MacBook Pro with Seventh Circle Preamps?

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 6:25 pm

Hey guys, just wondering whether anyone is using seventh circle preamps with a MacBook Pro? i am contemplating an upgrade in a few months... and wondering what i would need to connect the preamp chasis to the macbook pro to have it working?? any advice would be great.

i am currently using my macbook pro with a Presonus FirePod and in contrary to the problems that many users have had in Windows Xp...the setup is pretty stable at my end... (if anyone is having problems using the FirePOD with a MacBook Pro (in bootcamp partition), feel free to get in touch with me and ill be happy to help).

cheers,
spiz

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 8:32 pm

i guess another way of asking is.... if i am going from the seventh circle pre amp then into the Presonus FirePOD to connect to the MacBook Pro via Firewire...

would i experience quality loss? or is there a product/s out there that would be able to assist in a single channel or multi channel enviroment...

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 8:36 pm

what are you worried about ?
quality loss ?

if the FirePod has a line input then the line out of the SC will be fine
just keep your gain structure correct
and be aware of unbal and balanced connections

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 4:56 am

Start by using the FP10 (FirePod) rear line inputs on channels 1 and 2. These by-pass the FP10's preamps. Use balanced cables from the SC preamp outputs, and beware of overdriving.

If you need more than two channels of external preamps, you will have to use the FP10 front panel combo inputs on channels 3 - 8, but note these will be coloured by the FP10's preamps, reducing the value of using the SCs.

If you are looking to get cleaner inputs to the Mac from the SC preamps, you need a good ADC or other digitizing interface in which you can by-pass any built-in mic preamps.

As a separate issue, when you say you are running this in the BootCamp partition on your MacBook Pro, do you mean you are booting Windows or are you running native Mac OS, in which case BootCamp is irrelevant?

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 8:40 am

You can just use the line ins for 1+2 on the back of the FP10 and then inputs 3-8 on the front are xlr/line in so you can use the LINE INS on the front without coloration from the preamps.

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 8:46 am

thanks for your info guys, i wasn't aware that the first 2 channels on the FP10 bypassed the pres (i never have been big on manuals either haha). I would ultimately want 8 channels down the track. if anyone can recommend a suitable product that would be great.

Yes that is correct, i am booting in Windows XP using Cubase LE.

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 11:07 am

The FP10 is 8 channels. You can use inputs 3-8 on the front for line ins as well

Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 4:02 am

Crankitup wrote:

The FP10 is 8 channels. You can use inputs 3-8 on the front for line ins as well

Yes, but that misses the point. The line ins on channels 3 - 8 are attenuated and run through the same pre-amps as the XLR microphone inputs, and so get the FP10 colour. The line ins on channels 1 and 2 double as effect returns and by-pass the pre-amps.

Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 2:36 am

I think Crankitup was only pointing out that the FP10 was capable of getting 8 channels in IF needed.

Ch 1 and 2 will bypass and so for basic overdubs will be the better way to go for just the colour of the external Pre-amp.

This is Budget stuff here and 8 channels of SC or similar will be worth more than the FP10.

Once there is more Mics and Mic-pres in the collection it may be time to look for a classier interface.

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