How to feed a preamp with line level signal?

Farshad · 30th May 2007

Hi guys,

I am wondering how you feed a preamp with a line leve signal to add some character to it. Is it always necessary to use a pad or you can basically lower the output volume? Will also a lin eleve signal ruin a preamp?

An comments would be much appreciated.

Farview · 30th May 2007

You could just lower the gain on the preamp if you can turn it down far enough. If the preamp has a pad, use it. A direct box could help.
You won't hurt anything.

Farshad · 30th May 2007

Thank you for the reply Jay,

Sure I can turn up the gain on my preamp. How about turing the volume of the line level feeding the preamp down?

Cheers

AlexLakis · 30th May 2007

Check out the Shure ATTY. Great tool! thumbsup

Barnabas · 30th May 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farshad

Sure I can turn up the gain on my preamp. How about turing the volume of the line level feeding the preamp down?

Cheers

Yes, you can change the gain on the line-level source.

poncival · 30th May 2007

How about a nice direct box before the preamp?

Farshad · 31st May 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by poncival

How about a nice direct box before the preamp?

Will it sound better this way?

Cheers

Farview · 31st May 2007

You can turn down the source, but then the preamp will be bringing it back up to where it was, so there isn't any point. In addition, you would be raising the noise floor by doing that.

The DI would be the standard way for sending a line level signal into a preamp.

Farshad · 31st May 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farview

You can turn down the source, but then the preamp will be bringing it back up to where it was, so there isn't any point. In addition, you would be raising the noise floor by doing that.

The DI would be the standard way for sending a line level signal into a preamp.

Hi, Thanks for the clarification. I want to use the pre mainly to colour the sound. Seems the DI is the way to go.

Cheers

Farview · 31st May 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farshad

Hi, Thanks for the clarification. I want to use the pre mainly to colour the sound. Seems the DI is the way to go.

Cheers

If you get a good passive DI, that could color the sound as well.

There is nothing wrong with just plugging it into the preamp and turning the gain down. Any color or saturation would happen at a certain signal level, not a certain knob position.

mixerguy · 31st May 2007

If I were you, I'd skip the preamp, and save up, and buy a FATSO

just a thought...

Farshad · 31st May 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by mixerguy

If I were you, I'd skip the preamp, and save up, and buy a FATSO

just a thought...

Well FATSO is an interesting idea but I already have two channels of SCA N72 (Neve) which sound wonderful on my mic.

Farshad · 31st May 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farview

If you get a good passive DI, that could color the sound as well.

There is nothing wrong with just plugging it into the preamp and turning the gain down. Any color or saturation would happen at a certain signal level, not a certain knob position.

Hi,

I do not have any DI right now. Any recommendations?

30th May 2007	#1
Farshad Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,331 Thread Starter	How to feed a preamp with line level signal? Hi guys, I am wondering how you feed a preamp with a line leve signal to add some character to it. Is it always necessary to use a pad or you can basically lower the output volume? Will also a lin eleve signal ruin a preamp? An comments would be much appreciated. __________________ Apogee Rosetta 200, Lexicon PCM91, DSI Evolver, Microwave XTK, Kurzweil K2661, Alesis Fusion 8HD, Yamaha TG77, Roland JD990/D550, Korg 01R/W, SCA N72s

30th May 2007	#2
Farview Gear addict Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 387	You could just lower the gain on the preamp if you can turn it down far enough. If the preamp has a pad, use it. A direct box could help. You won't hurt anything. __________________ Jason 'Jay' Walsh Farview Recording - And check out Farview's Rock Drum samples for Drumagog exclusively at the Drumagog store!!!

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30th May 2007	#4
AlexLakis Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Annapolis, MD/Los Angeles, CA Posts: 3,631	Check out the Shure ATTY. Great tool! thumbsup

30th May 2007	#6
poncival Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 685	How about a nice direct box before the preamp?

31st May 2007	#8
Farview Gear addict Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 387	You can turn down the source, but then the preamp will be bringing it back up to where it was, so there isn't any point. In addition, you would be raising the noise floor by doing that. The DI would be the standard way for sending a line level signal into a preamp.

31st May 2007	#11
mixerguy Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 4,002	If I were you, I'd skip the preamp, and save up, and buy a FATSO just a thought...