So my pre-amp blows up.....

  • Thread starter Thread starter RAMI
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RAMI

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...do I REALLY need a pre-amp??? I recorded a vocal track straight into my TASCAM 2488 just to see how much worse it would be...and, the raw track sounds just as good as a raw track did when I went through my pre-amp.

I realise I'm now using the TASCAM pre's instead of the Focusrite pre. And the TASCAM pre's are SUPPOSED to be not as good. But, with my semi-functioning ears, I don't hear a difference. And with alll the software I have, I can bring it into my PC and "warm" it up or compress it, etc....

So, I'm wondering if anyone else has tried NOT using their pre-amp...Or do most people use one because they figure they should. I know that was the case with me.
 
i use the built in preamp on my tascam 2488 as well, i import everything in real time thru my computer to cool edit and save the vocals raw. I then import the vocals in to FL and add all effects there, that way I can adjust them in realtime
 
Hm

I could try hooking the mic straight into the interface but I'm guessing since the level wasn't brought up with a preamp it would be very faint and very noisy. :confused:
 
danny.guitar said:
Hm

I could try hooking the mic straight into the interface but I'm guessing since the level wasn't brought up with a preamp it would be very faint and very noisy. :confused:
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Well, that makes me feel better. I was using the 2488's pre's for a long time before buying a pre-amp. I notice more of a difference when I record bass. But since I don't have to turn up the pre's too much to get a good signal when I record vocals, it didn't make a big difference on my vocals.
 
danny.guitar said:
Hm

I could try hooking the mic straight into the interface but I'm guessing since the level wasn't brought up with a preamp it would be very faint and very noisy. :confused:
Click to expand...

Yeah, that would be a different story for me. I'm going straight into outboard gear, not an interface, and my signal level is pretty good. I think a pre comes in handy in the case of not having enough signal without it.

I hope nobody gets me wrong. I understand that there's a reason good pre-amps sell for 1000's of dollars. But I wonder if a "mid" quality pre is always worth the purchase. I'm beginning to think I should save up for a top of the line mic, then worry about getting a pre amp...and that would have to be a top of the line pre. Not just something pretty good that will give me a little more signal.
 
The idea of investing money in nice mic pres ... is really more for those who just want to get that last 5% (or so) of sound quality / fidelity out of their finished product. Assuming you're already squeezing every bit of quality out of the rest of your source and signal chain.

Not to be too much of a dick, but 99% of the people frequenting this board aren't going to be able to notice or appreciate what good pres, converters, etc. will bring to the table. Their stuff just has so many other shortcomings ...

... it's like spending money on nice tires when your exhaust is rusted through, the catalytic converter is dragging on the ground, the oil is leaking everywhere and the head gasket is about 100 miles away from blowing.

Focus on the stuff that contributes more to the sound quality, and at this stage, the big four are 1. source, 2. accoustics, 3. mics and 4. monitoring. Those four will account for at least 55% of the quality of the recording ... skill and knowlege will account for another 40% and fancy mic pres and/or converters might make up the other 5.

.
 
I always heard the 2488 has great pre-amps just "colorless".
never did hear what pre-amp chips they used, was it some BurrBrown?
I never cracked it open to look and no one on the Tascam forum knew either (or wouldn't tell.)
Colorless in comparison to the tube, warm, joe meek, colored stuff some want.


Hey if it works it works without it!!

less cables= good
 
Since it's 95% performance and source sound, you're going to sound good either way.
 
I track to a HD24 with +4 gozintas only so I have to use outboard preamps. I agree with Chester (and Tim).
 
COOLCAT said:
less cables= good
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I agree. One less thing to worry about.:)
Timothy Lawler said:
Since it's 95% performance and source sound, you're going to sound good either way.
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I love you, Tim.:cool:
travelin travis said:
hey rami, what's the preamp that blew up?
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A Focusrite Voicemaster Pro.
Track Rat said:
I agree with Chester (and Tim).
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Me too. :D

As it turns out, it seems that Ihave a bad plug on one of my power bars (if this is even possible). I've burnt out the power section of 2 TASCAM 788's and now this pre-amp. I plugged the pre into another socket and turned it on and left it for 3 hours and it didn't even get hot. It works fine. But now I'm thinking that power bar blew 2 other pieces of equipment. Is this even possible???
 
RAMI said:
As it turns out, it seems that Ihave a bad plug on one of my power bars (if this is even possible). I've burnt out the power section of 2 TASCAM 788's and now this pre-amp. I plugged the pre into another socket and turned it on and left it for 3 hours and it didn't even get hot. It works fine. But now I'm thinking that power bar blew 2 other pieces of equipment. Is this even possible???
Click to expand...


since it didn't blow, how about a blind comparison?
 
RAMI said:
As it turns out, it seems that Ihave a bad plug on one of my power bars (if this is even possible). I've burnt out the power section of 2 TASCAM 788's and now this pre-amp. I plugged the pre into another socket and turned it on and left it for 3 hours and it didn't even get hot. It works fine. But now I'm thinking that power bar blew 2 other pieces of equipment. Is this even possible???
Click to expand...

Yes. With some power supply designs, when they are first turned on, there is very quick spike of voltage. usually it's harmless because the duration is only a few milliseconds. But if there was a loose mains plug that could cause the spiking to happen too quickly for the components to absorb. (diodes, transistors, or IC's most likely)

Or another possibility is that the mains side of the trans former will appear to be a dead short for a very quick amount of time kind of how I just explained. It is a normal function. But in this case, because of the rapid power spiking, it would put strain on the mains fuse (if so equipped - check it), power switch / circuit. Some IC controlled power switches will actually have a relay act as the switch. In that case arcing in the relay can cause the contacts to fry.
 
Which input of the 2488 were you plugging the Focusrite into?

I also consider the preamps on the Focusrite and the Tascam to be roughly comparable. They are both going to be low budget designs. It's not like you were using a high end preamp with your 2488, you were using a preamp very similar to what is inside it. I've never cared much for the Platinum series.

The other factor is that the 2488 will color your external preamp with it's own sound. So it's pretty understandable that anything that gets plugged into the 2488 will start to sound like the 2488.

Especially if you connected the output of the Focusrite into the XLR input of the 2488. In that scenario you would have been running the Focusrite preamp through the 2488 preamp and of course they would sound the same because what you are hearing the last preamp in the chain, the one on the 2488.
 
tarnationsauce2 said:
Yes. With some power supply designs, when they are first turned on, there is very quick spike of voltage. usually it's harmless because the duration is only a few milliseconds. But if there was a loose mains plug that could cause the spiking to happen too quickly for the components to absorb. (diodes, transistors, or IC's most likely)

Or another possibility is that the mains side of the trans former will appear to be a dead short for a very quick amount of time kind of how I just explained. It is a normal function. But in this case, because of the rapid power spiking, it would put strain on the mains fuse (if so equipped - check it), power switch / circuit. Some IC controlled power switches will actually have a relay act as the switch. In that case arcing in the relay can cause the contacts to fry.
Click to expand...

Good info. Thanx. That could very well be the case. I'll probably find out in a few days after aving plugged in somewhere else.
 
SonicAlbert said:
Which input of the 2488 were you plugging the Focusrite into?

I also consider the preamps on the Focusrite and the Tascam to be roughly comparable. They are both going to be low budget designs. It's not like you were using a high end preamp with your 2488, you were using a preamp very similar to what is inside it. I've never cared much for the Platinum series.

The other factor is that the 2488 will color your external preamp with it's own sound. So it's pretty understandable that anything that gets plugged into the 2488 will start to sound like the 2488.

Especially if you connected the output of the Focusrite into the XLR input of the 2488. In that scenario you would have been running the Focusrite preamp through the 2488 preamp and of course they would sound the same because what you are hearing the last preamp in the chain, the one on the 2488.
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Yes, I agree with most of that. I realise the FOcusrite's are not top of the line. I touched on the "mid" quality thing in one of my earlier posts.
I'm not going XLR our of the Focusrite. Just 1/4".

The only thin I'm not sure of is when you say that the 2488 will color the sound with it's pre-amps. But if I have the input turned all the way down (off) on the 2488, doesn't that take them out of the equation??? OR are they still "working" somehow???
 
RAMI said:
The only thin I'm not sure of is when you say that the 2488 will color the sound with it's pre-amps. But if I have the input turned all the way down (off) on the 2488, doesn't that take them out of the equation??? OR are they still "working" somehow???
Click to expand...

Not if you're going in to the 1/4" input. I think what he's trying to say is that your mixer will polute and mangle your audio one way or another ... whether it's XLR in or 1/4" in ... or whatever. :D There's no excaping it.

.
 
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