How to HOOK UP EXTERNAL PREAMPS to your INTERFACE
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- #recording #preamps #mixdownonline
How to HOOK UP EXTERNAL PREAMPS to your INTERFACE
Are external preamps right for you?
Why would someone choose to use external Preamps instead of the ones already built into their interface?
These are the questions we’re wrestling with in today’s video!
We’re going to discuss whether external Preamps are really necessary so you can decide for yourself.
And if you do want to use some external hardware, I’ll show you the best way to hook it up to your interface so you can get the most out of it!
Do you have a favorite external preamp or are the ones on your interface perfect for you?
Leave a comment and let me know!
Timestamp
00:00 Intro
1:18 Finding the outputs on your preamp
1:37 The 3 different types of inputs on your interface
3:22 The best cable for connecting your preamp
3:38 IMPORTANT! Setting the input level on your interface
5:40 Balanced vs unbalanced cables
6:17 Do you need external preamps?
8:00 How to maximize external preamp tone
9:10 Priorities for choosing mixing gear
9:50 Alternatives to external preamps
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I'm a big fan of your content. I have over 20 years of experience, but it's good to see others work. I learned quite a lot of new things from your materials. Keep it up !
Awesome! thanks for letting me know :)
you have no idea how much you have taught me with this video. THANK YOU SO MUCH
Thank You! Great video as usual. Uncanny, how every time I need info. on a particular recording/mixing problem, your amazing body of educational videos-never fail to address the problem in a nuanced, practical way. Bless for your Great contributiions.
Thanks for this! I hear a lot about external pre-amps and quality at the source but I’ve been struggling to put my finger on exactly what they do and why or why not. Helpful!
That bubbly break was hilarious
Thank you for your generous approach Chris, your info is helping me improve my recording skills.
Happy to help!
Well done...
I am using a Presonus StudioLive (32S) digital mixer for my interface and (so far after a year of use) I have not used the onboard mic pres. I like either my Allen Heath console pre amps or my Neve clone and API clone pre amps (Both Warm Audio clones). That's just my preference being more of an analog old school engineer.
I do think you point out some very useful info to people either starting out and also to people recording who have different needs. You make some very valid points to a wide range of both audio engineers and home studio owners. All the best and well done...
Phil
NYC Area
Thank you for the clear, concise information!
Thank you for reminding me about the mic vs. line input capabilities of the interface.
Thanks Chris. Very helpful. I have a UR44 interface and was trying to decide if I needed a preamp a few years ago. I met Greg Ondo at the Yahama booth at the AES show in NYC. He did not think it was necessary for what I am doing. Your explanation was very informative. (I met you there as well! Have a great day.)
Got that same interface, was wondering the same thing. What are you using it for? Can you tell me what Greg said about the UR44?
Great lesson about Cables also :)
Thanks man, for the clarity!!! Very important info!
Glad it was helpful!
This was another great video! I learned a few things, even about the UR-RT4 I own too. I’m still struggling with that interface from time to time…
Thank you for the knowledge.
Very thankful to you and my confusion is clear right in which you clearly told the character of preamp with interface
You're welcome!
Great video. Time saving, money saving, and overall excellent insights.
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Great! Thaks Chris.
thanks, that really made it clear
Great vid! Easy and straight forward.
Thanks!
Many good answers. I will buy a new (used) preamp UA 710 today. Cheers from Stockholm.
Hey Chris, great as usual. I just purchased my second Presonus Channel Strip. The first one I use for Linda's vocals. The second one will be for me and my guitars. When I can play again. I love the extra "color" I can achieve. Have a great rest of the week.
Hey bro! Cool stuff, channel strips are nice to record with. Hope for you to get back up playing soon! Still thankfull you're ok bro!
Great video 👍
thanks so much for the tip about connecting the pres to the interface using TRS cables and not XLR. Would have made that mistake for sure. Thanks!!
Thank you bro!!
this was a nice helpful video
Chris the Legend :) Thank you friend 👌💥®️
Chris, Awesome Video on using External Premaps , very very useful Video.
Glad it was helpful!
@@mixdownonline You are truly a Cubase Guru! Awesome Video Chris. Keep Rocking.
thank you king.. the difference between LINE LEVEL and TRS should be a great topic for another video..
Thank you for the great video. I have a question. I have guitar preamp with only TS line out. So, do I need a DI-BOX and XLR to TRS cable to connect preamp into line in of the interface?
Thank you for the informative video. Can you use any interface to connect a high end preamp as long as it has the connections?
excellent whenever I have any questions about hardware connection I always visit your channel I love your advice
I wanted to ask you a question, what model of mixer do you have behind? she looks very satisfied 💖
Chris thank you for your videos. You are the person i learned the most from since i only use cubase and you man are a guru at this. Also i have a faderport and your videos on that was super helpful. So as for this video, i have my external preamp connected with my interface with a trs to trs cable since my preamp has both outputs (xlr and be balanced trs). Is that a mistake? Should i get a jack to xlr like you did in this video?
Sorry, I just saw your comment. Your connection is OK, trs output from your premap to trs input on your interface is perfect.
Thanks heaps for the video 🙏🏽 can you connect golden age 73 preamp to apollo twin to get better mic quality ? cheers
Subbed 👌🏽
Hello. Thank you for the video. I have UR-RT4 and I just bought an external preamp. When I connect the output from the preamp to the line input slots of UR-RT4 (in front) it connects nice and quiet. But, when I connect it to the line input in the back, it has loud noise.
Are the line inputs in the back different? Why is this happening?
WOW, great info. Cheers from Canada. I have the old Apex AMM42 but there is hardly any sound when I use a Mic...but the same Mic works on the Behringer Eurorack UB1202...do I need a Mic Preamp to connect it to APEX AMM42?
Hi Chris, In the same vein. Can you advise me or do the same kind of video about what hardware you use Post production. I would like to know your thoughts about it. Thanks for everything you do man. You made me grew much over the years !
I'm planning on doing a Studio Tour video very soon. To be honest, I mainly mix In The Box but I use my stereo mix buss compressor on my mix buss that I like a lot, more on that on the video ;-)
Hey Chris quick question. I use a tascam series 102i & plan on getting the external preamp camden ec1. I would connect this by xlr to trs line input. I was notified that some interfaces don't let you bypass the preamp in the interface just down pad it. Can you school me on this or would this work fine in my situation to get the full potential of my preamp. I just want to make sure I'm doing it correctly. I don't have any other dedicated line inputs. So it seems to be my only option.
Good video. So now I just bought an analog compressor and how would I connect the analog compressor? Does it go from pre amp to compressor or audio interface to compressor?
For a small studio I recommend RNP and RNC.........Love them
Never tried them but heard good things
Hopefully this isnt a stupid question. But how necessary is a pre amp for someone who records at home but sends to a professional to mix? Especially with digital pre amps being a thing now. I'm currently recording on a SM7B mic and I use to latest interface by RME the babyface pro. Rap
Does an inexpensive Audio interface decrease the sound quality of a great pre amp? Also does the 4 db added rule apply to all line ins on all audio interfaces?
Thank you Chris for all this useful information! Definitely appreciate all your tips and advice. If you do have a moment, what recommendations would recommend for me; I currently use The Apollo Twin X QUAD and use the Neve 1073 preamp UAD plugin. (Recording in Cubase 10.5 Pro with an Neumann TLM 102) As of now only adjust the High Pass filter to 50Hz. Any tips and recommendations you might advice me to do while recording vocals?
Cool setup, the Apollo is a great audio interface. My suggestion is to start experimenting recording vocals with compression, but not too much, just a bit. You have to be careful when you're new at this, but it's worth experimenting and get use to this vibe :)
@@mixdownonline Awesome! Thanks for the feedback. I have been recording with some compression, currently using the Teletronix LA-2A. My gain being around 55 & Peak Reduction of 60.
Pluging in an external pre amp into the Apollo twin through TRS I heard that it doesn’t fulling by-pass the built in pre amps of the Apollo… is there any truth to this. Or all interfaces will be good to go as long as your going in line level 1/4 ? Thanks
Planning to get a single Seventh Circle Audio Neve 1073 clone preamp. Would it be alright to go out of the SCA pre into the XLR input of my Babyface Pro FS, so long as I leave the RME input gain to zero in totalmix, or would it still be reamping the signal? I could always use one of the two line inputs on the Babyface if that won’t work - just wondering if that’s my only option. (I also have a MOTU Ultralite mk4 sending 8 channels into Babyface’s ADAT, but I’d prefer to use RME’s better converters on the pre.)
Outboard preamp with or without an EQ section? I'm trying to figure this out for myself. What are the pros and cons of each in terms of recording and mixing? Thanks.
My preamp output pin is trs, i use audient id14 mkii is it alright to use trs pin output to xlr pin input? I use Dbx 286s
Glad you talk about this, what would you get the Vintech x73i or the BAE 1073mp ?
I never trie BAE 1073 but only heard very good things. After working with my V473 for more than 15 years, I never being dissapointed. I would pick the Vintech x73i since it has shelf EQ and also a Mid Eq that can be useful when recording
@@mixdownonline I appreciate your input as I saw your Vintech I was curios to know.
Have a great day Chris
Respect
How to set up an external effects like lexecon MX 200 with interface please ?
Great video Chris. One question: when you plug a TRS cable into your interface does it automatically bypass the preamp of the interface? I've heard it does not which is why you need to turn down the gain knob all the way as you mentioned. Thanks.
Nah for Audient you need the ID22 or ID44 to bypass the preamps.
Hello! I want to buy an Presonus Studio Channel for my Audient id4. Do u think i need an di boxes to don't damage the audio interface? Or i can pass directly to the Pressonus into Mic/Line ?
Do you know if I should set up my external preamp and or external compressor to +4 or -10, my understanding the +4 is for pro studio and -10 for consumer but not sure. Not sure if depends on the interface. I'm using a Scarlett 18i20 3rg Gen.
Art pro mpa 2 preamp.
Art pro vla 2 compressor. Thanks if anyone can clear it up for me.
Thanks for the terrific tutorial on connecting a pre amp to an audio interface. How do you monitor the vocal recording in your headphones? I can hear the playback fine with my headphones connected to the interface. However, I cannot hear myself while recording since the gain is turned down to zero on the interface. Thanks very much!
🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
Heyy, how to connect neve 1073 dpx neve 33609n compressor and id22 interface, and how to add analog de-esser to that setup?
Yo, if you have to turn the gain on your interface all the way down, this means it's still going thru the interface's mic preamp, despite what the combi jack makes you think. Interfaces with legit line inputs don't have any gain controls because they're already set to the correct line level, and you control the gain on your outboard pre. All the these new multijack input interfaces are dishonest about the gain structure happening inside.
Oh wow really? I guess it's no surprise. Ultimately, as long as it's sounding good tho eh? I was wondering about what to adjust the gain to on my scarlett 3rd gen interface. I'm running it in from a warm audio preamp, and I figure it's prob just fine as long as it's staying in the green on interface and sounds good.
I have an EVH 5150 preamp with a female AUX socket on the back that says "Pre Out". Would I connect an aux cable from that input to an audio interface that plugs into my PC to record my guitar?
my Audient asp800 does not have an XLR output or 1/4" output. I had always used an optical cable into the ADAT to connect to my Audient ID22 interface. The other day that stopped working and I'm trying to figure out how to do this?
Thank you, On the UR RT4 can you put an external preamp on the two line levels in the back and have six channels to record simultaneously?
Thank r
Yes you can :)
Hello! Do you know how I can connect two preamps to one interface? I already have one that works very well but I want to get another one that has a door and integrated de-eesser. I need it, search but can't find any information online, I really appreciate your help
Vintech rules. I got his preamps when I started and never looked back
can you show us how to use the eq from the mic pre in the mixing stage if possible
I never used this specific Preamp EQ (which are only a Low and High Shelf) on my side but I can make a video on how to use an External EQ with Cubase Pro no problem!
@@mixdownonline my thing is I have a mono heritage audio pre amp with eq. And a audient id44. I was trying to figure out how I can use the eq section on my mono sources but in the mixing stage. I couldn’t figure out the routing :( that would really help out man if you can show us. Even with the cables in the back lol
Can you use a balanced xlr male to male trs cable ?
Really a great video. Definitely it helps so many people. I have a question,
I also have Audient id 14 interface and Lewitt lct 440 pure condenser microphone. I want to buy a preamp for my studio for vocal and instrumental recording. So can you please help me regarding that?
I would go with a Pre Amp that has also an Output level. I'm working on a full gear guide for 2022
@@mixdownonline ok thank you very much
Hi! Can I connect a mixer or preamp to a usb interface with an rca cable?
Hi, Chris! Great video! Was wondering if you could help me with a quick question: I use the Steinberg UR-RT2 interface. I recently got a Golden Age PRE-73 Jr mic pre. I'm currently running a Shure SM7B male XLR-TRS from the pre to line input 4 on the rear of the interface. Your video says I can also run into either one of the mic/line inputs on the front of the interface as well. Is there a pro/con to this? Would I get better overall tone using one of the inputs on front because of the Neve transformers? Also when using the inputs on the rear, there's an option in the settings for the UR-RT2 to have inputs 3/4 at either +4 dBu or -10dBV. I'm not sure where to set that either. Thanks!!!!
Hey Michael, your setup connection is good as it is. +4 dBu is what you should set it up to. I think the first 2 preamps are XLR and Instrument Line Inputs, so not the best for your preamp. The Neve Transfomers is only when using the pre-amps of the UR-RT2. In your case, you don't want to get a preamp in another preamp. Hope that helps!
@@mixdownonline Thanks, Chris!
Given that you can’t bypass the ID14 preamps (as they’re wired to the converters), have you found much of a tonal difference between using the ID14 & ext pre and an interface that let’s you bypass the preamps & external pre?
Thanks for the video. Highly informative.
Do you have some good examples of interfaces that let's you bypass?
I don't understand why to overall avoid using balanced cables when connecting pre-amps?
I'm using male-female XLR cable for connecting my audio interface to my preamp. Is it wrong? (my signals are awesome)
Can I use a Pyle Pro PP 99 phono preamp into a interface from my microphone
Does someone knows if I'm able to connect an external preamp in a Audient EVO16
Can I record through the preamp plugin.?
hey Chris! what if I wanted to add an external compressor ? is it the same process
Same process!
Can I take my microphone plug it into my Pyle Pro pp999 phono preamp then into my interface then into my computer?
How to connect 2 or more audio interfaces?
Amazing video, Chris. Would you recommend using a preamp before a SSL 2+? I believe its preamp is very good but I've read that regardless of that, a decent preamp before the interface would always deliver a better job. Cheers.
I think it's always a matter of what you need for your sound. The SSL2 Preamps are clean and of good quality. A good preamp can give you a different tone and color when recording. It's a matter of taste and what you need.
@@mixdownonline thanks, Chris - much appreciated! I will keep that in mind for the foreseeable future :)
@@mixdownonline thanks Chris. One more question: what do you think of preamp plugins? Are they effective in “colouring” the sound? Any recommended plugin? Cheers!
Hello Chris, is it anyway possible with Cubase Artist 10 to use external effects like a Reverb Unit for recorded signals in Cubase?
Yes but only on the PRO version only. If you look in Audio Connections, you can setup your External Effect under the External FX Tab. If you don't see this Tab, that will confirm it's a Pro feature only.
@@mixdownonline Thanks Chris !
ok so i canT use xlr cable for all? i got art vocal chain, antares autotune taxcam ta-1vp and ur22 .. and no money for cables but lots of xlr cables around.. and some old guitar + keyboard auxes (6.5mm .. is that the line thingy?)
oh.. i watched 2 seconds more of the vid and u explained it.. wow .. :O
1 more question.. why buy the 20euro cable (xlr to line?) .. is it the "best" quality then? or what :p
Why as a drummer, the preamp is a must??
Can I ask you if my Apollo twin supports line level input?
It does
I need to work with an external bubly!
You can always try the Plugin Version but it doesn't taste the same LOL!
Master Chris what good interface do you recommend me to buy with a low budget?
Do a search in his channel. He has a lot of reviews of different consumer type interfaces in different price ranges.
Check these out ua-cam.com/video/0hsjXaKm0m8/v-deo.html and this one ua-cam.com/video/Esv4W5h6y4g/v-deo.html and like Korkenknopfus mentioned, you can check the review videos I made overtime, here's a playlist ua-cam.com/video/1qCbOJQIfTg/v-deo.html
@@mixdownonline thanks 🙏🏽 a lot.
A Preamp amplifies the sound always the same amount, it does not matter how much you crank up the Volume. If you want to change the sound you can do it with the Gain but not with the Volume. This is because the Gain brings more input Level to tthe amplifier and the sound of it will change, but not necesarely for the good.
Yes, you're correct, and I don't think I claimed otherwise. On lots of vintage type preamps, like my Vintech 473, you can play with the Input Level (Gain), and the Output level to get or not some Saturation. On my VTRC, I have 2 knobs for Input level, "Input" and "Gain". In this case, "Input'" is the preamp level. Now, whether I like the preamp saturation depends on how much, and on what I'm recording.
ah, so it's basically: Mic to Preamp with XLR (to whatever else in the chain) to Interface. And use trs and plug in Interface's Line channel whenever possible. Btw does the trs cable length matter? I wanted to get 3 meters but there was only 6 so i got it but now a little afraid that piling excess length on itself might cause interference
Yes, trs cable length does matter at some point , if their too long. 3 meters would be good, and 6 meters is starting to be limit to start getting interference, but it depends of your environment, so listen, and if the signal is clean, you're good to go!
@@mixdownonline appreciate it!
The neverending question for me is: dont I need a interface that really bypasses its built in preamp? I'm no specialist, but the signal in line input, although at zero, still goes through a circuit and this circuit "reads" the external preamp signal, interfering on it in some way. The other question, if I'm correct in my assumption above, is how much it affects the original signal from the preamp (I use Isa One).
"need" is a big word, but yes, the signal will pass by the preamp circuit of the interface, unless specified in the interface's manual. Is it a big deal? I don't think it's a huge deal, but still good to know. In this case, keep the interface level down, and use the level of the external preamp. You will get the benefits in tone of the external preamp, since most interfaces are pretty clean to begin with...There's also more and more interfaces that will bypass the preamp circuit when connecting a Line level unit or will have a Send/Receive IN/OUT per input, that can be used to connect an external preamp, like the Audient iD24 MKII. Good question Ricardo :-)
@@mixdownonline So, I think the test to be done is buying the audient id22 to, maybe, solve the question. From where I am, I hope the diference is no big deal. But if I buy it, I hope it is, cause it's a little pricey for me at the moment. Really thanks for your answer!
Hello Please I need Help, I need to Export many different tracks each of these tracks are in different lengths. What I want is To Assign jobs or tasks for cubase, I have Created Marker cycles for each track that I want to export according to its length. but I cannot find a way to let cubase export all the tracks for me automatically. this is a Voice Over Project not Music.
Please I need help to save me some time.
If you have Cubase Pro 11 you can batch Export tracks using Cycles. I briefly talked about the Export features of Cubase 11 in this video ua-cam.com/video/b724lNIrFuc/v-deo.html. Let me know if that helps!
Thank you Chris for responding, unfortunately i dont have cubase 11. But i think i can put my tracks into one and still use cycle markers to automatically export all the segments.
Which console do you have at there back?
It's a TAC 18/8/2 that I only use for the preamps when recording. It's not mine, the owner is coming to pick it up next month.
So... according to your guidelines, connecting the external preamp to the interface with XLR to XLR is WRONG because of the different input levels between Line and Microphone signal ...? Did I get this right? Do I DEFINITELY need to connect the ext-preamp ONLY as a line signal?
Sorry for the stupid question but but I'm braking into the voiceover industry and these "techie" staff is kind of rocket science to me.
I would be grateful for some feedback.
Never connect XLR to XLR…there is a more important reason…XLR in the audio interface inputs are for Mics…in case you accidentally turn phantom power On, you will toast your preamp…the correct is XLR from the preamp going into TRS in audio interface.
@@fredepstein Thank you very much for taking the time to reply.
I've been connecting the wrong way my external pre-amps for quite a long time. It is pure luck I didn't fry them. Though I was somehow happy to be able to use the DSP of my sound card I always had that hunch that there was something wrong with this choice. Thank God I've expanded my research and found the answer to it.
Salut est-ce que de changer le type de mic peux changer le tone de ton son au lieu de mettre un preamp externe
OUI, la différence de tone entre different micros est plus significatif comparé à ce qu'un preamp externe va te donner comme différence.
💪💪✋✋👍👍
Thanks!
why don't you compare the sound of the recording in the video? in my experience there is a big difference in the sound quality of a good clean external preamp vs the interface's preamp
That will be for another video that I'm planning on doing
If your running a preamp into your interface well then that’s a preamp into a preamp
On most cheaper interfaces, yes, you will. However, these types of preamps a very transparent, you just need to keep the interface's preamp to 0, and you will still get the tone of the external preamp, no a big deal. The best is to get an interface where some dedicated Line Level in/out are available like the Audient iD24.
You want to bypass the interface preamps. Simply connecting a preamp output to the interface input doesn’t make sense. Best to connect the preamp outputs to converter inputs, then run the signal from the converter out to the interface using a path which bypasses the interface preamps.
yes, bypassing the interface's preamp circuit is the best. However, not all interfaces will give this option, especially on cheaper interfaces.So if bypassing is not an option, and since an interface preamp is usually very clean, using a preamp connected to an interface preamp, will still give you the color and tone of that external preamp.
Simple answer…no. External preamps for a specific sound. Eqing your sound from your interface is also acceptable.
All good recordings are acceptable wether you use an interface's Preamps or not.
YEAH HOW DO YOU ADD PREAMPS TO ID14 - YOU CANT BYPASS PREAMPS
Too much circling around just get to it
Which is preferred? Do I need to hook up a female XLR to Balanced TRS 1/4 inch cord to my mic to hook up into the preamp? Or is my Female to Male XLR cord from my mic to my preamp good enough?
When using a microphone, always use an XLR Cable and not XLR to TRS
@@mixdownonline ok preciate it!