Advice wanted

[Grommet]

Hi folks,

I have a clarett 4 pre as my interface currently. Looking to add two heritage audio HA73 preamp channels with the idea of running two coles 4038's through them.

Am I good to run the xlr out on my heritage to the line level input on the back of my clarett 4pre via anl balanced xlr-to-1/4 inch trs? I'd be running the heritage to line inputs 5 and 6 - will this bypass the preamps of the focusrite?

I just wanted to check am I missing something or would this signal chain through the clarett interface prove a let down, given the quality of the coles and the heritage audio.

Appreciate any insight on this, many thanks.

 

[rob aylestone]

The figures for the clarett suggest very little difference in the noise and gain between line and mic level, making me suspect the line just gets impedance adjustment and level changing to use the same basic preamp circuitry - I seriously doubt the line inputs bypass the preamps. If it was me, I'd just start with the XLR connections and experiment to get the optimum noise performance by adjusting Clarett input sensitivity against the heritage output level. I suspect I would then repeat the test using the line inputs to see if I could detect a difference. If there was a difference, I would use that connection. My guess, prediction if you like, is that you will really struggle to hear any difference at all. The specs for the two devices are pretty close, and both good. The only test worth doing would be how much gain you get from the heritage preamps before noise annoys you. The Coles are very low output, of course - so do the test for a typical recording style you would do. My stuff requires distant mics and quietish performers - so I would need to whack the gain up and listen very carefully. I would also repeat the test going direct in to the Clarett - while it's performance isn't quite at the Heritage standard, be wary about what exactly your signal chain is doing with the two linked - you go into one, add gain then feed it to the other, often at a lower level, then it too adds more gain. This cascade can be transparent, or introduce issues. A test I always liked to was when setting up in a place like a church, was to play a repeated note on the piano they always have - even a rubbish one, not being used, but in the capture area. Turn the gain up so it records and then on my Beyer DT100s, replay it to see how noisy it is. A quiet piano, distance and a ribbon pair. Not a good circumstance for a recording. I'd try all the possibilities and check that the 'best' method actually was best! Sometimes it wasn't just hiss, but a sort of 'veil' - like putting something between the mic and the source? I remember one where the preamp was nice and commented favourably on for quality, yet the emergency Zoom H6 sounded more clean/open/nice?

The honest answer here is that you have XLR to Jack in mind, but also probably have XLR-XLR as an option. If you also go straight to the Clarett, you have three things to try. You then pick the most appropriate for what you're doing. If the Coles are for drums, a la Alan Parsons, then noise is hardly an issue - but again, until you try things, you will never be certain.