HELP - Pro Tools vs. pre amp

T

TheNewUnknown

Don't be a Pro Tool.
I recently bought a Digidesign 002 rack and I am wondering if I need to buy any additional pre amps. It has 4 but I don't know what kind of quality they are. Would another pre amp give me a better sound than a tube pre amp? I'm looking at buying something relatively inexpensive - probably a DMP3. Would the DMP3 be practical? or something similar in that price range?
I will be using it to record some acoustic guitar and vocals - which would be better?
Any help would be appreciated!
THANKS!
:cool:
 
The 002R preamps are fine. If you don't need more than 4 preamps, you'll do fine with the ones in the 002R. The DMP3's will probably be a small improvement, but not really worth it unless you need more than 4 preamps. If you do need more preamps, I'd suggest saving up for an 8 channel with ADAT lightpipe out, like the M-Audio Octane. You increase the number of pre's as well as the number of inputs, and save the 4 lines for interfacing with other outboard gear with LINE outs like compressors or keyboards.
 
Have you recorded with the 002 preamps yet? I'd suggest you do that first, and only buy additional preamps if for some reason you are unsatisfied with the sound you are getting. I also feel that preamps you are considering would be an incremental improvement over the stock preamps in the 002. To get something that would make you go "wow" and really hear a noticable difference, you'd ahve to spend in the $500-800 range (and up) for a pair of channels. Anything in the $100-200 range is essentially a side grade. Maybe a little bit of an improvement, but probably not worth the money (in my opinion).
 
i don't know what pre's they put in the 002, but if there the same ones as the 001..... i'm not the biggest fan.
 
Never messed with a digi, but if you need pre's and only want to spend 200 or less, I'd say the DMP3 would be fine. Then again, I have no experience with the Digi 002's pres.
 
jaykemurd, I've sat here and watched your animated sig for like the last 5 minutes....

I've never heard the 001's pres, but I've heard bad things about them too. I don't think the 002 has the same pres, because they sound ok to my ears. Nothing special of course, but nothing to really complain about either. What mics are you planning on using btw?
 
Well, I own a Digi002 and a DMP-3, and I would say the DMP-3 is a good contrast. I find the pres in the 002 a little grainy, useful for percussion. I don't like them on vocals. The DMP-3 is cleaner. Not better, just different. If you just want more channels, Behringer ADA8000 will get you 8 more, and doesn't suck nearly as much as I would've expected. Octane will get you 8 better pres for more money. I think channels 5-8, with no preamps, is where you plug in some *really* badass preamps, your gold channels. Currently, I get up to all 18 with the 002's 1-4, DMP-3 on 5-6, Avalon AD2022 on 7-8 (the gold channels), ADA8000 by lightpipe for 8 more, and Joemeek twinQ by S/PDIF (silver channels). Sure, I'd like to have more high quality channels, I just needed a lot of voiceover channels for a radio play I'm working on, and the Behringer worked out rather well. There you go- a *perfect* project studio. Avalon and Behringer side by side.-Richie
 
Pro tools with more than 16 in

I have an 002 rack and am trying to get more than 16 simultaneous ins.
I am lightpiping out to a Motu 896 and have a firestation for two mor preamps for channels 5 and 6 on the 002.

I am curious about the firepod and linking three of them together.

Questions:
1. Can you link a firepod to Logic express and then firewire the 002 and the motu to essential get you 24 in simultaneously. I need to get them in and then convert to Protools. Can anyone help? Or do I need to buy three firepods.

2. Can you use the spdif and lightpipe at the same time? Digi's site says either one or the other but maybe I was reading it wrong?

Thanks,
Fletch
 
Yo Fletch- I believe you can use lightpipe and coaxial S/PDIF simultaneously. I don't know that much about the Firepod, but the PT geeks say it's 18 and NO MORE NOHOW. If you figure out how to do 24, they'll probably give you a medal.-Richie
 
Cool, I didn't know that you could use 18 total. Have you done it for sure? I have a gig coming up and haven't had time to try it.

Also, I am trying to get 24 channels with using Logic express as an input and then transfering the files to ProTools.

Fletch
 
Yeah, it's both SPDIF and Lightpipe simultaneously. I think you're thinking the Mbox (the old one, not Mbox2) where you could do either analog or digital in, but not both.
I'm not familiar with Logic, but I would assume that would work. It's pretty easy to import files in Protools provided all the files start from 00:00:00, so if you can figure out how to get Logic to export from the beginning then you should be fine.
 
les666paul said:
do you think she died :D
Click to expand...


Chris Christmas is the bomb! I have like 10 video clips of that goof.
{Vote Chris Christmas to replace Santa this year. }


Oh, and back on topic -
Would another pre amp give me a better sound than a tube pre amp?
Click to expand...
Yes, there are not any decent tube preamps in your price range. $399 for a Brick is kind of where it starts. But I still prefer my API & Neve clones (non-tube BTW) over that. :cool:
Still not sure why everyone thinks they need a tube in their preamp.....awesome Behr*nger/Presinus marketing? Kudos.
 
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I've got the Digi001. I bought it when it first came out about 6-7 years ago and have been using it since. The preamps in the 001 are not the best in the world, but I used them exclusively for a few years before I bought something else and they worked Ok for me.

I record all acoustic, bluegrass music, and I still record some instruments through the pres in the 001. My vocals I now use a Presonus MP20 that I've modified with the Burr Brown Op Amps and Jensen Transformers. The MP20 does sound better to my ears, smoother I'll call it. I like it much better for vocals. For my vocal chain I use either a TLM-103 or Rode K2 through the MP20 and RNC compressor. I like the sound I get. My acoustic guitars, mandolin..etc. I usually use the 001 pres.

If you'd like to hear some samples of what I've done, I'll post them for you. The last project, of my own band, I recorded has been nationally and internationally released and is available at 31 major retailers across the US. Being a 'home recorder' I'm quite proud of that... :)

Zetajazz44
 
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