Soundcraft EPM6

Orson

Well-known member
Are all of the mic inputs on the mixer board pushing out 48v when the 48v switch is activated? I have the speaker/monitor outputs from my Audiant 14 going to the mic inputs and wondered if the 48v switch was activated it would do harm somewhere?

Also are the 48v outputs as good sound quality as the Audiant outputs? Meaning could I use a higher spec Soundcraft mixer which has interface built in, instead of the Audiant interface?
 
All mike inputs get 48v when the phantom power switch is activated.

If you have Audient outputs going to any of the line inputs (as opposed to the XLR inputs) you won't have any problems.

I don't understand this: "Also are the 48v outputs as good sound quality as the Audiant outputs? "

The phantom power is there only to provide power to condenser mikes.

The pre-amps on the soundcraft may differ in quality from the audient, but I don't know which would be better. If there is a difference, it may be too small to worry about.
 
All mike inputs get 48v when the phantom power switch is activated.

If you have Audient outputs going to any of the line inputs (as opposed to the XLR inputs) you won't have any problems.

I don't understand this: "Also are the 48v outputs as good sound quality as the Audiant outputs? "

The phantom power is there only to provide power to condenser mikes.

The pre-amps on the soundcraft may differ in quality from the audient, but I don't know which would be better. If there is a difference, it may be too small to worry about.

Thats what I meant regards the pre-amps....sorry.

I want to add more items to the system and was thinking of altering things incorporating the mixer. Perhaps I should just go for a bigger quality interface with more mic inputs?
 
If you want to add more items to the system, a mixer would be fine.

However, you need to keep in mind how many tracks you want to record simultaneously. Many of the small format mixers have half a dozen or so tracks, but will only send the mixed output two USB, in other words, you can only be able to record two tracks simultaneously.

If you want to record, say, a drum kit on which you have mikes for kick, snare, toms and overheads, and record each mike separately so that you can adjust each later, you would need to send at least six tracks separately via USB.

That requires either a multitrack interface, or a mixer with an inbuilt multitrack interface.
 
If you want to add more items to the system, a mixer would be fine.

However, you need to keep in mind how many tracks you want to record simultaneously. Many of the small format mixers have half a dozen or so tracks, but will only send the mixed output two USB, in other words, you can only be able to record two tracks simultaneously.

If you want to record, say, a drum kit on which you have mikes for kick, snare, toms and overheads, and record each mike separately so that you can adjust each later, you would need to send at least six tracks separately via USB.

That requires either a multitrack interface, or a mixer with an inbuilt multitrack interface.

If I use the mixer for EPM6 for multiple mics and 48v phantom. Then go from the output of the EPM6 into the mic input of the Audient ID14. Will I get a loss in quality and will I still be using the Audient pre-amps being as the phantom power is being provided by the mixer?
 
If I use the mixer for EPM6 for multiple mics and 48v phantom. Then go from the output of the EPM6 into the mic input of the Audient ID14. Will I get a loss in quality and will I still be using the Audient pre-amps being as the phantom power is being provided by the mixer?

Where the phantom power is coming from should have no effect on the sound quality.

Normally you'd want to line outputs to line inputs rather than to mic inputs, but as long as there's enough attenuation on the mic inputs it may be okay. Either way, you're adding whatever tonal effect the interface imparts to that which the mixer imparts. Both are likely to be fairly neutral so I doubt it will be a substantial change in sound.
 
Getting a larger quality mixer with interface or getting a larger Audient or similar is working out with the Soundcraft mixer being a hundred or so cheaper. It is far more flexible as well allowing more inputs. But will I get a loss in sound quality and if I did would I even be able to notice. Decisions ... Decisions.

Thanks for the help guys.
 
If I use the mixer for EPM6 for multiple mics and 48v phantom. Then go from the output of the EPM6 into the mic input of the Audient ID14. Will I get a loss in quality and will I still be using the Audient pre-amps being as the phantom power is being provided by the mixer?

You would need to go into the line inputs of the Audient. You won't get a loss of quality except for having another device in the signal path. You won't be using the Audient pre-amps because you are going via line in. The pre amps are for mikes.
 
You would need to go into the line inputs of the Audient. You won't get a loss of quality except for having another device in the signal path. You won't be using the Audient pre-amps because you are going via line in. The pre amps are for mikes.

That is what I am using (mics) at least 2 in studio and one externally at a desk. Plus multiple headphones for listening and communication and possible telephone connection.

It is a vocal booth/podcast type set up.
 
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