newbie question about recording..vets please help

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finesse

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Hey all, I'm new to home recording to the PC and I just need some help with a couple of questions... I want to record vocals and accustic guitar (good quality ofcourse) and I'm sort of unsure how to hook this all up.

I have right now..

AT4040 condensor
Presonus tubepre

and i wanna purchase in the next week or so..

Firewire M-Audio audiophile 2496
Mackie DFX6 Mixer

I know i have to connect the XLR in into the tubepre, then XLR OUT into the XLR INto the mixer...but how do I connect the mixer to the audiophile interface? is it the RCA Tape Out from the mixer into the Audiophile's RCA ins? or is there another/different way ? sorry if it sounds dumb.. but just wanted to get advices before these purchases.. would i get good quality with the vocals/guitar? suggestions welcome and much appreciated
 
There are several ways to do it.
IF you are mainly going to be recording 1 or 2 things at a time,I would go from the mic to the tube preamp, (is it a 2 channel?) from the preamp (1/4 inch out? possibly adapt to whatever the audiophile uses)to the audiophile.Then from the audiophile outs to 2 of the mixer channels (to control playback volume for speakers and for it as a headphone monitor for overdubs).

There is no reason to go from the tube preamp into the mixer, it possibly will just add noise.

You did not say what model the preamp was, the mixer may be of higher quality than the tube pre. In that case I would modify my suggestion.

You did not mention as to whether you have any software that will allow multi track recording but you will need that as well.

I know you will have more questions, but I hope that helps a little.

Tom
 
Mic to mic input on your preamp. Output of the preamp direct to your recorder, whatever that is. Do NOT put the mixer in there as that would amount to going through TWO mic preamps which will just add noise.
 
thanks for the replies.. A friend of mine has had successful recordings with using a 1 channel mic pre into a mixer..so I was under the impression a mixer only helps. The Mic Pre from presonus is only one channel..with only 1 XLR and 1 1/4inch out. If I plug the mic pre into the audiophile and the audiophile uses only RCA's..what sort of cable am I gonna need? and if I still want to get the mixer...which cables would I need to use to plug the mixer into the card? thanks in advance
 
In either case I guess you are going to need a cable that goes from 1/4 male to rca male. They are quite common.
 
if you're set on the Firewire Audiophile then the best solution is to plug your mic into the tubepre and then use the 1/4" out to the Audiophile. You would need a cable that changes from 1/4" to RCA but it shouldn't be expensive.

are you set on firewire? i know there are problems with hot-plugging USB but i think the M-Audio Mobile Pre might work better for you. it has 2 channels using either 1/4" or XLR inputs. If you use a 1/4" line input you can still use the tubepre. or you can just use the built in preamps. its also $50 less than the audiophile. it probably doesn't record at 24bit but thats alright. you'll have 2 channels which could be a plus. and none of those annoying RCA inputs or outputs. everything is 1/4".
 
I am somewhat set on the firewire audiophile. I learned my lesson with USB.. I had a Tascam US122 but I was a very flawed setup..and I'm also traumatized by PCI..hehe..cause I owned a EMU 1820M and when I installed it..after 1 day of use, the dock stopped synching to the card..so I tried everything to fix it but no avail. so I unistalled the card, I turned on my computer..and my harddrive crashed! on top of that, guitar center wouldn't take the card back (no return/echange policy)so I was out 500 bucks.. so I know PCI might be better, but I never want to open up my computer again. I want the firewire audiophile cause of its connection and the 2496 capabilities but I wanted ask you guys if the RCA connection is good. Also, how is the new M-Audio product..its called Firewire Solo.. it has a xlr in plus a guitar line in..and in the back it has 1/4 inch ins and outs..does that look like my solution to hook up the mixe/tubepre to? thanks to all in advance
 
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