In my studio I have a mic preamp connected into my aw 2816. I am considering upgrading my pre, but I started to wonder if the built-in pre's on the yamaha will detract from whatever high-quality unit I buy. I currently turn down the gain as low as possible on the aw, but there still may be an effect. Does anyone know for certain about this situation? By the way, I don't think it's possible to avoid going through the pre's on the aw.