Firepod + pre-amp?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ecktronic
  • Start date Start date
ecktronic

ecktronic

Mixing and Mastering.
I'm looking to record vocals using a nice pre-amp.
Is it safe to go. mic - vocal pre-amp - Firepod pre-amp?

Or would I try and somehow go straight from the vocal pre-amp to my computer?

Sorry for the dumb question.

Cheers,
Eck
 
Definitely not a dumb question, as I messed this up myself to start.

I use a DMP-3 for most things, and all you need to do is run the external preamp's output to the line input on one of the channels of the Firepod. Channels 1 and 2 have the instrument input on the front, and the line inputs on the back of the unit. The line inputs for channels 3-8 are the 1/4" jacks on the front panel of their respective channels.

Once you have your external preamp set to its appropriate level, you shouldn't need to touch the gain on whatever channel you run the line-level signal to. When you monitor, it should sound as if you were monitoring without the Firepod involved :)
 
You do want to make sure, though, that you run the output of the preamp to the 1/4" balanced input, not the XLR mic input. I'm not sure what would happen, but the expected signal vs. actual signal given that input will be drastically different, and most likely will just clip to the max (or so I would theorize, I've never done it)
 
Cheers man for the great help.
I'm still a bit confused though.

Am I right in saying I want to have a balanced XLR from the pre amp into the firepod?
How can I do this if the line inputs are TRS?
Is there a switch somewhere I've missed that changes XLR inputs 1 and 2 into XLR line inputs?

Cheers,
Eck
 
Ahh, I got you now after re-reading your last post. :)

So I would need a male XLR to 1/4" TRS cable.
I don't have one, but I do have an art tube pre-amp which can be used as a DI box, so I guess all I would do is set the input and output of the art pre-amp to 0dB?

Cheers,
Eck
 
I don't want to be the usurper here, but you're better off running the Firepod's pres into a better converter. It's really just a matter of running your chosen preamp into the line in as suggested. You'll be fine. But I've tried both ways, and if you're looking for an improvement, good pre into cheap converters is not the way to go.

If it's just using the gear for the sake using the gear though, go for it!
 
mrhotapples said:
I don't want to be the usurper here, but you're better off running the Firepod's pres into a better converter. It's really just a matter of running your chosen preamp into the line in as suggested. You'll be fine. But I've tried both ways, and if you're looking for an improvement, good pre into cheap converters is not the way to go.

If it's just using the gear for the sake using the gear though, go for it!
Click to expand...

Are the Firepod converters that bad? They must be a good deal better than the Soundblaster Audigy 2 converters! Thats what we used for our last album. :(
Which can be found at the link below.
http://www.serotoneband.co.uk/media.php

Using the gear cause its all we can afford really.
A decent A/D D/A converter is gonna cost mega bucks!

Cheers,
Eck
 
Ooookay... the converters on the Firepod are fine, unless you want to start dropping some heavy cash on JUST converters. The preamps, on the other hand, are fine for some things, but even the DMP-3 blows em away in terms of amount of clean gain.

As for running line inputs to the Firepod, the jacks on the front on channels 3-8 are combo-jacks. They have the holes in the right places for an XLR jack, but the center is also a 1/4" input, that has separate leads inside to handle the signal coming in via 1/4" TRS (which is a balanced mono signal).

So i can make the combination of jacks as clear as possible, what preamp do you have that you want to use external to the Firepod? Generally, a preamp will have a balanced 1/4" output (TRS) as well as an XLR output, so you would simply need a 1/4" TRS male -> 1/4" TRS male cable to run from the preamp into that line input on the Firepod.
 
Thanks again man.
I don't have another pre-amp yet, but I'm just getting info at the moment for when I do have a decent pre-amp.

Cheers,
Eck
 
I must be mistaken but aren't all 8 jacks on the pod combo jacks??

I use outboard pre's regularly with my pod(s). No problems and much better sound. Especially vocals.
 
All 8 jacks are, in fact, combo jacks - but channels 1 and 2 have instrument inputs on the front instead of line inputs. The line-ins for 1 and 2 are on the back of the unit.
 
Cuse, I've never tried it with a Firepod so I don't know, but is the DMP3 an upgrade in sound quality vs. the pres in the Firepod? I've run the pres into good converters and GOOD pres into it but no low end preamp into the pod.

Fuck yeah, now I'm a 'dedicated member'!
 
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Its not so much that the DMP-3 is an "improvement" in sonic quality so much as you can crank the gain on the DMP3 a lot higher before you get any self-noise coming in. In fact, with good mics, the DMP3 can be turned all the way up and still be fully functional - to do the same on one of the channels of the Firepod, you would get less gain and a considerable amount of noise.

I think you just need to get used to the sources you will be recording. If its drums, electric guitars and vocals, then no, you probably don't need to get a better external preamp, but for me, I record a lot of quiet acoustic instruments, and the Firepod just doesn't have enough quiet gain to get me there.
 
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