Pre Amps Vs Mixer

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sansarin

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the main reason i liked the look of using the 8 channel pre amps with my delta was because my computer has space for 3 more delta cards and then i could just add another 8 channel pre and do all the eqing etc on the computer... or is this a bad idea and a better way with mixers that will be studio quality?
 
Well, it depends on how you want to do it, I suppose. Actually, either way is fine. However, it has been my experience that in order to get the same quality sound out of a mixer you have to spend way more money than the pre's. You see, mixers ARE pre's. Along with other "bells and whistles" such as eq and such. They also include (usually) Aux's and busses, etc. All of which you are paying for.

Now you might decide you need all of the "extras" that a mixer carries. However, all I'm saying is, you could probably get better pre's if you bought them as stand-alones (for the same amount of money).
 
yeh cool.. i have a FMR RNP for Vocals but i n eed a 8 channel one for recording drums (and only drums) so they have 8 direct outs.. what do you reccommend? some people says the behringer ada8000! do you suggest anything else? i have roughly under $500
 
mixers work just fine for home recording

I bought a Mackie DFX 12 mixer and i used the preamps for vocals all the time. I think the vocals come out excellent. I use an M Audio Nova condensor to the Mackie, then to the Br1180CD. They come in clear, full, and crisp. I think unless you have a pro recording studio, a decent mixer with decent pre's is all you need, sure when I get all the other things I need I will probably buy a dedicated pre for vocals, but until then I am really happy with my DFX12.
 
cool think ill just get the Behringer (good price) cos it compares similar to the Octave by M Audio which i dont think much different will be between them. what else you thinking of investing in?
 
Be careful of Behringer equipment, they are known to cause unwanted white noise and cheap sounding electronic coloring, and they also have cheap hardware thats known to break. My parent's church used Behringer mixers and power supplies (Eurorack I believe, the top of the line Behringer ones) and they had multiple ones break until they just gave up and bought professional brand mixers and power.
 
so you think to crash out more than double the price on a similar m audio octave?
 
Well, I won't tell you what to do, but I personally wouldn't buy a Behringer pre amp. I would buy a Behringer direct box, patch bay, headphone amp, or something that I know won't really affect the quality of my recording, but not a compressor, mixer, pre amp, or anything else that could cheapen my sound. A direct box is straight forward, so is a patch bay, but a cheap pre amp can box in your sound and ruin your recordings. I am using an inexpensive $300 mackie, but when I do spend money on a pre amp I will most likely be getting the DMP3. Its only $175.00 I think , and i only hear good things about it.

EDIT: I see you are looking for an 8 preamp unit. I wouldn't know where to point you on that one. Anything you buy with 8 preamps thats worth using is going to pretty expensive. I guess you should mention how much money you are willing to sepnd, because with a tighter budget you could get a decent analog mixer with good pre's. But if you have plenty of money then there are tons of options.

Couldn't you get a a decent mixer with lots of pre's for the everything but vocals, and then bhuy a dedicated pre just for vocals. For instance if you bought a yamaha MG16 you would get the 8 channels of decent pre's, and then you could buy a dmp3 for vocals or something similarly priced.
 
sansarin said:
ok cool. btw whats a patchbay?
Click to expand...

Just a piece of hardware that works as a go between for multiple inputs and outputs. Its easier to keep track of everything with a patch bay.
 
sansarin said:
so you think to crash out more than double the price on a similar m audio octave?
Click to expand...
What makes you think it's similar? Just because it has the same number of pres does not make it similar. I would be looking at a Soundcraft M8, eight decent pres with direct outs plus a decent EQ section. The other box I'd want to look at would be the Studio Projects SP828.
 
Ditto, Definately forget the Behringer!
You will only be dissapointed that you'll NEVER get a decent sounding drum recording. Even the Maudio is not there, but it's way better, and well worth it!
 
oh the studio projects one looks nice... it have 8 direct outs? im looking for just a pre line up rather than a mixer with pres. i want to do all the eqing etc on computer... the behringer and m audio were the only 2 8 channel pre amps that i found in uk.. do you think the studio projects one will out run both of them? is there any others better? i also like the idea on the pres so i can buy another one or 2 when i buy more deltas as my new computer holds up to 6. just so i dont need to keep upgrading mixer when i get more money..
 
I don't get your fixation with mixers. You could add another Soundcraft M8 for each Delta too. I have not come across that SP yet but the specs look great and there was a lot of hype around about it.
 
I imagine the SP would be a pretty special set of pres. I chose a second hand M12 and think its pretty decent, a big step up from what I have had previously.
 
basically im not the best with setting eqs so i thought if i got a good pre line up i could just set it on the computer?

does anyone do this?

all studios do it before hand i think
 
As I just said in the other thread on this, there's no one fixed way. If you want to have an option of it, buy preamps with EQ. A lot of preamps with EQ all in one box is called a mixer. There you have it.

I'm off to bed now ... don't even think about making 50 posts on your 2nd day of membership like you did your first ... cos I won't get my exam revision done! ;)
 
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