesary becasue the post EQ capabilities are very poor).

Thanks,
Todd

[sjjohnston]

Does the mixer have inserts? Tape returns?

Insert points are often immediately after the preamp and before the EQ. But not always. If so, you could plug the outboard mic pre into the insert input.

Tape returns would almost definitely run through the EQ, and not throught the mic pre.

On many mixers (don't know about the Behringer) the line ins are padded down, then run through the preamp: so you're right about the signal running through the mixer preamps (assuming the Behringer is set up that way).

Running through the mixer channel probably affects the signal at least a bit ... but if you want to use the EQs there's not much you can do about that. Actually, one reason some people avoid running through a mixer channel is to avoid running through the EQ section.

[TexRoadkill]

Your best bet is to run the preamp outputs directly into your soundcard or recorder. If you need to run it through the mixer for monitoring purposes then use the 1/4" line level inputs.

[sjjohnston]

Originally posted by TexRoadkill
Your best bet is to run the preamp outputs directly into your soundcard or recorder. If you need to run it through the mixer for monitoring purposes then use the 1/4" line level inputs.

He said he want to run it through the mixer in order to use the mixwer's EQ (don't know if that's a good idea or not, but it's what he wants to do).

If he wants to use the mixer for monitoring purposes, I'd probably use the output from the recorder (assuming they echo the input), or mult the preamp out (if not).

[gbondo9]

Why would that not be a good idea? Dont you usually try to get the best sound recorded? and doesnt that involve eq'ing the source sometimes?
Im not being snide, Im honestly curious.

Thanks for the replies,
Todd

[Gidge]

sure its best to get the sound you want on tape first....but how will you know exactly what you are going for without the context of the whole mix there to guide you.....you could have a killer vocal take that will be unusable because you put some EQ on it that just doesnt fit...its just best to record flat.....

[TexRoadkill]

There are two schools of thought on EQ and effects while tracking and both have their pros/cons. The biggest issue is that most people who advocate useing EQ during tracking aren't using the EQ on a Behringer.

I would leave the Behringer out of the recording chain and just use it for monitoring or mixing in effects during the mixdown. I would think that the Roland EQ is just as good and the Sonar EQ better but I haven't used all of those so I am just guessing.

[sjjohnston]

I guess my approach is:

- at tracking, I try to get it to sound like my guess of how I want it to wind up, but if I don't like what I'm hearing I change "it" rather than the EQ (move the mic, change the mic, adjust the amp, hit the strings differently, whatever)

- at mixdown, when I listen to how everything fits together, I discover if and how my guesses were off, and make adjustments with the EQ then.

That's the theory, anyway. I'm not saying its the only way to do it. If EQing when you track is how you want to do it, you may be right.