I know what preamps do, but when would you use them?
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- KVRAF
- 3086 posts since 4 May, 2012
Simple. To prepare a signal for a power amp; gain staging and such. Secondary use would involve over-driving them to impart their tonal characteristics on a signal.
The DI suggestion is well worth looking into for getting the cleanest signal into the box. General rule being active DI boxes for passive pickups and passive DI box for active pickups. It's worth doing a little research as DI boxes will also adjust the tone of the signal and there are various boxes for different tasks.
The DI suggestion is well worth looking into for getting the cleanest signal into the box. General rule being active DI boxes for passive pickups and passive DI box for active pickups. It's worth doing a little research as DI boxes will also adjust the tone of the signal and there are various boxes for different tasks.
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- KVRAF
- 1703 posts since 11 Nov, 2004 from Kansas City, MO
I know that, on my folk-rock album, the acoustic guitar sounds terrible. The reason is the signal wasn't loud enough going into the DAW, but when I boosted it, it also boosted the noise floor and I scultped it thinner than cat whiskers reducing the noise. A preamp will boost the signal so you don't have to boost it in the DAW and have the same problem I did.
"The Law speaks too softly to be heard amid the din of arms." -- Gaius Marius {Roman consul,soldier}
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- KVRist
- 32 posts since 25 Jul, 2020
Technically I could go straight into my Scarlett Solo - it even has phantom power... but I don't.
Some preamps are more than just preamps, and that's what I would recommend. I have a dbx 286s and it's fantastic.
It has phantom power, gain control, compression, gate, high & low enhancer, and a deesser.
What this means for real-world use is I can use it in either of two ways (and I do.)
I normally use it with everything engaged. While I give up some potential processing on the back end, it gives me production ready vocal recordings with no extra processing required. It just works, including the enhancer which is like having a low & high EQ control.
The other way to use it is to go more minimal. A bit more transparent. This allows me to do the processing in the box -- but I still get some moderate noise gating and a little bit of compression on the peaks.
The latter way is how I set it up when I am recording someone other than myself. I have just enough compression to control the range if they do anything unexpectedly loud.
One critical note is -- I use balanced cables. This brings the noise floor way down.
Anyhow, as others pointed out -- it's not NECESSARY to use a preamp. I could go straight into my audio interface and then use a nice channel strip like Waves Omni Channel.
But for me, getting the recording right on the way in means I don't have to do as much processing once inside... and that's the magic of a preamp.
I've also owned a tube preamp in the past and that colored the sound in an exciting way. So they're optional in most cases, but certainly a nice-to-have and potentially a critical part of your process if you like to work the way I do.
Some preamps are more than just preamps, and that's what I would recommend. I have a dbx 286s and it's fantastic.
It has phantom power, gain control, compression, gate, high & low enhancer, and a deesser.
What this means for real-world use is I can use it in either of two ways (and I do.)
I normally use it with everything engaged. While I give up some potential processing on the back end, it gives me production ready vocal recordings with no extra processing required. It just works, including the enhancer which is like having a low & high EQ control.
The other way to use it is to go more minimal. A bit more transparent. This allows me to do the processing in the box -- but I still get some moderate noise gating and a little bit of compression on the peaks.
The latter way is how I set it up when I am recording someone other than myself. I have just enough compression to control the range if they do anything unexpectedly loud.
One critical note is -- I use balanced cables. This brings the noise floor way down.
Anyhow, as others pointed out -- it's not NECESSARY to use a preamp. I could go straight into my audio interface and then use a nice channel strip like Waves Omni Channel.
But for me, getting the recording right on the way in means I don't have to do as much processing once inside... and that's the magic of a preamp.
I've also owned a tube preamp in the past and that colored the sound in an exciting way. So they're optional in most cases, but certainly a nice-to-have and potentially a critical part of your process if you like to work the way I do.
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- KVRer
- 15 posts since 26 Aug, 2020
A very nice guitar preamp is the "Chandler Limited germanium"
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- KVRian
- 1342 posts since 8 May, 2018 from Sweden
Technically, even if you just go straight into the audio interface, you're going through a preamp. If the audio interface has a Mic level input, it also has a preamp built in. Otherwise the input would be extremely quiet. Of course such prempas are designed to be as transparent as possible and are not meant to "color" the sound.Junkyard Sam wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2020 4:45 am Anyhow, as others pointed out -- it's not NECESSARY to use a preamp. I could go straight into my audio interface and then use a nice channel strip like Waves Omni Channel.
Take a single oscillator, producing a drone. Send it to the wave shaper, altering the tone.
This can be a triangle, Sawtooth or a square. Modulate the pulse width, nobody will care
This can be a triangle, Sawtooth or a square. Modulate the pulse width, nobody will care
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- KVRian
- 503 posts since 24 Nov, 2008
When you're playing you guitar and you want to sound anywhere from Beatles to Sting.
I have the ART sgx 2000 dial up effects for sale btw.
I have the ART sgx 2000 dial up effects for sale btw.
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- KVRian
- 631 posts since 10 Jan, 2017
