I currently own a PreSonus firestudio...a AKG perception 200...3 sm57's and a Shure beta 57. I can actually make a good mix since ive been recording for over 5 years...and am a junior in college for music industry. I think its time i step it up and get a good preamp. My question is. should i spend a grand or two on a single channel preamp? or a grand or two on a multi-channel preamp...
And...this might be dumb..but whats the diference between running a mic through the preamp,into the PreSonus interface...into my DAW... VS...running the mic through the interface, into my daw, then from the daw, run it through the Preamp, back into the interface.
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And...this might be dumb..but whats the diference between runnin
And...this might be dumb..but whats the diference between running a mic through the preamp,into the presonus interface...into my DAW... VS...running the mic through the interface, into my daw, then from the daw, run it through the Preamp, back into the interface.
The former is using the preamp to ramp up the mic's signal to line level where you would work with it and record it, via the A/D of your Presonus, adding flavour from your nice preamp.
The latter is doing the same with the Presonus preamps then A/D. Even if you could then send back out from the DAW at a low enough level not to hurt your preamp, you would be re-amping the signal. Its not something you would ever do, it spoils the point of your nice preamp. (NB you might send back out to the line input of your preamps for tone in certain cases).
With a budget like this you have plenty of good choices - you can see the preamps I use in my sig, Great River or API would be a good choice, you can afford one of something really nice - there are 2-channel units just as good as 1-channel units within this price range, although you'll probably get better bang-for-buck with a 1-channel.
What you really need is a pro audio shop who will let you try a couple of these to get a feel for what they can do for you.
any quality mic pre (neve, api, mercenary, pendulum, avalon, inw
any quality mic pre (neve, api, mercenary, pendulum, avalon, inward connections) will do more for the microphone you choose to be using. my suggestion is to go with a killer converter as well. if this is what you want to be doing in life, making records, charging people for your services, then you need to get the goods to make great records and not provide a disservice to artists. be in the game? get the tools to play the game
A pre-amp boost the input signal to a line level. So you would
A pre-amp boost the input signal to a line level. So you would have to use the line inputs on the firestudio, does it have those? Sorry not in the know of that. Different mic pres are a nice to have as they can give you a variety of sonic flavours.
They question I would ask is : What sound are going for? Transparent, coloured etc..?