For rookies, 1 problem with PCI cards

Reilley

Reilley

New member
is that they don't have preamps, whereas entry-level USB and Firewire interfaces DO. There goes the price...... $100 + for a preamp..... It changes the whole price-comparison thing.
 
I would personally hate to have to hook up a mic into the back of my sound card (unless the sound card has a breakout box with preamps or something).

Also, unless designed properly, having preamps built into the card itself can create noise issues (from what I've heard).
 
Any soundcard (or onboard chip for that matter) that has a MIC input, whether 1/8" mini plug, or 1/4" plug, has some type of preamp. Even cards like SoundBlaster that have one shared input (MIC/LINE) have a preamp in the circuit if you select the MIC option....
 
sjfoote said:
Any soundcard (or onboard chip for that matter) that has a MIC input, whether 1/8" mini plug, or 1/4" plug, has some type of preamp. Even cards like SoundBlaster that have one shared input (MIC/LINE) have a preamp in the circuit if you select the MIC option....
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correct.

Remember what a preamp is people... It takes the weaker mic signal and turns it back up to line level. Regardless of what type of recording device you use, whenever you use a mic, turning up the gains can = preamp. Unless your system is totally screwed up, you will always be able to plug a mic into something (-please use common sense) and listen at line level.
 
It depends how fussy you are about your preamps. I personally wouldn't want to be tied to the preamps on an entry level interface.

In fact I do have preamps on my firewire interface and they are indeed pretty shitty. Just as well they have inserts so I can bypass them.

So there you go, I paid for mic pres I don't even use! :eek:
 
""I personally wouldn't want to be tied to the preamps on an entry level interface.""

That's an interesting observation. Do you run through a better preamp, instead, in your case?
 
I've built my own over the last year or so.

2 channels of Gyraf G9 (a 'proper' high voltage tube design) and two channels of very clean sounding 'green pre'; a very simple design using basic IC op amps (based on the pres in the Amek Mozart console).

They're far superior to the preamps I've experienced in entry level interfaces.

Before that i was using stuff like the DMP-3, SP VTB-1 and EH 12AY7. They were a step up although not a night and day difference.
 
I"ve built a couple Green pre"s myself and they are my Go to preamps in my Studio...Very clean ...

Cheers
 
I have two LT's and haven't had any issues with noise. I used a couple quality snakes to get from the LT cards over to my patch panels and observed some simple cable installation techniques. Two inch separation from cable types (AC, DC and signal). This means keeping AC power, CAT5 network and wall warts away from the audio cables. If/when the cables must cross, do so at right angles this keeps signal/noise induction down. These are some simple things that anyone can do to minimize noise in their systems.

I will agree that the onboard mic pre's aren't top notch but they're useable. I too have bypassed them and prefer to use outboard mic pre's.


Peace on to you all during this holiday season.
 
I'm undecided whether to get a USB/Firewire interface with preamps, or a PCI card and then a separate preamp. From what I've read, I'd be able to get somewhat better sound from a good PCI card - say, an M Audiophile 192 oe Emu 1212M - and a DMP-3 preamp, than I would from an entry-level USB/Firewire with preamps, and for only a few bucks more. Whether that "better sound" would be audible in a CD, I don't know. One wants to get the best sound one can, within reason. [I don't need mobility.]
 
Reilley said:
I'm undecided whether to get a USB/Firewire interface with preamps, or a PCI card and then a separate preamp. From what I've read, I'd be able to get somewhat better sound from a good PCI card - say, an M Audiophile 192 oe Emu 1212M - and a DMP-3 preamp, than I would from an entry-level USB/Firewire with preamps, and for only a few bucks more. Whether that "better sound" would be audible in a CD, I don't know. One wants to get the best sound one can, within reason. [I don't need mobility.]
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I'd personally prefer to keep the soundcard and preamps separate. Like I said, now I use a firewire interface and I would not like to be relying on the pres in that (Tascam FW1082).

That said there might well be interfaces around these days with decent pres in, I just haven't heard about them.

The DMP-3 would be a good choice and if the conversion in the 192 is anything like the Delta 1010LT then that would be a good choice also. You think it'll be a pain ferreting around at the back of the comp but once you're set up your preamp is your front end which can be always hooked up to the comp and you just have to plug/unplug mics at the preamp.
 
Kevin DeSchwazi said:
You think it'll be a pain ferreting around at the back of the comp but once you're set up your preamp is your front end which can be always hooked up to the comp and you just have to plug/unplug mics at the preamp.
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Yep, same as any other interface in that respect.
 
TravisinFlorida said:
That's almost debatable.
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Agreed. Do the pres in your SoundBlaster count? Just imagine those, but worse. :D Well, maybe not worse... just not appreciably better.

But seriously... no phantom power, poor SNR.... The word most commonly used to describe them is "suck", with the second most common word being "blow". Preamps in non-breakout-box PCI cards are worse than useless.
 
Well there you go. Thanks for the replies. It looks like the DMP-3, plus either the
M Audiophile 192 or Emu 1212M.

'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.........'
 
Reilley said:
Well there you go. Thanks for the replies. It looks like the DMP-3, plus either the
M Audiophile 192 or Emu 1212M.

'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.........'
Click to expand...

You will have the gear to make some very good home recordings with either of those cards and the DMP3. From what I gather, the 1212M probably edges out sound wise but my tech service experiences with m-audio have been very good.
 
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