M
TruBLUE
New member
Ignoring the rest of you people
how did i miss that. That is the type of answer i was looking for thankz
What do you mean am I doing any Jay-Z?
how did i miss that. That is the type of answer i was looking for thankz
What do you mean am I doing any Jay-Z?
Justsomeguy
Quiet is the new Loud
i've never seen so much unnecessary attitude on this forum ever..... infact, even GS wouldn't stand for it
and for what it's worth, i have tried this. when i first started out i had one XLR to TRS cable which i borrowed from somebody and was going: mic (PG58) ---> Maudio audio buddy ---> line in on the computer sound card. it worked fine. I then got hold of an XLR to XLR cable and saw some difference but still not huge. then added an maudio audiophile firewire so was then: going mic ---> audiobudy ---> audiophile ---> computer via firewire and never looked back. the level of hiss compared to my previous efforts was soooooooooooo different (in that i went from having ALOT to having none!) and all of a sudden there seemed to be more depth to the sounds i was recording.
and for what it's worth, i have tried this. when i first started out i had one XLR to TRS cable which i borrowed from somebody and was going: mic (PG58) ---> Maudio audio buddy ---> line in on the computer sound card. it worked fine. I then got hold of an XLR to XLR cable and saw some difference but still not huge. then added an maudio audiophile firewire so was then: going mic ---> audiobudy ---> audiophile ---> computer via firewire and never looked back. the level of hiss compared to my previous efforts was soooooooooooo different (in that i went from having ALOT to having none!) and all of a sudden there seemed to be more depth to the sounds i was recording.
M
moresound
Loud Sun Studios
Rutting season!
Justsomeguy
Quiet is the new Loud
Ah, that would explain it
Steenamaroo
...
If that's the answer you were looking for, then you lack some serious conversational skills TruBLUE.
Ido has correctly answered the question "which is better, interface with built in preamp, or interface with external preamp"
by saying they're both fine.
I don't believe that's what you were really asking any way.
Isn't one of the things that ido listed.
I notice he didn't attempt to correct you at any point though;
Maybe it was the type of answer you were looking for, in that respect.
Last edited:
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
Actually, I have Blue. Dynamic mics trying to track harmonica. And if you fit a mic that wants phantom power, that ain't avaiable on the TRS input, only the XLR. Sure there's a workaround for that but you still ain't gonna like the results. You assume too much Weedhopper. If I comment on something, I HAVE tried it or own it or whatever. Have a nice day. YMMV.
mjbphotos
Moderator
Soundblaster cards (despite their own hype) are designed for gamers, not recording musicians. How to tell if your PCI card is possibly suitable for recording = does it have XLR inputs?
ollie99
New member
with only 28 posts TB has somehow managed to annoy me, I'm not sure why but anyway - I havent a clue to your question, Im not even exactly sure what a TRS input is.
c7sus
Disenfranchised Member
Actually, you aren't giving enough information to make any judgement either way.
What do you mean by "amp"? Preamp? Mixer? Powered PA?
Which soundcard are you talking about?
Your snotty attitude isn't helping either.
bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
If you want to be understood then don't use ambiguous terminology.
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
Both TRS and XLR are capable of carrying a balanced audio signal at either line level or mic level. The norm is that TRS is used for line and XLR for mic but this is just the norm--everything else being equal, there's no audio difference between TRS and XLR.
The thing is, everything else is NOT usually equal. Microphone level is generally 40-60dB lower than line level and therefore requires the pre amp you mention. Line level is way hotter than mics and will seriously overload the input if you plug it into a mic pre amp.
However, it would be highly unusual to have any decent mic with a TRS or TS jack on it--and just as unusual to have a pre amp or an audio interface with a quarter inch socket on a mic input. As noted above, the TS/TRS sockets on interfaces are generally for line level or instrument level sources.
One thing in your original post stood out by the way--mention of an external pre amp and A to D pus your internal sound card. If you use a proper external interface, the internal sound card is completely left out of the system (and, if it's an X-Fi extreme, that's a good thing because it's a gamer's card which is seriously rubbish for any recording purposes).
The thing is, everything else is NOT usually equal. Microphone level is generally 40-60dB lower than line level and therefore requires the pre amp you mention. Line level is way hotter than mics and will seriously overload the input if you plug it into a mic pre amp.
However, it would be highly unusual to have any decent mic with a TRS or TS jack on it--and just as unusual to have a pre amp or an audio interface with a quarter inch socket on a mic input. As noted above, the TS/TRS sockets on interfaces are generally for line level or instrument level sources.
One thing in your original post stood out by the way--mention of an external pre amp and A to D pus your internal sound card. If you use a proper external interface, the internal sound card is completely left out of the system (and, if it's an X-Fi extreme, that's a good thing because it's a gamer's card which is seriously rubbish for any recording purposes).
Bristol Posse
Okey Dokey
Looking at my three flavors of my mic pres, none of them have TS/TRS inputs only XLR
The mic pre inputs on my RME interface are XLR
The mic pre inputs on my M-audio interface are XLR
The inputs on my Black Lion stand alone pre are XLR
Plugging a dynamic mic into the line (TRS) inputs on the two interfaces sounds bad because the signal needs about 60 dB of gain added in the DAW which brings the noisefloor up into the audible range (think hiss and hum on every track). That is unless you are looking for a really hissy/hummy sound. If you want hiss and Hum plugging into the line inputs and adding tons of gain in the DAW would be exactly what you would need to ddo. Plugging a condenser mic into the line inputs was a complete failure as phantom power is not available and I was not able to get a usable signal at all
When using the stand alone pre I go in through the XLR inputs as that is the only kind available and come out through the TRS line outs ons into the TRS line ins on the Interface
The stand alone pre sometimes sound subjectively better as it is a colored pre and adds a different character than the more clean pres on the interface.
I like the standalone Pre's on vocals often as they can thicken/warm them up (except sometimes it doesn't sound so good and then I don't like it) however I almost never like them on Bass as it can make the low end too weighty (except when it just sounds perfect, then I like it). Sometimes standalone is better on guitar and sometimes not, it depends on what register I'm playing in, what else is going on in the song, what the vibe I'm after is, how much sleep I had the night before, whether I had one cup of coffee or four, If I had to fight with the kids to get them to school and so on. Audio would be so much easier if "Better" wasn't so subjective and internal to the mood and feelings of the individual
The mic pre inputs on my RME interface are XLR
The mic pre inputs on my M-audio interface are XLR
The inputs on my Black Lion stand alone pre are XLR
Plugging a dynamic mic into the line (TRS) inputs on the two interfaces sounds bad because the signal needs about 60 dB of gain added in the DAW which brings the noisefloor up into the audible range (think hiss and hum on every track). That is unless you are looking for a really hissy/hummy sound. If you want hiss and Hum plugging into the line inputs and adding tons of gain in the DAW would be exactly what you would need to ddo. Plugging a condenser mic into the line inputs was a complete failure as phantom power is not available and I was not able to get a usable signal at all
When using the stand alone pre I go in through the XLR inputs as that is the only kind available and come out through the TRS line outs ons into the TRS line ins on the Interface
The stand alone pre sometimes sound subjectively better as it is a colored pre and adds a different character than the more clean pres on the interface.
I like the standalone Pre's on vocals often as they can thicken/warm them up (except sometimes it doesn't sound so good and then I don't like it) however I almost never like them on Bass as it can make the low end too weighty (except when it just sounds perfect, then I like it). Sometimes standalone is better on guitar and sometimes not, it depends on what register I'm playing in, what else is going on in the song, what the vibe I'm after is, how much sleep I had the night before, whether I had one cup of coffee or four, If I had to fight with the kids to get them to school and so on. Audio would be so much easier if "Better" wasn't so subjective and internal to the mood and feelings of the individual
Last edited:
Jeff Ling
New member
There are 3 things to consider. Signal level, impedance, and signal carrying method. The output of a guitar or bass for example is instrument level, high impedance (z) and unbalanced (two wires). So in order for the guitar or bass to sound their best, you would need to have them feed something designed to accept an instrument level, high impedance, unbalanced signal (like a guitar amp input).
A professional microphone has an output level similar to a guitar, but is low impedance and balanced (three wires). It needs to feed a mic pre amp designed to accept microphone level, low impedance balanced signals.
In your case, if your mic has an XLR output, it's probably a professional low impedance balanced output and would sound great plugged into a mic pre amp, or at the very least be connected correctly.
Usually a mic with a TS output is an unbalanced high impedance consumer type and could be connect to an instrument input, but I'm not sure what you have if you've got a mic with a TRS output. If you check the specs for it and it's output impedance is between 50 and 600 ohms, it's low impedance and you'd treat like any other pro mic. If it's above say 10K ohms ore even much higher, it should be treated like an instrument output. Hope this helps...
A professional microphone has an output level similar to a guitar, but is low impedance and balanced (three wires). It needs to feed a mic pre amp designed to accept microphone level, low impedance balanced signals.
In your case, if your mic has an XLR output, it's probably a professional low impedance balanced output and would sound great plugged into a mic pre amp, or at the very least be connected correctly.
Usually a mic with a TS output is an unbalanced high impedance consumer type and could be connect to an instrument input, but I'm not sure what you have if you've got a mic with a TRS output. If you check the specs for it and it's output impedance is between 50 and 600 ohms, it's low impedance and you'd treat like any other pro mic. If it's above say 10K ohms ore even much higher, it should be treated like an instrument output. Hope this helps...
R
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
OK, here's the simple version, BLUE. Don't confuse the connector with what it's connecting. Either a TRS or XLR connector can be configured to send or receive either line level, or mic level. If you are plugging mic level output into line level input, the signal will be very weak and will suck. And yes, I have done it. If you plug line level output into a mic level input, you really can blow up a preamp or a speaker. And yes, I've done it. If you are plugging line level into line level or mic level into mic level, it works just fine, and it doesn't make a rat's ass bit of difference whether you use TRS or XLR. The only advantage of XLR is it's less likely to get pulled out accidentally, either partially or completely. And yes, I've done it.
c7sus
Disenfranchised Member
Don't forget that most of the dual XLR/TRS input designs only have phantom on the XLR, and that in most cases mic and instrument pres have different levels of gain available. i.e. the mic input usually offers higher gain potential.
As far as simple line-level connections the XLR and TRS are nominally equivalent.
The OP isn't giving enough info to get a meaningful answer. Obviously plugging a mic straight into a line input isn't going to give enough gain to get to a line-level signal unless you are talking about high-end mics, some of which come pretty damned close with the output off the mics' tube controller interface. The BLUE Bottle Rocket is rated to output +12dBV at 2.5Kohms--- 3.1vRMS! Well above nominal line-level for gear sold in the US. But it also requires phantom power so it needs a powered XLR input.
As far as simple line-level connections the XLR and TRS are nominally equivalent.
The OP isn't giving enough info to get a meaningful answer. Obviously plugging a mic straight into a line input isn't going to give enough gain to get to a line-level signal unless you are talking about high-end mics, some of which come pretty damned close with the output off the mics' tube controller interface. The BLUE Bottle Rocket is rated to output +12dBV at 2.5Kohms--- 3.1vRMS! Well above nominal line-level for gear sold in the US. But it also requires phantom power so it needs a powered XLR input.
guitaristic
prophet of Dave
This guy is such an epic passive-aggressive troll. 
guitaristic
prophet of Dave
I hear usb mics are really nice...you should look into them.
mjbphotos
Moderator
My Boss BR600 recorder has TRS mic inputs. 
When these were new Boss included an XLR-TRS adapter with them. You can find XLR-to-TRS cables at any shop that sells mic cables.
TruBLUE - hope you got SOME information you were looking for amongst all these replies!
When these were new Boss included an XLR-TRS adapter with them. You can find XLR-to-TRS cables at any shop that sells mic cables.TruBLUE - hope you got SOME information you were looking for amongst all these replies!
R
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
Of course, what C7 says is all true. Not all line levels or all mic levels were created equal. They are only nominal standards, and there's more than one standard. And of course, TRS inputs are not usually configured to supply the phantom power required by most condensers, and a few other oddballs.
I've got a Shure SM82, which produces line level output, but requires phantom power, so I usually have to use a separate phantom power supply. Good post, C7!