Using the dbx 386 for guitar

[peeler]

Probably an easy question for you guys...

I just bought a dbx 386 pre-amp and plan to use it mainly for vocals and drums, but will also use it from time to time for guitar. For guitar, I will want to use it in conjuction w/ my Johnson J-Station....

How should that chain be set up to give me the best BIG FAT guitar sound? Plug guitar into the dbx preamp or J-station 1st? The J-station does have a S/PDIF out. The dbx has two digital ins and outs (both S/PDIF & AES/EBU) or should I use the analog ins/outs?

I'm also using a digital mixer with all choices of inputs/outputs and hard disk recorder. Should I bypass the mixer completely if possible? Recorder does have S/PDIF and AES/EBU ins/outs. Mainly use TDIF connections for playback.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[John Sayers]

The Johnson pre are more suitable for guitar cos it will have a high impedence input (guitars are high impedence) you could use a DI (impedence matcher) into the 386 if you want to go to it first.

Cheers
John

 

[drstawl]

I use the POD in conjunction with the dbx 386 and I always plug my axe into the POD and the POD into the 386. Even if the POD had a digital out like it's pricey rack-mount cousin the POD Pro, the 386 only has digital OUTPUTS. No INPUTS!

 

[peeler]

no pun intended...

Thanks for the input. I stand corrected, drstawl... no DI. I guess I got a little carried away. Great box though...

 

[drstawl]

Hey: with a pre this nice it's easy to get carried away.
Even though I knew this factoid, I took one more look at the back panel and the manual just to make sure...