A question on signal path...

octoruss

octoruss

New member
Hola amigos, I have a question I hope you can help me with.

I use a Neumann TLM 103 going into a digital DBX386 mic pre, but can't seem to get a good sound. The TLM 103 is so hot, that I have to turn the input way down to prevent distorting on the input. But when I do that the signal seems flat and lifeless. If I use the 20db pad on the 386 I can turn the mic input up quite a bit, but it still seems dull. Is there something else I should be trying?

Is there any way to patch in my compressor so that the mic input is always kept below distorting but will give me a hotter signal?
 
If it's the input overloading (which I'm pretty sure it is), then a compressor or limiter won't help any; as the a preamp must be right after the mic.

You could try a seperate pad than the one on your preamp, such as the one by Shure, but I doubt it'll solve your dullness problem.

You could try using a nice compressor after the preamp to see if you can add some life back into it, though that line of thought is something I recommend you not use on a regular basis.

Otherwise, you have a choice of trying a different mic or trying a different preamp.
 
Interesting.:)
Do you suppose it's the pre distorting that makes it sound more like you like? (Or a louder-sounds-better thing?)
Wayne
 
My guess it's the 386. I have one and it seems easy to overload the front end with a hot mic. Do you have a different pre to try?
 
octoruss said:
Is there something else I should be trying?
Click to expand...

Yeah... a real mic pre... that 386 piece of shit will cause you nothing but pain [of course when you get a real mic pre... it will cause you to want a real microphone... which will lead to 'real compressor' envy... which will invariably lead to better A/D-D/A converters... which will lead to getting even more colors and textures of microphones, pre-amps, equalizers and compressors... which will lead you to a sworn life of abject poverty... so maybe you don't really wanna go there].

Best of luck.
 
Did you lower the fader of the gain knob??
Co'z seems to me you've got the pre-amp set too high
 
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