Preamp question

[fris9]

Currently I'm recording using M-Powered Pro Tools, a Mackie mixer as pre's, and into a Firewire 1814 interface. My question is, would I hear a significant increase in quality when i record drums if I upgraded to an 8 channel preamp to run the drums through rather than my Mackie mixer? I don't have a ton of money to spend, so just wondering at what point buying a preamp would give me better sound than what I'm using.

 

[M10K]

Stick with what you have unless you are just completely dissatisfied. Why needlessly spend money on yet another piece of inexpensive gear?

 

[bilco]

Stick with what you have unless you are just completely dissatisfied. Why needlessly spend money on yet another piece of inexpensive gear?

+1

We all buy more gear because we hear the ideal sounds of the pro recordings that we grew up with in our heads and we think we can match that. The truth is unless you have a pro sounding room and the seasoned ears of an engineer, the additional gear is just not going to deliver the sonic quality that you are after. In spite of the bashing it gets, I think Mackie gear is good, solid, usable gear. Go with what you have and save your money. If you reach a point where you want whatever project you are working on to sound pro, go into a well respected local studio and do it right. They have the gear and the ears to get the sounds you are striving for.

bilco

 

[jdier]

Currently I'm recording using M-Powered Pro Tools, a Mackie mixer as pre's, and into a Firewire 1814 interface. My question is, would I hear a significant increase in quality when i record drums if I upgraded to an 8 channel preamp to run the drums through rather than my Mackie mixer? I don't have a ton of money to spend, so just wondering at what point buying a preamp would give me better sound than what I'm using.

I do not think it would be significant at all.

 

[jaybriggs84]

If you want to get a real noticable difference on 8 channels you would have to spend quite a bit of money, and if your room acoustics, mics, or source sounds aren't top notch then a preamp isn't going to make your recordings that much better.

 

[yaknski]

If you want to get a real noticable difference on 8 channels you would have to spend quite a bit of money, and if your room acoustics, mics, or source sounds aren't top notch then a preamp isn't going to make your recordings that much better.

What jaybriggs said! Work on tuning the drums, treating the room with what you have (blankets, etc) and mic placement.