Should you use preamps for micing a drumset?

[RFrecordings]

This could be the stupidest question of all time, but this is what this forum's for right?

I was planning on running the 7-8 mics I use into a 8-channel preamp, and then running the two overhead mics further through a compressor before going back to the mixer.

Is it neccesary to run the drum mics into preamps or should I record them without any preamps at all?

 

[XLR]

Yes. Mic's need preamps to raise their signal before going into a line level input.

Tim

 

[MadAudio]

I think the main question for me is - are you going from the preamp and then to your mixer berfore recording?

If so you should bypass the mixer altogether and take the outs from the preamp straight into the soundcard. That's what I do with my Octane.

And unless you really have a pressing need to compress the overheads on the way in, I'd try compressing them on the mix.

 

[MadAudio]

Of course, I'm assuming you have a multi-channel soundcard.