Question about the new pre-amp i bought. (ART APS ii)

[ArtisoverStudio]

I was using it for the first time this evening with just a guitar plugged right into the input, is it normal to get a grainy buzzy sort of sound when doing this? Is this preamp more for mics?

 

[Steenamaroo]

Could you check the name of the preamp, or type out a link please?

The only APS II I can find is by audix, but it's a phantom power supply.
On the off chance that this is what you have, DONT plug a guitar into it.

 

[ArtisoverStudio]

Could you check the name of the preamp, or type out a link please?

The only APS II I can find is by audix, but it's a phantom power supply.
On the off chance that this is what you have, DONT plug a guitar into it.

Go to sweetwater(dot)com and search for ART TPS ii, i would link but i can't yet because this is my first post.
I meant TPS not APS

 

[Steenamaroo]

Gotcha. Thanks for that.

I wasn't being picky; I just didn't know the product line well enough to make the jump.



Anyways, that unit has instrument inputs, so the short answer is no. It's not normal to get a grainy buzzy sound.


What's your whole signal path. What does the preamp plug into, etc.
Does it work ok with a microphone?

Is the guitar and cable ok? Sound fine plugged into an amp?

Do both channels of the preamp sound the same?

I don't see any switch to select between mic/line level, but have a check and make sure.
Some units have this, and some don't.

 

[ArtisoverStudio]

Gotcha. Thanks for that.

I wasn't being picky; I just didn't know the product line well enough to make the jump.



Anyways, that unit has instrument inputs, so the short answer is no. It's not normal to get a grainy buzzy sound.


What's your whole signal path. What does the preamp plug into, etc.
Does it work ok with a microphone?

Is the guitar and cable ok? Sound fine plugged into an amp?

Do both channels of the preamp sound the same?

I don't see any switch to select between mic/line level, but have a check and make sure.
Some units have this, and some don't.

I just tried it with a microphone it sounds fine just what i expected, great warmth.
It might be the cables, i was using balanced patch cables to plug in my guitar since i am loaning out my guitar cords. my signal is guitar into channel one of the preamp, preamp connect with an xlr into a M-audio pro-fire 2626.

 

[Steenamaroo]

I can't say for certain if a balanced cable would make any difference, but it's definitely worth trying an unbalanced cable to rule it out.

How does channel 2 sound with the guitar? just the same?

 

[ArtisoverStudio]

I didn't try the second channel, i will tomorrow.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Cool.

Try that,
an unbalanced cable,
and the guitar into an amp.

These problems are usually a case of ruling things out one by one.

 

[moresound]

Is your guitar active? Don't know if that makes a difference it just came to mind.

 

[RecordingMaster]

What voicing did you have it on? This has some presets are are "suggested" to use on a given source. Be that percussion, voice, guitar, etc, as I'm sure you've noted just by looking at the main knob in the middle. Did you have it on a "warm" setting? That's ART's way of saying they're trying to emulate a real tube sound by adding certain noise artifacts/distrotion to the signal to color it to give it a similar sound a real tube pre amp might. Try the neutral settings if you haven't already (all of them, screw the suggestions). Also, check your gain settings and such. You could be overdriving the gain knob (and/or have the +20 db gain switch pushed in) and have the output knob too low, in order to get a reasonable level on your DAW. Read it's manual on "Getting the best noise performance out of the ART TPS II). They'll give you step by step on what to start adjusting first, in order to dial in your tone of choice. At least that's what they do in the manual for the ART PRO MPA II, which I own (and haven't had any issues with overdriven DI guitars, unless I purposefully overdrive it).

The IS a combo jack on the front saying mic/instrument, so that means it SHOULD be okay to DI a guitar into there. Usually, though, there is some sort of button on these things to tell it whether you're plugging in a mic to that jack or an instrument.

When all else fails, get in touch with Yorkville sound (they own ART) and ask a tech on the phone. They speak real English and ACTUALLY know a thing or two about the gear they manufacture!

Good luck!

 

[Steenamaroo]

They speak real English and ACTUALLY know a thing or two about the gear they manufacture!

Good luck!

Even english people don't speak real English anymore.

Great post though.

 

[moresound]

Great lines in Airplane .....




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