BeeryBobb, one of the reasons why the Great River sounds like your Mackie is because you are plugging a microphone preamp into a microphone preamp. (Can you say gay sex? Now let me tell you, a lot of my friends are gay and no matter how hard they try, they don't seem to be able to produce any children that way. You're doing the same thing. Do your parents know this?) So take your Great River, directly into your MOTU 2408, 1/4" TRS balanced line inputs, which is what you should be doing. You need to take the output of the Great River XLR output to a 1/4" TRS adapter cord, which you might have to make or purchase, to the MOTU line input. You should only monitor through the Mackie. Then, you might hear some difference? Because you are not taking the output of your Great River directly into your recording interface input but through your Mackie, it's going to sound like the Mackie. Stands to reason doesn't it?

So please promise me something? Don't plan on going to the moon anytime soon. I don't think you're ready? Besides, you're supposed to sit on top of the rocket not underneath.

Fly me to the moon da da dee da deedle do.....
Ms. Remy Ann David

Woah! thanks so much for the information and the quick response! this actually.. makes sense! never thought of it like that. thanks alot i'll post an update

btw Do you think i'll hear a big difference between the board pre and the GR? or am i just dreaming? :D

BeeryBobb, I think it could be better expressed as beauty is in the eye of the but holder, with the equipment? With some equipment, you hear extraordinary differences when A/B'd to one another. We have all done some kind of shootouts of some kind or another in the hopes of being able to identify the quality aspects of what you're listening to. And, if that is the desired end result? I love my API and Neve preamps and consoles. I think they sound much better to me, then something else that might actually have better specifications and/or a cleaner brighter, more transparent, thin, crunchy, blah blah sound. I like the classic sounding stuff over the more state-of-the-art sounding stuff and I was lucky in obtaining this wonderful stuff. Is it worth the difference for you? Only those 2 funny looking things on either side of your head can determine that. Plus, depending on genre, you don't necessarily want the same flavor every day, regardless of specifications and/or character. Although I've never complained when all I had to use is my 36 input vintage Neve console. I've never felt that I needed to sample anything else (even though I have 20 API preamps at my disposal that regularly get used) when I mastered this particular "instrument". I've made beautiful recordings on the worst, broken, 20-year-old Peavey PA consoles, Mackie's, Beringer's, Allen & Heath's.

And then there's that snob factor. But I don't know if you're Manley enough to admit that? I've Neve r given it API second thought? But getting an excellent piece of equipment Fern your studio arsenal, can make you feel like a Neumann! I just don't think it's so Great to fall into this new River of equipment because you Royer know where it's going to go? I'm really Sony that you're not getting the desired sound you want.

Watching air molecules exhibit neurotic tendencies
Ms. Remy Ann David

But I don't know if you're Manley enough to admit that? I've Neve r given it API second thought? But getting an excellent piece of equipment Fern your studio arsenal, can make you feel like a Neumann! I just don't think it's so Great to fall into this new River of equipment because you Royer know where it's going to go? I'm really Sony that you're not getting the desired sound you want.

Wow, Remy! I've long been a fan of your witty turn of phrase, but THAT was a work of art!! 8-)

8-) 8-) 8-)