budget mixer or dedicated pre?

D

Deen

New member
Hi folks,

I have an old 424 used as mixer and pre when recording
vocals, guitar and other line sources. I use the PC's onboard
sound at the moment.

My question concerns plans of getting a cheap condenser
like SP B1 or MXL 2003. Should I buy a Behringer UB 1204 mixer
and use it to replace my Tascam 424 as pre or should
I simply buy a dedicated pre like Tube MP or similar pre's
and patch it to the 424? Which option would theoretically sound better.

Thanks
 
Deen,
I would get a decent starter pre like the DMP-3 and go direct to your sound cards line ins, totally bypassing your mixer. It will sound tons better. Just use the mixer to monitor with. You may need to split the out puts off the pres and send a copy to the mixer in order to hear what's going into the computeras well as what's coming out.
Splitting the output of the preamps will reduce the signal level a little going to your sound card, but the DMP-3 is notorious for being a little hot on output anyway.
 
Ditto.

And think about the idea of putting the pre in line between the mixer and the computer if you need to mix multiple tracks.

The mixer makes a hell of a good patch bay, anyhow; I have a little $60 Behringer that I use with an old spectrum analyzer and an RCA patchbay to run all kinds of signals every which way. It works fine for monitors, runs through the monitors and a stereo set, taps a line off to a subwoofer, takes signal from tape, CD and the multitracker, all that.

The DMP3 is the cheapest route to better sound, though.
 
Hello guys,

It seems there's a clear consensus. Pre it is, to get
a better sound. DMP3 that is.

Thanks for the response. I think I'll forget
about the Behringer for a while now until my
routing needs expand. At the moment
I'm just looking for a better sound that sounds
more studiolike ( using a real condenser for vocals ).
Thanks again.
 
Hi tmix,


I'm a little confused about why I should split the signal from the pre's. Wouldn't I hear the whole mix from the outputs of the PC
( recorded signal with recorded tracks ) as long as it's patched
to a monitoring system?

Yo treeline,

I think I might get a Behringer as you did and use as
patchbay as you did. Sounds like a fine idea. I never
thought of putting the pre after the mixer. Thanks man.
 
If your system allows monitoring the input signal and output signal simultaneously you wont need to split.
Some systems wont do it without introducing some delay to what you hear (latency) to the live input.

Give it a try.
 
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