Is a preamp needed?

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sessep_2002

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I am currently using cakewalk pa9 and a delta 66-omni i/o for my recordings. I have a yamaha dtxpress electric drumkit i'm plugging into the delta as well as guitar, bass, etc. At first I was plugging my kit into inputs 3 and 4 in the back of the delta but learned that there was no preamp except for on the front 1 and 2 inputs.

I am having trouble getting the levels i need...would a preamp of some sort be beneficial? I am also having problems with levels/dbs being consistent....any suggestions?

Thanks anyone for your help!
 
i may be wrong, and i'll feel stupid if i am...but i think a preamp will only raise levels on a microphone. Using a direct line from a guitar for example, may enrich the sound, but not make it louder.
 
oh and also....if your levels are inconsistant you'll need a compressor. It raises the quiet and quiets the loud.
 
preamp

thanks ad...i believe you're right...a preamp would be just for a mic...any suggestions on what to buy to boost levels?...i guess the problem is is that if i boost the levels too high it will distort...
i do have a plugin compressor i'll use for the mix down...so...that
will help...thanks again!
 
A preamp will boost the level of any signal. Most preamps are designed to accomodate mic and instrument level signals but make sure before you purchase. If you need to raise line level signals like your drum kit than a mixer would work well.

A Mackie 1202 would give you some extra pre's and the ability to raise the level of your line level gear pretty significantly with minimal added noise.
 
mixer and pre-amps

thanks tex!...i need all the help i can get and that helps tremendously!...i'll look into getting a mixer....thanks again
chief.
 
Are you using the Delta OMNI pcakage? If so, I am really happy with it's pre-amps. It's so powerful, I have to press the "pad" buttons right by inputs 1&2 to keep the gain down. I also played my MIDI audio outputs though these preamps and the sounds are much better!
I use the preamps for my electric guitar primarily. And I dont have an external mixer!
 
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