Problems with my ART Tube Preamp

Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 1:46 pm

I just bought an ART Tube MP Studio V3 preamp, and am plugging it into the "line in" input on my computer. It just came in yesterday, and for the ten minutes I had to play with it I was micing my acoustic guitar. I got a great signal. Today I plugged my electric guitar directly into it, and it was barely giving me any gain. I bumped up the input and output so much so that the VU meter was maxing out and my clip/limit light was red. I didn't do this for long so I wouldn't damage it, but you get the idea, the thing was cranked up. Although I was getting some sound in my recording program (Reaper), the ideal volume level is 12, and the highest I could get was about 6. I tried micing my acoustic just as I did yesterday, and I'm having the same problem. The Line In volume bar on my soundcard software is maxxed as well. Any ideas?

Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 4:17 pm

Check the conection: preamp -> card

Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 8:01 pm

Did you turn it off between uses? I bought the same product, connected it to my mixer instead of directly to my sound interface. It had good level for the first 8 hours of operation. I just left it on overnight and the next day I had at least 20db of decreased gain.
Send it back.

Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 10:19 pm

I don't have that pre, but I bought a Tubepac recently. It worked fine for 10 or 15 minutes testing the first night I had it. Next night, would hardly put out any signal. I noticed if I jiggled the gain knob, it would sort of cut in and out. I ordered a replacement which worked perfectly. I then opened up the faulty unit, took out the tube, didn't see anything else obviously wrong, put the tube back in...fired it up, and perfect since then. I'm guessing the tube wasn't seated well in its socket. Might try that trick out. Couldn't hurt! Andy

Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 3:15 pm

Thanks for the input. It actually ended up being a bad cable.

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