Preamps for drums

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pierreantoine

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Hi,

I'd like to know how do you guys record drums. Are you using a different preamp for each mic or? A multichannel preamp? Or just through a soundcard? I'm actually just going through an Alesis Firewire 16 Mixer and I am wondering if it is worth the money to run all my mics through a multichannel mixer. I am looking for the Presonus Digimax FS but I've never tried any preamp so I don't really know if there would be a noticable difference.

Thanks for taking the time to answer!
 
I'm not familiar with the gear you mention, so I can't compare it to my setup. But I have an Octane--which is an 8 channel preamp (8 channels of DMP3). The Octane feeds into my interface via ADAT. But my interface also has 8 channels of its own, so I'll often use other pres in addition to the Octane. Maybe I want something tubey on the overheads, or I wanna play with some compression on the kick--then i'll use other pres.
 
You mean that the Octane features the same preamps as the DMP3?
 
white strat... slightly off topic, but what interface are you using?
 
NewAgeMuttLange said:
white strat... slightly off topic, but what interface are you using?
Click to expand...

TASCAM 1804. It's firewire with 8 pres, 8 inserts and the ADAT in. For the longest time, it was all I had--so it was my interface and preamp. But as I've expanded it just keeps up--I really like it. I've got other pres patched into the 8 inserts and the Octane in the ADAT. So while I don't use if for preamps anymore, it gives me 16 solid ins.
 
back to the octane.. if i wanted inserts on all 8 channels.. would I use the pre-amp outs and the line ins?
 
I use 4 channels of Re-built Yamaha PM-1000 for my drums. Best pres I have tried for drums yet. Just kick, snare, and 2 overheads and it sounds great!
 
I don't like using mixers anymore because if you get a mic preamp with enough inputs you can just use the computer mixer and mix everything on there track by track.

I use the PreSonus Firepod. It's great. 8 mic inputs that can all connect to almost any software (except pro tools, I use logic).

I recommend that if you want 1 preamp for all your drums. It's only about $400 and comes with Cubase LE for free.
 
It seems like the DMP3 is a very popular stereo preamp so I've looked for this product and I found that the Bluetube from Presonus kind of the same. My boss at the store where I work lent me the preamp so I can see what it does vs. my mixer's preamps. I'll you updated about the result!
 
I'll keep you updated about the result! My mistake... Haha.
 
Well... the BlueTube didn't make much improvement. I don't know if it's because I'm going throught the preamp than into my mixer but I don't think so. I couldn't get much difference between the solid state path and the tube path. Maybe I should have tried that on guitars, basses or vocals but on drums (bass drum, snare, overheads) I haven't been getting any improvement. Maybe it's the mics because I don't have very high quality mics (Shure Performance Drum Pack) though they get the job done. Anyways it seems to me that my mixer's preamp sound quite the same. Maybe changing the mics will be a better idea than going for a preamp for now.
 
pierreantoine said:
Well... the BlueTube didn't make much improvement. I don't know if it's because I'm going throught the preamp than into my mixer but I don't think so. I couldn't get much difference between the solid state path and the tube path. Maybe I should have tried that on guitars, basses or vocals but on drums (bass drum, snare, overheads) I haven't been getting any improvement. Maybe it's the mics because I don't have very high quality mics (Shure Performance Drum Pack) though they get the job done. Anyways it seems to me that my mixer's preamp sound quite the same. Maybe changing the mics will be a better idea than going for a preamp for now.
Click to expand...

Don't be surprised. At that price point, you're not going to hear much difference in preamps. I know preamps are worshipped as the holy grail of recording, but the differences are best described as subtle and cumulative--not great "Alleluia" moments...

And at the lower price points the differences are even less noticeable. With great instruments, great mics, and a great room--it's worth worrying a bit about preamps. But not really until then.

Case in point: I spent some time & money acoustically treating my recording and mixing space. I can get better sounding recordings out of the treated space with the pre's in my old Behringer mixer, than I could with my very best outboard preamps in the old untreated space.

Don't sweat the preamps yet. Make your performance and your room sound as good as possible, and you'll be amazed at the improvement in your recordings--even with the pres in your mixer.
 
pierreantoine said:
It seems like the DMP3 is a very popular stereo preamp so I've looked for this product and I found that the Bluetube from Presonus kind of the same. My boss at the store where I work lent me the preamp so I can see what it does vs. my mixer's preamps. I'll you updated about the result!
Click to expand...

i'll take the dmp3 over the bluetube any day. i think the difference is considerable.

but that's just an aside; everything whitestrat is telling you is aces!
 
I don't like using mixers anymore because if you get a mic preamp with enough inputs you can just use the computer mixer and mix everything on there track by track
Click to expand...

yea, but properly used, a mixer can also be handy as hell for monitoring, routing, and talkback capabilities while tracking...i know some of these features are being built into rack-mount units now, but i much prefer having a mixer at my fingertips
 
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