
diggy_dude
Now 169% diggier!
Sorry Jim. I misunderstood your equipment set up.![]()
No worries, Henry. Evidently I didn't understand it well enough either.

Sorry Jim. I misunderstood your equipment set up.![]()
All good then.
I was in the same boat years back but then I decided to just down load all of my favorite songs instead.
It was less painful.
Probably to late but- the audio box says -3dBu max in. The Aphex doesn't have to add gain (can even cut by 6 apparently) Wouldn't that mean there's plenty of headroom available at the Presonus's xlr 'mic input for the '-10 line ?
Hello, all. I'm looking to record LPs onto a MacBook Pro using a Presonus USB AudioBox. I'll be using a Radio Shack standalone phono preamp, with an Aphex 124-A 10/4 box to match the preamp's RCA outputs to the AudioBox's balanced inputs. There are two places to set gain in this configuration:
(1) The 10/4 box has a +/- 6dB level control per balanced output. The clip warning LED lights up 5dB before clipping.
(2) The USB interface has the usual input level control and clip LED per channel.
Should I leave the controls on the 10/4 box at zero and make adjustments using only the audio interface's gain controls? Or should I try to set the 10/4 box output as high as possible before clipping?
Thanks,
Jim
Why put +4dBu into a mic input? The 1/4" instrument inputs should have plenty of gain for consumer line level signal. Just use an RCA-1/4" cable.
You'd think their 'max in at the XLRs of '-3 hopefully reflects it's USB powered.The headroom may be restricted a little by the fact that the Presonus is USB bus powered.
The question would seem not to be gain', but perhaps too high sensitivity.Some users said there wasn't enough gain for some mics. I was thinking the balanced inputs must be similar to the ones on a channel strip on a desk, albeit underpowered, and maybe the input could be attenuated enough with the two controls to not overdrive them.
Somebody pull up the doc (again..The manual expressly warns not to do that. The instrument inputs are strictly intended for guitars and other low-signal devices. (I can't think of any other devices that use that signal level, so they're pretty much saying "guitars only".) In that regard, they're no more useful than the mic inputs for my purposes. If there's a chance it will work, I'm game. I'd be more confident if I had a way to reduce the signal into the inputs though.
The manual expressly warns not to do that. The instrument inputs are strictly intended for guitars and other low-signal devices. (I can't think of any other devices that use that signal level, so they're pretty much saying "guitars only".) In that regard, they're no more useful than the mic inputs for my purposes. If there's a chance it will work, I'm game. I'd be more confident if I had a way to reduce the signal into the inputs though.
Thanks. I was looking at Rane Note item 10B for this application originally, based on the misconception that the mic input was a regular balanced input. That's what led me to the 10/4 box.
If your AudioBox is the model with just two inputs, you're correct. There is no line input. Instrument or XLR mic input. Your only good option is to build or buy a Line to Mic pad and drop the level down. You can build them right in the XLR connector, and with your setup you may find use for them in the future.
Here is a couple of links:
www(.)uneeda-audio(.)com/pads/
www(.)gearslutz(.)com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/74141-how-adapting-line-level-signal-mic-level-input.html
Take the parens out () I can't post a link yet.