from preamp to interface: XLR or jack connectors?

[coccoietto]

Goodmorning everybody,
My name is Antonio, I am pretty new in this forum and in the world of home recording. I am going to start a little homerecording project for my own music, basically recording guitar, accordion, and some other little acoustic instruments. I own a Sotronics Sonora preamp and a M-audio audiophile USB interface. Unfortunatelly, the M-audio does not have XRL connector input but only 2 jack inputs. The question is: for a ideal good quality recording, is it important that from the preamp (recording with condenser mic) the output should be XRL (converted in jack in the interface input)? Or should I simply use a jack-jack connector? does it negatively affect the sound quality? Or in the worst of the cases should I change my interface and find one with XLR inputs?
As a general question: How the connection chain should be designed from Mic to preamp to interface to Mac?


Thank you .. I am pretty excited to start this project and be part of your world.

 

[Bobbsy]

You'll be fine with jack to jack. Note that the pre amp socket is the 3 pole (TRS) variety giving a balanced signal but the interface is an unbalanced TS socket. Unless you're running super long distances this should be okay though--although when funds allow, an interface with balanced (TRS) line level inputs would be a decent investment--most interfaces will do this.

FYI, there's no quality difference between XLR and Jacks at all. Where there's a potential quality difference is between balanced and unbalanced audio, with unbalanced more susceptible to picking up outside interference (not usually a problem with decent cable and short runs).

 

[coccoietto]

Thanks for the reply, Bobbsy.. it is clear..