Hey PiX. Thanks for leaving a comment. It’s true though. Everything does start at the source. I think people can get so caught up in gear that they may forget that at times 🙂
@@EverythingMusicRecording If you listen to blue note recordings on vinyl of say, well, any of the great jazz musicians of the 50's, 60's, ON a really good needle, ON a really good amp, THROUGH really good speakers, with hopefully not shit ears, it's going to sound mind blowing. If you're an incredible musician, 70% of the work is done.
@EverythingMusicRecording Hi! Thanks for the great videos! I need a bit of help. 1 - Is there such a thing as a non Hi-Z instrument input on a sound card? In the description of the Focusrite Red 16 Line, Thomann Germany states only "2 instruments inputs". However, the description of the Focusrite Red 8 Line says 2 Hi-Z Instruments inputs. Are the instrument inputs on the 2 sound interfaces identical and that was just a loose description, or are the inputs on the 8 channel a.i. different from the 16-channels one? 2 - Are there preamps for line level or i strument level? We learn that mic level is too low and that's why it needs preamplification to get to the line level. But preamps for line and instrument levels? What do they bring? Will my synths line output or my guitar benefit from getting them through a good preamp? If your answer would be to long, could you please make a short video on explaining why this is true (if it is true). This topic (what makes a good preamp go well on a line/instrument level) is not so much talked about. Or the preamp has line level and instrument level inputs just for convenience and the preamp disconnects automatically when a line/instrument level is detected? Thanks!
Hey Captain Jack! Yes, there is such a thing as a non H-Z instrument input. Most audio interfaces have combo inputs, so the input jack can accept a XLR, TRS or TS cable generally. So on my Focusrite Scarlett if I was plugging a guitar or bass into one of the front inputs I would just press the Hi-z button for that inout. If I was using my Korg synth I wouldn't need to press the Hi-Z button as its not a guitar. (Guitars and basses unless they have active pickups have VERY low output, hence the need for the Hi-Z button) As for the 8 and 16 RED's im not sure. Sweetwater's site also says they act as Hi-Z inputs (on the front) but it makes no mention of that on Focusrite's site, or in the manual and are only referred to as "instrument inputs" which is kinda vague. It is possible you might need a direct box between a guitar and one of the RED units, but again I'm not 100% sure on that. Oh, and the 8 and 16 are pretty well identical, one just has more inputs and both share the exact same manual. The job of a preamp is to bring things up to line level. So guitars, synths (instruments) and mics all need to be plugged into a preamp. Everything coming out of the preamp would then be pretty much line level. Most any other studio gear would be expecting to see line level. Which is why you can't plug a guitar or mic into a compressor, it would need to hit a preamp first, then go out to a compressor, then into say the line inputs of the Focusrite RED 8 or 16. As for what makes a good preamp. Everyone will have a different answer. I mean there are the Cadillac's, your BAE's, Neve, API etc, but now-a-days you'd be hard pressed to find a bad mic preamp. Even the budget stuff is pretty damn good. But it boils down to your budget. Do you want something clean or transparent, and how much gain do you need? A Neve 1073 pre has around 60ish (if i recall) dB of gain whereas a Focusrite ISA has close to 80dB of gain. I think i got all your questions. Let me know if i missed anything or if you still need more help =)
I’m honestly surprised no one has done a video giving complete amateurs the most expensive hardware on earth, literally multiple millions of dollars worth of consoles, interfaces, outboard gear, mics, a studio with amazing acoustic treatment, any instruments they could want, and professional musicians, but put them up against a group of some of the best producers and composers willing to waste their time on this, and only give them cheap starter instruments, the cheapest interfaces around, the cheapest microphones, and acoustic treatment is just whatever they can find to jerry rig. They can still use the same musicians and same song. Which mix would sound better? Who knows both groups might learn from each other.
Omg!! If that was a tv series I would watch the hell out of that!! I’d bet the pros would still come out on top though. Experience is still going to trump gear 99% of the time.
until sweetwater sends u back to back broken items😂 and nobody’s making anything good sounding especially when they claim they don’t hear the squeelng in your vocals that you’ve never had before
@@MisterRorschach90 bro i literally just got off the phone with a representative being told basically what did i expect buying a focusrite solo.. told me i need a new interface and that’s why the noise is happening but it’s never happened before and i jus got a new interface so unless they sent another defective one i don’t get it
Best common sense on UA-cam regarding microphone preamps. Mic pre's often sound more similar than not more so than almost every other component in your studio as opposed to microphones that are dramaticly different.
Thanks a million. The way you explain the entire process of a good musician, room, mic, console and so forth was right on point. It is really hard to explain to people that think its just the gear or type of gear alone. I always bang my head when I hear that Pro Tools or Plug ins alone is going to make me shine. LOL. How about talent and a really good singer or musician. Its like a racing car. No race car will be fast if it just has a great camshaft and the rest of the parts are crap. It takes the entire process and combination of parts to include the weather and driver skill level to make that car fast. if it sounds like a crap then a good studio and great preamps are just going to amplify that it sounds like crap.
Guided by Voices is the perfect example of this. They recorded incredible songs on a 4-track in a basement, and got famous off their talent, not their production. I tend to like the lo-fi era of that band because the songwriting and passion were just through the roof, something they struggled to capture after Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes. All the studio magic in the world can't make a bad song good.
Yep, there is musicians on youtube with $100,000's in gear and their songs don't get any views because their boring. But the boring songs sound recorded well.
You are absolutely right when you mention the room where we record and the quality of the instrument or the performance of the musician and the VO actor. GREAT VIDEO!
Thanks Ernesto!! My buddy used to say "you can take a piece of shit out of a bowl of soup, but would you still eat it?" Very much the same philosophy. If the source is crap then all the plugins and such in the world won't help. Glad you liked the video =D
Really good walk through of both, a recording signal chain, and prioritizing whats important when you start recording. I literally was able to directly relate the order in which i personally upgraded gear as you were explaining it 👏
Hey JVes!! Thanks for the kind words. Yea lots of people get hung up on “crap, I need this” or “crap, I need that” and never end up doing anything. Too much marketing hype and people get lost in it. What gear have you upgraded? I’ve got a list if I ever have the resources.
As someone new to, and still learning, all this audio recording stuff, I decided early on to invest in an Apollo Twin, a Sphere LX microphone, and HD 650 headphones. So I'm digitally simulating classical analog gear. Is it perfectly true to the original gear? Likely not. But as someone who otherwise has no base experience and reference, being able to try different preamps, microphones, compressors, etc. has been a tremendous help. At some point I will eventually decide that my voice is best through X microphone going feeding Y preamp/EQ and passing through Z compressor. But to spend thousands of dollars on physical gear, at my stage of knowledge and hearing, would be a premature waste of cash. I'm more like a student pilot still flying sims. The real stuff comes later.
Thank you man, you really help me to pick a priority. Your response to some comments also help me to understand how to make decision base on my situation. Sorry for my bad english.
No worries at all my friend. Your English seems just fine to me, no need to apologize. Glad the video and comment section helped you out. And for sure everyone’s situation is different, so I’m glad you were able to figure out what’s best for yours.
treat your room first then buy as much mic as you can afford u87 or manley ref c then work your way down the chain ....one of those mics and a uad interface will absolutely be enough for 99 percent of people including professionals .... spend the rest of your time making good music
Yes you are right. But supposedly like many others I have 0 moneyz to waste and still a lot to improve and btw a lot of workflow that we somewhat willingly somewhat out of need carry on our own shoulders... Anyway the interfaces - Roland, Focusrite, Swisssonic, Presonus ... - are pretty amazing compared to 10 years ago. Still does even a correctly used "budget" tube preamp - a real one - in front of that whole chain serve a recording more than emulation could do (and in what way) or is it just placebo and wasted money? I mean yeah the world will be a better place if we started with improving our skills and knowledge, but what comes after that? Give away your secrets 😎 🤘 to tube or not to tube, that is my question.
You raise some very good questions my friend. Skill will almost always trump gear. But there is a line as well. Let's pretend you can't cook an omelette to save your life. It doesn't matter if you found your stove on the side of the road, or spent $10,000 on a stove, you still can't cook an omelette. On the flip side tho, you could make the best omelettes in the world, but without a stove you're still SOL. The budget tube preamp is another interesting question. It all boils down to how the tubes are integrated into the circuit. There are a number of budget tube units where the tubes barely do anything and are more or less just acting as lightbulbs to make the unit look "cooler". So you'd really have to do your research. Placebo effect... I'm sure there is a great deal of placebo effect in place, add clever marketing to the mix and we can all be very easily taken for a ride. It all comes back to doing our research as best we can, and I usually (if and when possible) recommend you see if you can rent or borrow a piece of gear before buying. What comes after improving our skills and knowledge? Continuing to improve our skills and knowledge lol. It's never ending. There is always something new to learn. From a gear perspective tho, generally speaking, our gear should improve along with our skills. As your skills improve, you'll outgrow gear and want better gear. It's only natural. But that experience will also help you make better, more informed decisions about what gear to buy. To tube or not to tube lol. Personally, if it was my money, I wouldn't spend it on a budget tube preamp. I'd keep using the preamps on my interface and I'd save up for a UA LA 610 if i wanted tubes in my front end. But that's just me. In my opinion, you're generally better off waiting and saving up to get a better piece of gear than just buying something cheap just for the sake of buying something.
Yea man thanks! So what I’m gathering is it’ll just give you more control over the recorded sound than just an interface (of course depending on the interface and the pre you look at). I am pretty happy with how my guitar sounds in real life but kinda hate the sound of it recorded. It doesn’t sound like it does in the room so I’m looking forward to the next video. 🤘🏻🤘🏻 Also thanks for the shoutout and digging into this question for me 🔥🔥
Also remember that the converters internally matter as well. a 99 dollar preamp will also sound like a 99 dollar preamp. It took me a long time to understand why audio interfaces like the UAD Apollo, Prism, or Antelope cost what they cost. Hi quality preamps make a huge difference in any studio home or commercial.
I do just voice over, so I guess I need only a microphone connected to an audio interface via XLR. It has already some preamp. Then some EQ, nothing else, and I am a great speaker. Other things or effects, might be in post. What do you think?
I think in your situation a good mic and preamp is all you need. I'm not even sure I'd worry about adding EQ as I'd assume the mix engineer on the dubbing stage would take care of all of that. But that would also depend on the budget for the project you're doing VO work for.
I was hoping you'd get to the part where "all things being equal," how much better is a great mic pre from either no mic pre (interface only) or vs a cheap mic pre (like an ART Tube Pac for instance). The more reviews I read people REALLY rave about the difference a great mic pre makes. Even a cheap Warm Audio one. I bought a Warm Audio WA47 mic and now I'm bummed out I don't have a great mic pre for it. My chain is, WA47 to Tube Pac (cheap, but is tube based), to interface (ioStation 24c), to plugins. Will a UA 610 Preamp make a night and day difference? The gear needs are never ending :(
Hey Chaplin. A great preamp CAN make a difference. But it’s only one piece of the puzzle. It’s kind of like putting nice rims with lo-pro tires on your car. Yes driving will feel a little nicer and the steering will feel a little more responsive. But that’s about it. It will do nothing for the performance of the engine and won’t make you a better driver. Preamps are similar. The mic pres in an audio interface have a very simple task. To be as clean and transparent as possible. On the other hand (generally speaking but not always the case) an external preamp may have a sound or color to it. You might be able to change the impedance the mic is seeing, which can again change the sound. If you had a Neve preamp (as an example) you can drive the preamp to get some saturation and grit and then adjust the output level of the unit so it doesn’t overload your interface and clip your converters. You CANNOT do this with just an interface as they are not designed for this. If you drive the mic pres on an interface you’ll just add noise and clip the life out of your converters. An external mic pre doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg to sound good. There is always a point of diminishing returns tho. I would buy the best I could afford or wait until I’ve saved more money. The WA47 is a great mic, it’s on my “I need to buy one” list. I don’t care for the WA47jr though. Your WA47 will still sound just fine plugged straight into your interface. Tube preamps are a different story tho. An old buddy of mine had the UA 610 Solo and it’s a fantastic mic pre. But I’ve seen cheap tube gear where the tubes are barely more than lights to make the unit look cool. Tubes need to be integrated into the signal path and receive enough voltage to properly power the tubes. It’s not cheap to do that so expect a good tube pre to cost some money. It’s partly why a tube guitar amp is so much more money than a solid state amp. Getting back to the UA 610, yes it will make a difference, but it won’t be night and day. The more tracks you can run thru the UA will help, but again it’s just one component in the grand scheme of things. Try not to stress over gear tho. None of us get the holy grail gear over night. It can take many many years so in the meantime just worry about improving your skills and making the most of the gear you currently have.
@@EverythingMusicRecording - Thanks brother I really appreciative the thoughtful reply. Excellent food for thought. Subbed. Great point on pushing the signal for saturation warmth with an external preamp vs just an interface. Yeah I just switched to Studio One and I'm learning the crap out of it to be the best engineer I can be, first and foremost. The features are mind blowing. I tell myself all I want is a great preamp / outboard compressor, and I do... for now. But you know I'm lying to myself, the quest will be never ending haha. _1176 is a must! Now I need a second one for stereo! And I hear the Distressor is a must have too! Be sure to spring for one with British mode!_ 😂
No worries at all Chaplin and thanks for subbing as well. I've never used Studio One but I hear good things. I've been using Logic since 2006 and haven't looked back. 100% work on your skills first, the gear will come in time. LOL and you're right, the gear quest is never ending. In a weird way lucked out on that front because I simply don't have room for more gear. So it's a blessing and a curse for now. 1176 for sure, I also love the LA2A. The API 2500 is also stupid good. I looked at a Distressor and threw up a little when I saw the price. It is on my "maybe one day" list for sure. That and some Neve gear for sure!!
It’s also worth noting that you can’t record a microphone signal without a preamp. Most Interfaces include preamps and are usually of the clean, transparent variety. If you’re thinking of buying external preamps it’s a good idea to buy an interface where you can bypass the internal preamp circuit. Not all interfaces allow you to do this.
remby The role of a preamp is to bring a microphone or instrument level source to line level. Many combo input jacks on interfaces include 10-20 dB of attenuation when you plug a TS plug in, but the signal is still passing through the preamp circuit. With signals that are coming in at line level it’s nice when the interface allows you to bypass the preamp and go straight to the analog to digital converter.
Great explanation for me.. I won’t ask what I need, but rather to say I plan on using a “new to me” ART Tube MP/C with my RODE Condenser Mic and into a Zoom R8.. Simple. My DAW is Reaper, and I have good sounding guitars.. This is a small “idea” studio I am looking for half decent quality. So the question is, should I get better sound from my Mic using a Pre Amp, instead of direct into an R8? That’s it. Great video by the way and Thank You.
Hey Shawn, thats a great question, and glad you liked the video. I don't have any personal experience with either the ART or the R8 so I can't tell you one will sound better. And with how inexpensive the ART is I would question how well the tube is integrated into the signal chain. But thats a whole different conversation. It also doesn't mean its a bad sounding unit either. For starters though, I would set the Rode up in front of your guitar cab and connect it to the ART and play. Leave everything set up the same except this time connect the Rode to the R8, play the same thing and then compare. If you can split the signal of the Rode and feed both mic pre's at the same time then even better. (You will likely play the part a little different each time so if you can split the signal then you are getting the exact same playing into each preamp, makes for a better test) After that it's just listening and deciding which one you prefer. As a bonus suggestion though you will have a FAR greater change in sound by simply moving the mic around. Try it right on the center of the speaker. Move it closer to the edge of the speaker and everywhere in-between. Have it close up, pull it back. Try it on and off axis. There is a whole world of different guitar tones you'll get just by messing around with different mic placements. As an example, the whole "stick a 57 in the center of the dust cap and you're done" approach. I hate it lol. I like a 57 somewhere between the center and edge of the speaker and on about a 45ish degree angle. Eric Valentine used this cool trick when he was working on whichever Slash record he did. I don't remember exactly so I'll link the video. But he finds the sweet spot where the sound of all 4 speaker cabs converge a few feet in front of the amp and thats where the mic went. I think that was the sound for guitar solos but I can't remember. I haven't watched that video in a while. I think that is about the long and short of. Pick the pre you like the sound of best and then experiment with where you're placing your mic on your cab. Mic placement on the cab will get you FAR more tonal options than any preamp will give you. Hope that long winded answer helped. Feel free to ask me anything if you have more questions Shawn Here's the link to the video I mentioned ua-cam.com/video/Cz65qfczRmw/v-deo.html
Other than the overload margin, the noise floor and frequency response of the mic pre, most mic pres sound very similar barring the use of transformers in the path that add saturation. Get a better instrument, better player and most certainly a better room and mic first.
Glad you realized it though. Many people never do and obsess about gear. Gear is great but it’s useless without having the fundamentals under one’s fingers 🙂
+PRCPTION it really depends. Let me try it another way. Preamps in interfaces today are WORLDS better then they were 10,15 years ago. So for your average person making music in their house/bedroom, the preamps in their (assuming newer) interface are more than fine. Now let’s say someone decides to open a studio for either some money on the side, or to try and make a living. If you’re looking at recording in a studio (and paying money for it) your expectations of a studio charging say $20 an hour vs $200 an hour will be very different. So for $20 an hour your interface preamps will be just fine, but as your studio grows and your clients grow, your rates would gradually increase. But with the increase comes expectations. So as your studio grows, your gear (including external mic preamps) would grow and improve. Somewhere between charging $20 and $200 an hour you would want to start looking into better gear. If you walked into a studio charging $200 an hour and all they had was a $100 2-channel interface, a cheap Chinese mic or two, and pirated copy of Cubase running on a 8 year old Dell laptop, you’d be like “nope” and you’d leave. This is why it depends. Everyone’s needs, goals, and all that will be different. So you have to look at your situation and where you want to go. People new to recording also have bigger fish to fry before worrying about external mic preamps. If someone hasn’t figured out how to set up a vocal mic, or stick an SM57 on a guitar cab, then it doesn’t matter if it’s a $50 pre, or a $5,000 pre, it’s still not going to sound good. There is also having enough experience to know WHY you want to invest in a certain mic pre. Do you want something clean and transparent? Something with more punch? Maybe you want something that colours the sound and has more of a vintage sound. If someone is going to invest a potential large sum of money into a mic pre, or multiple mic preamps. They should know exactly why they want it, and what they want out of it. Sorry this was such a long reply. I guess I could have just said “if you want to record your friends band, don’t bother with external pres. If you want to record Metallica on the other hand...” lol hope this helps.
I don’t know. Maybe because I’ve been doing this for almost 30 years and learning as much as possible. Maybe because I also have friends who have worked in big studios with big artists. Maybe because I also have friends with publishing deals and record deals. This is the second judgey-assed superiority complex comment from you in a matter of minutes. Get a life dude and move on. Tons of Grammy winning engineers preach the same things I do on this channel. Maybe go tell them how dumb they are too. I wouldn’t want to hog all the fun…
For someone like me, "typical" youtuber, recording electronic guitar. I'm using a Sennheiser e609 into a Focusrite Scarlett Solo into Studio One. Would you upgrade the interface before anything else?
Hey WOGP. Nothing wrong with the Scarlett. I have the 18i20. The preamps do the job. If you’re recording your amp and the only mic you have is the 609, I wonder if you might be better off with an extra mic or two. The SM57 is pretty similar to the 609. I like 421’s on guitar amps. Then you can blend mics together too. I think you’d get more tonal options grabbing second mic then upgrading the Scarlett will give you. Just my thoughts. Hope that helps.
Hi Jeff, if I want to record vocals with Audacity using a tube mic (to get a warmer sound), do I need anything more than my MXL MicMate to get the signal into the PC? It doesn't need a strong signal, since I can always just turrn up the volume in Audacity, and I'm not going to mix it with other tracks (it will stay "solo"/"dry"). Will it sound too distorted or otherwise unusable doing this? Thanks and keep up the great work!
Thanks!! I think because we don’t have big Neve or SSL consoles in our studios some people might think preamps are some magic bullet. I mean yes good preamps are important but they are still just one piece of a very large puzzle.
Great video, useful information! I have a question for you, I have a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 interface, and now I want to buy a Neve preamp for my vocal recordings. Do you think it is useless without getting some serious AD DA converters, I mean is it useless to connect the interface with neve preamp? Is it hard to see improvement in sound in that case? Thanks!
Hey man, im not musician, but i want to learn more about audio, for my videos, similar style like you filmed now. I've got omni directional Rode Videomic Pro, would i get any benefits if i connected my mic to some preamp rather than using my canon 80d preamps? if that is the case what would u recommend?
I always argued that we are all here for a good conversion! What we are listening to is the analog source converted into the digits and back. So as long as this conversion is good, as natural as possible and smooth (and you name it), the final sound & listening experience is gonna be too. So in my opinion, this is the first component that has to be invested into when we are talking about home recording enthusiasts. I agree with your argument on the source but only partly because even a lousy drum kit you mentioned is gonna sound "true" on a really, really good converter / interface.
You’re not wrong. The converters are very important. Running a $3000 Neve preamp into garbage converters is the equivalent of owning a Ferrari and having cheap no name tires installed on it at Wal-Mart lol. But with that said though, I don’t know if you can really find “bad” converters anymore. 10+ years ago this would be a different story. And Glenn Fricker is always saying that most interfaces are using the same converter chips anyway. (I’ve never looked into this myself so I don’t know if that’s actually the case or not) As for the lousy drum kit sounding more “true” with better converters, yes, of course. But why upgrade to better converters if you’re going to record a lousy sounding drum kit? If you’re recording a great sounding kit then it’s a different story. So it all still starts at the source. My thought is that there is an “order” for lack of a better word, to upgrade one’s studio. Any gear is only as good as the person using it. So skills always need to come first with the gear following along. Joe Barresi is going to get way better results recording an album with a cheap Behringer interface and converters than someone who doesn’t know what their doing using a rack full of Neve preamps and Burl Audio converters.
Hey James. Everyone’s needs and path are different. But generally speaking, at some point, yes, you would want to start investing into at least one pair of external preamps for sure. The “when, what and why” though will be different for everyone though. IMHO you are better off getting as much mileage out of your interface as possible and save the money for nice preamps. You’ll be better off with say, 2 real nice preamps, vs having 10 “meh” preamps.
Thanks for this video, it's been very helpful. I do however wanna go back to the question about preamps vs interfaces. I have been using a Focusrite Clarett (with Logic) for some years now. I have decent skills, a decent mic, decent room etc. All my mixing has been done ITB using plugins, and I've never really thought about using outboard gear until I got hold of a warm audio 76. After some months using it, my vocals have sounded great. But more than that, my vocal mixing time has been cut by a lot. I've realised for some reason it takes less time trying to dial in the sound I want, almost like I don't have to do as much to the vocals as I did with plugins. Near the end of the video, you say when you take care of those areas, then that's when you can look at nicer preamps, I assume then your answer would be to eventually get a preamp? So my question is, all things considered, would a vocal preamp be the next level for me in recording vocals, or is my clarett preamp good enough? Thanks for any advice. Great videos!
Hey hey, thanks for the kind words, and glad you liked the video 🙂 The Clarett has really good mic pre’s. Warren Huart once said everyone should try and get one premium mic pre. I think people need to worry about their skills first, but beyond that I 100% agree with him. So since there is nothing wrong with the pre’s in the Clarett, I see no reason to rush into buying a preamp just because. If I were you at this point I would save up and buy a nice channel strip. Something with an EQ and possibly a compressor. If you wanted something clean you could look at SSL or Focusrite. If you wanted something with colour you could look at Neve, Chandler Limited, tons of options It might cost you $2-4,000 but I think it would be worth the wait if it’s not something you need right this minute. If you are more eager and don’t want to wait or save that much money then Warm Audio has some good clones, Heritage Audio is another good one. Lots to choose from. That’s my two cents. Hope that was helpful.
Ninja this is exactly my situation too, same interface, same kinda experience and a WA76 in the post. Your question is excellent! I only just discovered this channel, keep up the great work. I'd love to see a video where you show us how you hook up and route say a compressor, both for tracking and using as an insert. I've been looking around YT and not found anything. Keep up the great work!
Such a great video! It's just like the classic "diet and exercise" answer from a doctor. No one wants to hear what they pretty much already know. It's been said so many times and shall be repeated many many more. And it's always true.
Hey this is a great video! Thanks for the ideas. I have a question.. I’m using Rode NT1 microphone along with Focusrite Scarlett Solo audio interface at my home studio setup. And I’m working with software Cubase 5. Do I need any additional preamp? Really appreciate your help. Thanks!
+Suchetana Sinha hey thanks for the kind words. The Scarlett Solo only has one mic pre and isn’t expandable. So if you only ever need to use one mic at a time, then I wouldn’t worry about it. I have the Scarlett 18i20 first gen and it’s preamps are really good. Now if you need to start using more than one mic at a time, your interface isn’t going to cut it. So I would suggest getting as much mileage out of your Solo for now. If one mic preamp isn’t enough down the road then I would just invest in an interface with more inputs/mic preamps. If you think you need 2 mic preamps, get an interface with 4. If you think you need 4, get one with 8. It’s better to have the extra inputs and not need them, then need them and not have them. Hope that helps 🙂
Really a great video. Very very informative. Thank you for that. I want to buy a preamp. I have Neumann tlm 102 mic and Audient id 14 interface. So suggest me the best preamp for my setup.
Thanks. And no worries. I don’t have an answer to your question tho. Far too many options for preamps. Do you want it clean and transparent? Then maybe a Focusrite or SSL style preamp. Warm and fat? Neve. Then there are tube preamps. Personally if it was my money I’d hand it to Neve and Chandler Limited. But those might not work for what you’re going for either.
Hey man, so I want to start to get into voice over work. I'm really getting confused on these recorders, preamps, audio interfaces, etc. Would you mind telling me the essential "must have" equipment for setting up a home studio for voice acting/ voice over? (By the way, I have a deeper, bass type voice) Thank you so much!
Hey man! Great video. I have a focusrite 2i2 and now I'm about buy a neumann Tlm 103. Do I invest in a better interface or a 300-400usd pre amp? Please help me out!
Oh nice, the TLM 103 is a great mic. Old buddy of mine has 1, maybe 2 of them. I can't remember. Nothing wrong with the 2i2, I'm still using my first gen 18i20. These are always tough questions to answer as I don't want people to buy gear just for the sake of it. And if I was going to buy an external preamp for myself I'd just save up and go straight to a Neve. So I would suggest sticking with what you've got right now and get aquatinted with the 103 for a bit first. If the sources you're recording are lower volume and there isn't enough gain in the 2i2, then grab a FETHEAD Phantom. I have one and swear by it. And they're only about $100ish.
Thanks Alejandro!! Yea it’s very much that whole “need to learn to crawl before you learn to walk” thing really. I hope all of us can get to the point where big name preamps makes sense to get. But until then I’m sure we all have bigger fish to fry.
I have a Sure SM 48 and I run it though my mixer. It does not come any were close to clipping. So I use a inline preamp. What I find out is weird I get a lot less feed back on similar volume when directly connected to a PA. Why is that?
What about using a pre amp and raising the gain to drive a compressor, rather than having no preamp and trying to drive the compressor harder and having the input be too hot for the interface? I saw some channel mention this. I didn’t consider that . His point was instead of trying to drive the compressor harder for saturation and color but then end up being too hot for the interface, he can push the gain up on his pre and get color on the compressor easier while not clipping the interface. I for sole reason just thought driving a pre harder would end up driving the interface harder , but I guess the output on the compressor can balance the out. Am I missing something?
Hey There, can you send me a link to the video? I understand the core of what you’re getting at but there are some parts that aren’t painting the full picture for me. I just need a little more context.
m.ua-cam.com/video/8kbeB4a-VLM/v-deo.html 7:43-8:44 I listened again and he does mention “feeding pre amp instead of a compressor” but I think what he really was saying overall was he simply drives his pre amps for saturation and Uses the compressor regularly with the benefit of the compressor to regulating output going into his interface . Side question, do you ever use eq before pre amp? I was considering this since an eq I like gets very saturated with its output higher, but I’d want to control its volume with maybe a pre amp after . That way I’m not stuck with the eq getting too saturated as I try and push its volume . Actually similar scenario to the compressor question now that I think of it . Thanks for your help and time
Oh it's one of David's videos. Yea he is 100% right and that is what he is saying. A mic is always going to go into a pre amp first and where it goes after that is up to you. But like he mentioned the issue is overloading your converters on the way into your DAW. You can drive say a Neve preamp to get some saturation out of it, but the issue is controlling the level coming out of the preamp. If there is no output level control then you could be hitting a compressor or you converters way too hard. So your only option would be you reduce the mic gain to compensate, but now you're loosing the saturation you were after in the first place. So it can become a catch 22. I think in this day and age it is very necessary for external preamps to have an output level control in most cases (the exception being a very clean preamp that is not designed to saturate) and any other outboard gear should have input and output level adjustments. Gain staging between different units is far easier when we have control of the level going in and out of it. As for the EQ, it still needs to come after the preamp. A signal coming out of a mic is far too low and needs to be boosted first (hence the job of a preamp) and an EQ will not offer phantom power either. So it still boils down to having a preamp that you can drive for some saturation but also control the output level of the unit. I hope that helps clear everything up for you. Let me know if you have anymore questions my friend =)
Ok, you're right....lol but a Toyota is not a Rolls Royce have you ever ridden in a Rolls-Royce? I have it's a real eye-opener, both get you to the same place but man what a ride you can hear a pin drop in the rolls Royce and and drink your coffee without spilling it on you..... I have good Mic's professional guitars, Great amp's, Presonus 1810c, mac Pro MI Max ,running studio one professional and an ART MPA II preamp... for my ROYER R 10 I have a ROYER booster which works great but I struggle with volumes on NT1, Aston Spirit, 57 the preamp really helps with the vocals sitting in the mix, if that makes any sense? But it distorts and I can't get enough clean headroom from it.... I would like to get a NEVE but I think a BAE 1073DMP will work excellent.... Without the preamp, things seem to sit flat in the mix, with no dimension and a little colder, thin no matter how many plug-ins I add to it.... It's like a tube amp versus solid-state, am I losing my mind...lol don't get me wrong my interface sounds really good by itself, but I just need that extra push..... Great video
I have never been in a Rolls. Fanciest I’v ever driven would be a Lincoln Navigator. Which is close to a clunker in comparison lol. Your point though is completely valid. But to counter that point, if everyone had to wait to get their hands on a Rolls then most of us would never drive. I do think we should strive for great gear and preamps. But none of those things will make our music or skills better. So I feel gear is a gradual upgrade. As our skills get better than our gear should probably get better as well (generally speaking) If you want the Neve, why not get the Neve instead of the BAE? I mean cost is going to be about the same anyway.
@@EverythingMusicRecording the NEVE in Canada is 469+ more that's half the price of me getting a Neumann TLM 103...lol and I like the Jensen DI for bass and portability is Plus. but the sway would be if I was recording for a living ..... I love your channel thank you for the reply... Look forward to your next video ;)
Yea, nothing Neve is cheap. You can get Rupert Neve stuff at a number of places but as far as I’m aware the only place in the country to get AMS-Neve stuff is that place in Montreal… the name of it is escaping me Yea that’s the other side of the gear convention. If you’re not making a living either making music or recording it can me more difficult to justify the expense for the real good stuff. And thanks, glad you’re enjoying the channel Jerry. And a new video did go up a couple hours ago. It’s an odd topic for this channel but I thought it could be interesting. More gear videos coming though 🙂
Longs only carries Rupert Neve. That place in Montreal is the only place in Canada listed on the AMS-Neve site. It is www.economik.com/products/shop-by-brand/ams-neve/
How do i choose a Mic preamp when upgrading from interface only preamps? Please lmk Im looking to invest in upgrading my home studio its for hip hop vocals, im looking to invest in a mic preamp and a compressor or channel strip. Idk brands of good equipment cause ive never been around that stuff in my life. How do i go about figuring out a good preamp or analog compressor/channel strip for upgrading my studio and skills?
Great Video, thanks for breaking it down. I understood. I don't need one now but I'm laughing cause my friends might have wasted money on some for vocals only
+UNCUT lol thanks, and no worries. Your friend might not have wasted money on a mic pre, I mean a good mic pre is never a waste of money. What did they pick up? But that money may, or may not have been put to better use depending on a number of factors surrounding your friends studio that I would have no idea about. I think everyone should aim for great gear, but everyone gets there at different times. 🙂
Question: If I'm using a Sound Devices Mix-pre 6 ll with a Sennheiser MKE 600 OR 416, would I need to use the Sound Devices MM-1 microphone preamp? Would there be any real benefit?
Basically every microphone (unless it’s something like a USB mic with a built-in preamp) will need a preamp. The levels coming out of regular mics are too low, hence needing a preamp to get proper signal level to a recorder or DAW 🙂
+The Wise Monk thanks. Glad you liked the video. Yea it’s hard to recommend much of anything nowadays. There is a million of everything out there now and everyone’s needs are different. Personally though, if money was no object I would do a combination of Neve and Chandler Limited. Warm Audio is supposed to be really good for the price as well but I’ve yet to try any of their stuff out. I have been playing with the idea of picking up one of their Neve clones though. For now though I use a Focusrite 18i20 and I track everything thru waves NLS using the TG12345 pres and also thru the TG12345 channel strip, then thru Kramer Tape, and then printed to logic. So until the day comes that o can afford some nice external preamps, that’s how I do things. I’ll have to do a video on this actually. It’s a cool setup.
@@EverythingMusicRecording Aah sounds great man, you should do a video on your setup too. Yeah, I agree, we've got way too many options to choose from thesedays, especially in the budget segment. I've been doing a research on affordable preamps just to boost the performance for dynamic mics. Maybe something other than a Cloud Lifter, which is quite commonly used. Would really appreciate it if you have any suggestions. Thanks!
I have a regular Lavalier microphone but when I plug it in to the aux of my radio, it doesn't hear the lavalier. Suggestions? I am not a musician. I just want to hear people in the back seat of my taxi. I have a Plexiglas barrier because of Covid. Amazon doesn't have an easy fix. I have a Lavalier and a mini boombox
Hey. So an AUX input is expecting to see what is called a “line level” input. A microphone on the other hand sends a very low level audio signal and would need to be connected to a microphone preamps which would then boost the signal coming from the mic to essentially a line level. That is why you are hearing basically nothing from the boombox. You’d have to crank the boombox and you’d still hear next to nothing. I’m not sure what to suggest for your situation beyond trying to find a mic that has a built in preamp. I mean if your taxi’s stereo has a usb input then you could try a USB mic. But then you couldn’t have the stereo on at the same time… Maybe there is something that you might find in a limousine that may work? I’d assume they have a way to communicate to passengers with the privacy window up. I’d start my search for a solution there.
Thanks Grant!! Great preamps are nice but most every interface has good preamps now too. But like building a house, you can’t start with the second floor. You need a foundation first. So I do hope you and everyone else gets to the point where shelling out for top preamps makes sense, there are just other things to worry about first is all.
Hi. So I have a Mackie Pro FX 12 I use Pro Tools and my guitar signal goes into Pro Tool and is really low. I cranked the gain up and still low. I have the input level at about 30% when I go any higher feedback . Any ideas? Thanks
Hey Viola. So on the Mackie Pro FX, your guitar needs to be plugged into the LINE/HI-Z input on channel 1. Directly above that is a grey button with a guitar icon on it. That button needs to be pushed in. The signal level coming from a guitar is super low, hence the HI-Z input on your mixer. So make sure you are connected to that input on channel 1 and that the HI-Z button is engaged. Let me know if that takes care of your issue.
@@EverythingMusicRecording Thanks I just came across and video that explained that exact thing . I have a Focus Focusrite 18i20 but no room for it so I use the mackie in its place. Thanks again will let you know the outcome. You do great work very informative 👏
@@violadrums Sweet. Yea channel 1 on your mackie is the same idea as CH 1+2 on the 18i20. Just that the focusrite has 2 HI-Z inputs, but you still have to engage the buttons on the focusrite when connecting a guitar. Thanks btw, I try lol
@@EverythingMusicRecording Thanks for the tip. It helped but still I have to crank up the gain and max then fader . Would a DI box improve it? Thanks again
@@violadrums No worries. That's odd tho. Double check the volume on your guitar is all the way up. (I've had days where my monitors weren't working because i forgot to turn them on... lol) You shouldn't have to crank the gain and fader on the mixer... I almost wonder if there is an issue with the mackie. If you can, try hooking your focusrite back up and see if you have the same problem or not. If it goes away, the issue is likely with the Mackie. If you have the same issue with the focusrite then it could be a possible guitar or patch cord issue. A DI box can be handy to have yes, but I don't think it will fix the issue. Maybe the HI-Z button isn't engaging properly or something... (ponders) Keep me posted.
IMHO I think gear and software are just about on par with each other, give or take a little bit. But I think a good balance of gear and software is never a bad thing. I think people just need to find the balance that works for them is all. I mean I’m just fine using software amp cabs, but I prefer to use a real tube head. But that doesn’t always work either. I’m not gonna go out and buy 40 amp heads lol. So I think, as I’m sure I said in a different video, invest in the gear that makes the most sense for your own situation, and use software to fill in the rest.
Lol my answer is just my opinion. Neither better or worse than anyone else’s. I agree there is something about gear. Why like I said I prefer to use a real tube amp head as much as I can. Amp sims sound great, but just lack something sometimes. On the flip side tho, what’s a LA2A plugin cost? Like $29 if Waves has it on sale, vs buying a real one. And what if you need 5 of them? That’s like $25 grand!! Front end will always be important tho. Unless we are making music where every sound comes from a virtual instrument, we still need to record the sounds into a DAW. So gear isn’t going to go anywhere. Plugins will never replace gear. I just think the roll of gear and how we use it has changed.
Well you’d be hard pressed to go wrong with any of those preamps. With the 1073 you’re just getting the preamp and EQ. With the Shelford and Newton you’re also getting a built in compressor. They are also both more or less modern 1073’s. The Newton looks to be a slightly simpler version of the Shelford. If it was me and I was mainly tracking vocals I’d go with the Shelford just so I could compress a little on the way in. Yea iono lol try to see if you can rent or borrow them. I mean at the end of the day you aren’t really gonna know for sure which will work best for you until you can try them out 🙂
Well a physical mic pre IS necessary yes. It is needed to get the level coming from the mic to where it should be before it hits your DAW. (proper gain staging) The plugins are emulating (generally) vintage and expensive mic pre's that many just cannot afford. In the real world, those mic pre's will colour the sound going through them. So a Neve 1073 will sound very different than the mic pre's in the old REDD consoles that all (except the Abbey Road album) the Beatles records were recorded on. So in most modern audio interfaces, the mic pre's are designed to sound as clean and transparent as possible. So then running a mic pre plugin would just be to colour the sound and give it some "vibe" or "colour". Hope that answered your question. I do have a video coming that will better explain this.
@@EverythingMusicRecording Thank you for explaining! I've been looking into getting a pre-amp that adds color, a warm vintage feel. Does physical hardware compressors like the Fatso Distressed make a big difference too, V.S the plug-in version of it?
It is actually a simple question to answer. No need for an external preamp. And what does "a good microphone preamp" mean? Color? No color? Ask engineers from 30 years ago and they will say no color. Now it is the opposite Do you want an external preamp? Sure, why not, this can be interesting and useful. But do you need? No.
@@EverythingMusicRecording HAHA! So...here's where I'm at...long story short as possible. Started recording in the 90s on a 4-track Portastudio tape machine. Slowly upgraded gear for decades - spending a fortune. Became a Sweetwater Sales Engineer...spent way MORE of a fortune. Woke up one day and sold EVERYTHING because all I did was obsess over every signal chain for hours instead of recording ANYTHING...20+ high-end mics, racks of Neve, API, Manley etc. So...right now, I have 2 albums fully written (one singer/songwriter and the other all Blues) that I'm ready to record. All I kept was my Audient ID44 interface. And I'm sitting here trying to decide all over again what I want as my front end...pres? channel strip? Which mic(s) AT4050 good enough? Lauten Audio Atlantis? Soyuz 017 FET...and on and on and on and on and on. IT'S SO PAINFUL! And of course, every single person has an entirely different opinion about every piece of gear on Earth. I just want to make a decision and get to work. Make it stop.
“Make it stop” Lol ignore marketing and gear*cough*slutz. I’ve been trying to find the motivation to make a video not far off from what you’ve just said. I’m not sure how to reply to you in this moment cuz I’d be here writing a reply for a month. (Also I miss having a porta studio but they go for a fortune now…) Long story short, I think we should all try to stop worrying about the gear. Yes, gear is important, but there are other factors that are equally, or more important then the gear. I mean, look at it this way. If you have to go somewhere, a Ford Fiesta and a Lamborghini will both get you there (tho obviously the Lamborghini would be more fun) but if you have no where to go, what good is either car? And you working (or worked) at sweet water, you know that even low end gear is worlds better than it was say 10 years ago. Unless the gear you currently have has issues and doesn’t function as it should, so long as your skills are at least decent, I’d assume you’d be hard pressed to make a bad sounding recording. I’d love much better gear as well. But looking honestly at my current situation, there is zero point. If this channel was to take off and/or people are really liking the music I put out, then ok, upgrading gear would start to make more sense. Unless that happens, it’s giant sums of money for no real reason. Not sure if this reply was of any help. Like I said I have a couple videos planned to try and tackle these kind of subjects, just haven’t been motivated to make anything… I really need to get off my ass
@@EverythingMusicRecording Yeah...I could write about this stuff for days as well. I mean, certain gear actually DOES make a difference depending on your GOALS. If I want to make a record that sounds like the song Africa by TOTO for example...that is just not going to happen with a Blue Spark microphone and a Behringer preamp. Know what I mean? So...before I put the hundreds of hours of tracking into my next album(s), I want to make sure I have the right equipment for professional results. Whichever gear that happens to be is the dilemma! You and I would certainly talk on the phone for hours and hours. HAHA!
Hours? Lol. Sounds like we’d be on the phone for days!! I totally get what you’re saying tho. And there is so much of everything now I’m sure it makes it even harder. I like things simple personally. And I’ve thought long and hard about what my “dream studio” would have in it (as much as one can anyway) If I was gonna give advice on what gear to buy, I’d say make a list of records with the type of sounds you’re going for, and then trying and figure out what gear was used on each one, then start with the gear that each one has in common. Like if they all seemed to be tracked on a Neve or a Trident console, I’d start looking at getting some Neve or trident preamps or channel strips. So on and so forth. Personally I’d love a Neve Genesys Black. Not sure I’d need much else. Load each channel with the 88R EQ and compression and I’d be good to go. Maybe some other bits and bobs but not much. How many tracks to you need to record at a time? Like full drum kits or just one thing at a time?
Depends right? If you have a legit sound that drops your panties, stay with it! If it's stale and cheesy sounding.. Test a few legit pres and interfaces...and Keep looking until you get what you're looking for. Do you like Chevy or Ford? Why? You totally called it. As a side story.. I used to use an school presonus blue tube with an upgraded tube into a standard sound blaster sound card with my akg 3000b and as much as I loved the sound.. It JUST wasn't quiiiiiite there and it was finicky.. Would shift tone after being on for a while or too long etc. I only had a small window of about 30 to 45 mins to record at its best. I thought I would upgrade... and as soon as I got the UAD Apollo with the Neve emulation.. Or any of the emulations... I just wasn't happy. Was it cleaner? Bigger? YES! ... But it It wasn't as smooth and warm.... Glossy... Or as appealing tonal wise even with the same MIC. I know how crazy that sounds... Trust me. But I found after spending thousands of dollars on equipment that it's great to buy good stuff, but at some point it becomes more about flavor and personality of the equipment than the price. It's not always about the most expensive stuff. I've heard AMAZING tracks made on cheap set ups with free plug ins. Horrible tracks on Hella expensive ones. So just be intuitive and find your sound.. Your groove. It your journey.. Your music. Trust yourself. 🖐🏻
Not true at all. Every mic needs a preamp. Some mics might have them built in, like a USB mic or something like a Zoom H4, but there is still a preamp involved. A boom mic operator would plug a shotgun mic into something like a Tascam DR60 which also has preamps and phantom power to power condenser mics. The only real difference would be in the type of preamp. For most things film/tv related you’d want your preamps to be as clean and transparent as possible whereas with music many of us prefer preamps that add some colour to the sound. 🙂
@@EverythingMusicRecording Ok thanks for the schooling. What I meant was a separate dedicated preamp because you're right, ultimately, everything needs a pre amp. I'm just saying though that an audio device like an Olympus LS 100 (which has VERY clean preamps for a handheld device) is enough to get good sound. It's the source that matters and the type of room more than needing a pre amp is what I mean.
Oh absolutely. Everything starts at the source and if that sounds bad then the rest of the chain doesn’t matter at all. Can’t really polish a turd lol.
Conventional wisdom suggests minimizing anything along the single chain that's not absolutely necessary. Best cables, pristine mic pre's etc. But sometimes you need a little mojo. That's what my LA 610 is all about. I call it my golden channel.
i really like your HAT, and I think you're best in comedy acting too... if you didn't realized man lol... like home alone or Pirates of the Caribbean genre movie... riding in a row boat....sorry pal this kind of... out of topic joke.... but yap... I have a stolen focusrite scarlet 2i2 3rd Gen... and you've really opened my mind, you've free me from this delusion that somewhere somehow by Michael W. Smith and Amy grant thing.... this $3 dollars cow's shit mic I've stole from my neighbor (a priest ) will turned into a brauner vm1s Mic ....but you really broke my heart pal (crying)... as this fuck****n truth has set me free..... it hurt me so badly..... that no audio interface with an outstanding preamp can makes me sounds like elves presly man with this crap stolen mic.... did i spell it correctly? anyway you have a good presentation man.... gooD luck and GodspEED ..... wait a second man.... I really like your time machine when you've send me back in time around 1974.... it looks awesome as a I've walked into the old time studio building.... it's a huge building and has full of analog rigs.... How i wish I could stay right there forever... but I think my friend's UAD Apollo audio interface is enough to send me at present time he he he he tonight again.....hehe he I have a very clever PLAN on it...
Lol I think you’re mostly right on that Aaron. I think many people don’t need them since interfaces are so good nowadays. Pros already have them. But I think the people in the middle might be tricky. If someone has a growing studio and/or their trying to get higher paying clients, I think they will eventually need to invest in some preamps. I just think it comes down to “when and what” for them.
Didn’t really explain anything about pre amp.. is like telling people nothing. I guess who doesn’t know anything about music or trying to make a little home studio and came to this video to get some helpful ideas was left with nothing or worse.
Sorry you hated the video Jose. It’s impossible to create a video that address the situation of anybody and everybody who may watch this video. My intent was as follows. Too many beginners, and I’m sure intermediates as well, get it in their head that buying “insert expensive preamp here” will revolutionize their recordings. Which it will not. So the point is to have the viewer look at their own skill level, situation, and needs, and decide if their interface is good enough, or if they have reached the point where investing in big name preamps makes sense for them. This is also why I tried to explained with the whole “console to tape and back” rant that a preamp is just one piece of a large puzzle. Unfortunately marketing and sites like gearslutz get into peoples heads and make them think that unless they have “x gear, brand, etc” their recordings will always be crap. Yes gear is important, but one’s skills are more important. Without the skills, the gear is useless. But most people don’t want to hear that answer. I just want anyone who sees this video to take an honest look at their situation before maxing out their credit cards on gear that will in no way improve their skills. If they’ve reached the point where spending the money makes sense, great. If not, I hope it causes them to focus on improving their skills and worrying about fancy preamps later on down the road.
treat your room first then buy as much mic as you can afford u87 or manley ref c then work your way down the chain ....one of those mics and a uad interface will absolutely be enough for 99 percent of people including professionals .... spend the rest of your time making good music
Wow! This video is an eye-opener. We get so caught up in gadgets, and for me, the main takeaway was "everything starts at the source".
Hey PiX. Thanks for leaving a comment. It’s true though. Everything does start at the source. I think people can get so caught up in gear that they may forget that at times 🙂
@@EverythingMusicRecording If you listen to blue note recordings on vinyl of say, well, any of the great jazz musicians of the 50's, 60's, ON a really good needle, ON a really good amp, THROUGH really good speakers, with hopefully not shit ears, it's going to sound mind blowing. If you're an incredible musician, 70% of the work is done.
Pun intended? 😂
@EverythingMusicRecording Hi! Thanks for the great videos!
I need a bit of help.
1 - Is there such a thing as a non Hi-Z instrument input on a sound card? In the description of the Focusrite Red 16 Line, Thomann Germany states only "2 instruments inputs". However, the description of the Focusrite Red 8 Line says 2 Hi-Z Instruments inputs.
Are the instrument inputs on the 2 sound interfaces identical and that was just a loose description, or are the inputs on the 8 channel a.i. different from the 16-channels one?
2 - Are there preamps for line level or i strument level? We learn that mic level is too low and that's why it needs preamplification to get to the line level. But preamps for line and instrument levels? What do they bring?
Will my synths line output or my guitar benefit from getting them through a good preamp?
If your answer would be to long, could you please make a short video on explaining why this is true (if it is true). This topic (what makes a good preamp go well on a line/instrument level) is not so much talked about.
Or the preamp has line level and instrument level inputs just for convenience and the preamp disconnects automatically when a line/instrument level is detected?
Thanks!
Hey Captain Jack!
Yes, there is such a thing as a non H-Z instrument input. Most audio interfaces have combo inputs, so the input jack can accept a XLR, TRS or TS cable generally. So on my Focusrite Scarlett if I was plugging a guitar or bass into one of the front inputs I would just press the Hi-z button for that inout. If I was using my Korg synth I wouldn't need to press the Hi-Z button as its not a guitar. (Guitars and basses unless they have active pickups have VERY low output, hence the need for the Hi-Z button)
As for the 8 and 16 RED's im not sure. Sweetwater's site also says they act as Hi-Z inputs (on the front) but it makes no mention of that on Focusrite's site, or in the manual and are only referred to as "instrument inputs" which is kinda vague. It is possible you might need a direct box between a guitar and one of the RED units, but again I'm not 100% sure on that.
Oh, and the 8 and 16 are pretty well identical, one just has more inputs and both share the exact same manual.
The job of a preamp is to bring things up to line level. So guitars, synths (instruments) and mics all need to be plugged into a preamp. Everything coming out of the preamp would then be pretty much line level. Most any other studio gear would be expecting to see line level. Which is why you can't plug a guitar or mic into a compressor, it would need to hit a preamp first, then go out to a compressor, then into say the line inputs of the Focusrite RED 8 or 16.
As for what makes a good preamp. Everyone will have a different answer. I mean there are the Cadillac's, your BAE's, Neve, API etc, but now-a-days you'd be hard pressed to find a bad mic preamp. Even the budget stuff is pretty damn good. But it boils down to your budget. Do you want something clean or transparent, and how much gain do you need? A Neve 1073 pre has around 60ish (if i recall) dB of gain whereas a Focusrite ISA has close to 80dB of gain.
I think i got all your questions. Let me know if i missed anything or if you still need more help =)
Fam its ok to blink. Lol.
+BABOE MUZIK NO!!!! {flips table over} NO!!! I will NOT BLINK!!!! Lol did I really not blink?
@@EverythingMusicRecording lmfao yo I can’t unsee it now! 😂😂😂
Basic human function and I can’t even get that right… I suck at my life 🤣🤣
💀💀💀
I’m honestly surprised no one has done a video giving complete amateurs the most expensive hardware on earth, literally multiple millions of dollars worth of consoles, interfaces, outboard gear, mics, a studio with amazing acoustic treatment, any instruments they could want, and professional musicians, but put them up against a group of some of the best producers and composers willing to waste their time on this, and only give them cheap starter instruments, the cheapest interfaces around, the cheapest microphones, and acoustic treatment is just whatever they can find to jerry rig. They can still use the same musicians and same song. Which mix would sound better? Who knows both groups might learn from each other.
Omg!! If that was a tv series I would watch the hell out of that!! I’d bet the pros would still come out on top though. Experience is still going to trump gear 99% of the time.
until sweetwater sends u back to back broken items😂 and nobody’s making anything good sounding especially when they claim they don’t hear the squeelng in your vocals that you’ve never had before
@@JoshuaMeek-Wicker idk man I’ve heard almost nothing but good stuff.
@@MisterRorschach90 bro i literally just got off the phone with a representative being told basically what did i expect buying a focusrite solo.. told me i need a new interface and that’s why the noise is happening but it’s never happened before and i jus got a new interface so unless they sent another defective one i don’t get it
Best common sense on UA-cam regarding microphone preamps. Mic pre's often sound more similar than not more so than almost every other component in your studio as opposed to microphones that are dramaticly different.
Thanks a million. The way you explain the entire process of a good musician, room, mic, console and so forth was right on point. It is really hard to explain to people that think its just the gear or type of gear alone. I always bang my head when I hear that Pro Tools or Plug ins alone is going to make me shine. LOL. How about talent and a really good singer or musician. Its like a racing car. No race car will be fast if it just has a great camshaft and the rest of the parts are crap. It takes the entire process and combination of parts to include the weather and driver skill level to make that car fast. if it sounds like a crap then a good studio and great preamps are just going to amplify that it sounds like crap.
Guided by Voices is the perfect example of this. They recorded incredible songs on a 4-track in a basement, and got famous off their talent, not their production. I tend to like the lo-fi era of that band because the songwriting and passion were just through the roof, something they struggled to capture after Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes. All the studio magic in the world can't make a bad song good.
Yep, there is musicians on youtube with $100,000's in gear and their songs don't get any views because their boring. But the boring songs sound recorded well.
You are absolutely right when you mention the room where we record and the quality of the instrument or the performance of the musician and the VO actor. GREAT VIDEO!
Thanks Ernesto!! My buddy used to say "you can take a piece of shit out of a bowl of soup, but would you still eat it?" Very much the same philosophy. If the source is crap then all the plugins and such in the world won't help. Glad you liked the video =D
Really good walk through of both,
a recording signal chain, and prioritizing whats important when you start recording. I literally was able to directly relate the order in which i personally upgraded gear as you were explaining it 👏
Hey JVes!! Thanks for the kind words. Yea lots of people get hung up on “crap, I need this” or “crap, I need that” and never end up doing anything. Too much marketing hype and people get lost in it.
What gear have you upgraded? I’ve got a list if I ever have the resources.
As someone new to, and still learning, all this audio recording stuff, I decided early on to invest in an Apollo Twin, a Sphere LX microphone, and HD 650 headphones. So I'm digitally simulating classical analog gear. Is it perfectly true to the original gear? Likely not. But as someone who otherwise has no base experience and reference, being able to try different preamps, microphones, compressors, etc. has been a tremendous help. At some point I will eventually decide that my voice is best through X microphone going feeding Y preamp/EQ and passing through Z compressor. But to spend thousands of dollars on physical gear, at my stage of knowledge and hearing, would be a premature waste of cash. I'm more like a student pilot still flying sims. The real stuff comes later.
Thank you man, you really help me to pick a priority. Your response to some comments also help me to understand how to make decision base on my situation. Sorry for my bad english.
No worries at all my friend. Your English seems just fine to me, no need to apologize. Glad the video and comment section helped you out.
And for sure everyone’s situation is different, so I’m glad you were able to figure out what’s best for yours.
Love the straight forward commentary lol to the point and blunt is what is needed in this audio world.
Thanks lol. I do what I can 🙂
treat your room first then buy as much mic as you can afford u87 or manley ref c then work your way down the chain ....one of those mics and a uad interface will absolutely be enough for 99 percent of people including professionals .... spend the rest of your time making good music
DUDE IS BLOODY BRILLIANT!!!!!! Blown away at the strait talk !! if you can't undersand this?! keep watching repeatedly until you do!!!!
Lol thanks, I try. Glad you liked the video my friend 🙂
Nice info. Just getting into recording more and I like the no bs approach.
Thanks Scott. Welcome to the never ending rabbit hole of learning to record lol. If you ever have any questions, feel free to ask =)
Yes you are right. But supposedly like many others I have 0 moneyz to waste and still a lot to improve and btw a lot of workflow that we somewhat willingly somewhat out of need carry on our own shoulders... Anyway the interfaces - Roland, Focusrite, Swisssonic, Presonus ... - are pretty amazing compared to 10 years ago. Still does even a correctly used "budget" tube preamp - a real one - in front of that whole chain serve a recording more than emulation could do (and in what way) or is it just placebo and wasted money? I mean yeah the world will be a better place if we started with improving our skills and knowledge, but what comes after that? Give away your secrets 😎 🤘 to tube or not to tube, that is my question.
You raise some very good questions my friend. Skill will almost always trump gear. But there is a line as well. Let's pretend you can't cook an omelette to save your life. It doesn't matter if you found your stove on the side of the road, or spent $10,000 on a stove, you still can't cook an omelette. On the flip side tho, you could make the best omelettes in the world, but without a stove you're still SOL.
The budget tube preamp is another interesting question. It all boils down to how the tubes are integrated into the circuit. There are a number of budget tube units where the tubes barely do anything and are more or less just acting as lightbulbs to make the unit look "cooler". So you'd really have to do your research.
Placebo effect... I'm sure there is a great deal of placebo effect in place, add clever marketing to the mix and we can all be very easily taken for a ride. It all comes back to doing our research as best we can, and I usually (if and when possible) recommend you see if you can rent or borrow a piece of gear before buying.
What comes after improving our skills and knowledge? Continuing to improve our skills and knowledge lol. It's never ending. There is always something new to learn. From a gear perspective tho, generally speaking, our gear should improve along with our skills. As your skills improve, you'll outgrow gear and want better gear. It's only natural. But that experience will also help you make better, more informed decisions about what gear to buy.
To tube or not to tube lol. Personally, if it was my money, I wouldn't spend it on a budget tube preamp. I'd keep using the preamps on my interface and I'd save up for a UA LA 610 if i wanted tubes in my front end. But that's just me. In my opinion, you're generally better off waiting and saving up to get a better piece of gear than just buying something cheap just for the sake of buying something.
Well explained, i felt like copying and pasting some of these comments. Nuff Said.
Lol glad you liked the video Clive 🙂
Yea man thanks! So what I’m gathering is it’ll just give you more control over the recorded sound than just an interface (of course depending on the interface and the pre you look at). I am pretty happy with how my guitar sounds in real life but kinda hate the sound of it recorded. It doesn’t sound like it does in the room so I’m looking forward to the next video. 🤘🏻🤘🏻
Also thanks for the shoutout and digging into this question for me 🔥🔥
Also remember that the converters internally matter as well. a 99 dollar preamp will also sound like a 99 dollar preamp. It took me a long time to understand why audio interfaces like the UAD Apollo, Prism, or Antelope cost what they cost. Hi quality preamps make a huge difference in any studio home or commercial.
I do just voice over, so I guess I need only a microphone connected to an audio interface via XLR. It has already some preamp. Then some EQ, nothing else, and I am a great speaker. Other things or effects, might be in post. What do you think?
I think in your situation a good mic and preamp is all you need. I'm not even sure I'd worry about adding EQ as I'd assume the mix engineer on the dubbing stage would take care of all of that. But that would also depend on the budget for the project you're doing VO work for.
This is the best channel I've found on UA-cam in a long time.
Wow, thanks Chris. Unless I’m being trolled… or I owe you money… I’ve just made this painfully awkward haven’t I… daw crap lol
😂
I was hoping you'd get to the part where "all things being equal," how much better is a great mic pre from either no mic pre (interface only) or vs a cheap mic pre (like an ART Tube Pac for instance). The more reviews I read people REALLY rave about the difference a great mic pre makes. Even a cheap Warm Audio one. I bought a Warm Audio WA47 mic and now I'm bummed out I don't have a great mic pre for it. My chain is, WA47 to Tube Pac (cheap, but is tube based), to interface (ioStation 24c), to plugins. Will a UA 610 Preamp make a night and day difference? The gear needs are never ending :(
Hey Chaplin. A great preamp CAN make a difference. But it’s only one piece of the puzzle. It’s kind of like putting nice rims with lo-pro tires on your car. Yes driving will feel a little nicer and the steering will feel a little more responsive. But that’s about it. It will do nothing for the performance of the engine and won’t make you a better driver. Preamps are similar.
The mic pres in an audio interface have a very simple task. To be as clean and transparent as possible. On the other hand (generally speaking but not always the case) an external preamp may have a sound or color to it. You might be able to change the impedance the mic is seeing, which can again change the sound.
If you had a Neve preamp (as an example) you can drive the preamp to get some saturation and grit and then adjust the output level of the unit so it doesn’t overload your interface and clip your converters. You CANNOT do this with just an interface as they are not designed for this. If you drive the mic pres on an interface you’ll just add noise and clip the life out of your converters.
An external mic pre doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg to sound good. There is always a point of diminishing returns tho. I would buy the best I could afford or wait until I’ve saved more money.
The WA47 is a great mic, it’s on my “I need to buy one” list. I don’t care for the WA47jr though. Your WA47 will still sound just fine plugged straight into your interface.
Tube preamps are a different story tho. An old buddy of mine had the UA 610 Solo and it’s a fantastic mic pre. But I’ve seen cheap tube gear where the tubes are barely more than lights to make the unit look cool. Tubes need to be integrated into the signal path and receive enough voltage to properly power the tubes. It’s not cheap to do that so expect a good tube pre to cost some money. It’s partly why a tube guitar amp is so much more money than a solid state amp.
Getting back to the UA 610, yes it will make a difference, but it won’t be night and day. The more tracks you can run thru the UA will help, but again it’s just one component in the grand scheme of things.
Try not to stress over gear tho. None of us get the holy grail gear over night. It can take many many years so in the meantime just worry about improving your skills and making the most of the gear you currently have.
@@EverythingMusicRecording - Thanks brother I really appreciative the thoughtful reply. Excellent food for thought. Subbed. Great point on pushing the signal for saturation warmth with an external preamp vs just an interface. Yeah I just switched to Studio One and I'm learning the crap out of it to be the best engineer I can be, first and foremost. The features are mind blowing. I tell myself all I want is a great preamp / outboard compressor, and I do... for now. But you know I'm lying to myself, the quest will be never ending haha. _1176 is a must! Now I need a second one for stereo! And I hear the Distressor is a must have too! Be sure to spring for one with British mode!_ 😂
No worries at all Chaplin and thanks for subbing as well.
I've never used Studio One but I hear good things. I've been using Logic since 2006 and haven't looked back.
100% work on your skills first, the gear will come in time. LOL and you're right, the gear quest is never ending. In a weird way lucked out on that front because I simply don't have room for more gear. So it's a blessing and a curse for now. 1176 for sure, I also love the LA2A. The API 2500 is also stupid good. I looked at a Distressor and threw up a little when I saw the price. It is on my "maybe one day" list for sure. That and some Neve gear for sure!!
" The drumkit itself is SHIT!" i fuckin died hahah good video dude!
It’s also worth noting that you can’t record a microphone signal without a preamp. Most Interfaces include preamps and are usually of the clean, transparent variety. If you’re thinking of buying external preamps it’s a good idea to buy an interface where you can bypass the internal preamp circuit. Not all interfaces allow you to do this.
in the case of scarlett preamps isnt this just a case of setting the input to line signal?
remby The role of a preamp is to bring a microphone or instrument level source to line level. Many combo input jacks on interfaces include 10-20 dB of attenuation when you plug a TS plug in, but the signal is still passing through the preamp circuit. With signals that are coming in at line level it’s nice when the interface allows you to bypass the preamp and go straight to the analog to digital converter.
Great explanation for me.. I won’t ask what I need, but rather to say I plan on using a “new to me” ART Tube MP/C with my RODE Condenser Mic and into a Zoom R8.. Simple. My DAW is Reaper, and I have good sounding guitars.. This is a small “idea” studio I am looking for half decent quality. So the question is, should I get better sound from my Mic using a Pre Amp, instead of direct into an R8? That’s it. Great video by the way and Thank You.
Hey Shawn, thats a great question, and glad you liked the video. I don't have any personal experience with either the ART or the R8 so I can't tell you one will sound better. And with how inexpensive the ART is I would question how well the tube is integrated into the signal chain. But thats a whole different conversation. It also doesn't mean its a bad sounding unit either.
For starters though, I would set the Rode up in front of your guitar cab and connect it to the ART and play. Leave everything set up the same except this time connect the Rode to the R8, play the same thing and then compare. If you can split the signal of the Rode and feed both mic pre's at the same time then even better. (You will likely play the part a little different each time so if you can split the signal then you are getting the exact same playing into each preamp, makes for a better test) After that it's just listening and deciding which one you prefer.
As a bonus suggestion though you will have a FAR greater change in sound by simply moving the mic around. Try it right on the center of the speaker. Move it closer to the edge of the speaker and everywhere in-between. Have it close up, pull it back. Try it on and off axis. There is a whole world of different guitar tones you'll get just by messing around with different mic placements.
As an example, the whole "stick a 57 in the center of the dust cap and you're done" approach. I hate it lol. I like a 57 somewhere between the center and edge of the speaker and on about a 45ish degree angle. Eric Valentine used this cool trick when he was working on whichever Slash record he did. I don't remember exactly so I'll link the video. But he finds the sweet spot where the sound of all 4 speaker cabs converge a few feet in front of the amp and thats where the mic went. I think that was the sound for guitar solos but I can't remember. I haven't watched that video in a while.
I think that is about the long and short of. Pick the pre you like the sound of best and then experiment with where you're placing your mic on your cab. Mic placement on the cab will get you FAR more tonal options than any preamp will give you.
Hope that long winded answer helped. Feel free to ask me anything if you have more questions Shawn
Here's the link to the video I mentioned
ua-cam.com/video/Cz65qfczRmw/v-deo.html
This was so helpful and honest thank you!
No worries Brett 🙂
Great video dude! Nice and clear.
Thanks Jake! 🙂
Other than the overload margin, the noise floor and frequency response of the mic pre, most mic pres sound very similar barring the use of transformers in the path that add saturation. Get a better instrument, better player and most certainly a better room and mic first.
yes, it always comes back to fundamentals, took me forever to realize that
Glad you realized it though. Many people never do and obsess about gear. Gear is great but it’s useless without having the fundamentals under one’s fingers 🙂
@@EverythingMusicRecording Excatly!
My apologies… this speaker did an EXCELLENT JOB… stating… do your best to do your best… and start at the sources…. Then get better from there…
dawg this is one of the best youtube videos i’ve ever seen
Thanks Daniel!! Glad you liked the video =)
You did everything but answer the main question whether the interface Pre is good enough or wether it’s worth having an external Pre.
+PRCPTION it really depends. Let me try it another way. Preamps in interfaces today are WORLDS better then they were 10,15 years ago. So for your average person making music in their house/bedroom, the preamps in their (assuming newer) interface are more than fine.
Now let’s say someone decides to open a studio for either some money on the side, or to try and make a living. If you’re looking at recording in a studio (and paying money for it) your expectations of a studio charging say $20 an hour vs $200 an hour will be very different.
So for $20 an hour your interface preamps will be just fine, but as your studio grows and your clients grow, your rates would gradually increase. But with the increase comes expectations. So as your studio grows, your gear (including external mic preamps) would grow and improve. Somewhere between charging $20 and $200 an hour you would want to start looking into better gear.
If you walked into a studio charging $200 an hour and all they had was a $100 2-channel interface, a cheap Chinese mic or two, and pirated copy of Cubase running on a 8 year old Dell laptop, you’d be like “nope” and you’d leave.
This is why it depends. Everyone’s needs, goals, and all that will be different. So you have to look at your situation and where you want to go.
People new to recording also have bigger fish to fry before worrying about external mic preamps. If someone hasn’t figured out how to set up a vocal mic, or stick an SM57 on a guitar cab, then it doesn’t matter if it’s a $50 pre, or a $5,000 pre, it’s still not going to sound good.
There is also having enough experience to know WHY you want to invest in a certain mic pre. Do you want something clean and transparent? Something with more punch? Maybe you want something that colours the sound and has more of a vintage sound. If someone is going to invest a potential large sum of money into a mic pre, or multiple mic preamps. They should know exactly why they want it, and what they want out of it.
Sorry this was such a long reply. I guess I could have just said “if you want to record your friends band, don’t bother with external pres. If you want to record Metallica on the other hand...” lol hope this helps.
I don’t know. Maybe because I’ve been doing this for almost 30 years and learning as much as possible. Maybe because I also have friends who have worked in big studios with big artists. Maybe because I also have friends with publishing deals and record deals.
This is the second judgey-assed superiority complex comment from you in a matter of minutes. Get a life dude and move on.
Tons of Grammy winning engineers preach the same things I do on this channel. Maybe go tell them how dumb they are too. I wouldn’t want to hog all the fun…
For someone like me, "typical" youtuber, recording electronic guitar. I'm using a Sennheiser e609 into a Focusrite Scarlett Solo into Studio One. Would you upgrade the interface before anything else?
Hey WOGP. Nothing wrong with the Scarlett. I have the 18i20. The preamps do the job. If you’re recording your amp and the only mic you have is the 609, I wonder if you might be better off with an extra mic or two.
The SM57 is pretty similar to the 609. I like 421’s on guitar amps. Then you can blend mics together too. I think you’d get more tonal options grabbing second mic then upgrading the Scarlett will give you. Just my thoughts. Hope that helps.
These quick videos are great
lol thanks! Yea i somehow became the "straight to the point" guy. Which is a bit of a double edged sword lol
Hi Jeff, if I want to record vocals with Audacity using a tube mic (to get a warmer sound), do I need anything more than my MXL MicMate to get the signal into the PC? It doesn't need a strong signal, since I can always just turrn up the volume in Audacity, and I'm not going to mix it with other tracks (it will stay "solo"/"dry"). Will it sound too distorted or otherwise unusable doing this? Thanks and keep up the great work!
I love the break down process of answering this question.
Thanks!! I think because we don’t have big Neve or SSL consoles in our studios some people might think preamps are some magic bullet. I mean yes good preamps are important but they are still just one piece of a very large puzzle.
Great video, useful information! I have a question for you, I have a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 interface, and now I want to buy a Neve preamp for my vocal recordings. Do you think it is useless without getting some serious AD DA converters, I mean is it useless to connect the interface with neve preamp? Is it hard to see improvement in sound in that case? Thanks!
Hey man, im not musician, but i want to learn more about audio, for my videos, similar style like you filmed now. I've got omni directional Rode Videomic Pro, would i get any benefits if i connected my mic to some preamp rather than using my canon 80d preamps? if that is the case what would u recommend?
This explanation was awesome 👏
+ScopeMR lol thanks. Hard to explain things in a video sometimes so I’m glad the explanation was good for you 🙂
I always argued that we are all here for a good conversion! What we are listening to is the analog source converted into the digits and back. So as long as this conversion is good, as natural as possible and smooth (and you name it), the final sound & listening experience is gonna be too. So in my opinion, this is the first component that has to be invested into when we are talking about home recording enthusiasts. I agree with your argument on the source but only partly because even a lousy drum kit you mentioned is gonna sound "true" on a really, really good converter / interface.
You’re not wrong. The converters are very important. Running a $3000 Neve preamp into garbage converters is the equivalent of owning a Ferrari and having cheap no name tires installed on it at Wal-Mart lol.
But with that said though, I don’t know if you can really find “bad” converters anymore. 10+ years ago this would be a different story. And Glenn Fricker is always saying that most interfaces are using the same converter chips anyway. (I’ve never looked into this myself so I don’t know if that’s actually the case or not)
As for the lousy drum kit sounding more “true” with better converters, yes, of course. But why upgrade to better converters if you’re going to record a lousy sounding drum kit? If you’re recording a great sounding kit then it’s a different story. So it all still starts at the source.
My thought is that there is an “order” for lack of a better word, to upgrade one’s studio. Any gear is only as good as the person using it. So skills always need to come first with the gear following along.
Joe Barresi is going to get way better results recording an album with a cheap Behringer interface and converters than someone who doesn’t know what their doing using a rack full of Neve preamps and Burl Audio converters.
So is it worth the investment? Is it not?
Hey James. Everyone’s needs and path are different. But generally speaking, at some point, yes, you would want to start investing into at least one pair of external preamps for sure. The “when, what and why” though will be different for everyone though. IMHO you are better off getting as much mileage out of your interface as possible and save the money for nice preamps. You’ll be better off with say, 2 real nice preamps, vs having 10 “meh” preamps.
super helpful, thanks!
No worries at all. Glad you found the video helpful 🙂
Thanks for this video, it's been very helpful. I do however wanna go back to the question about preamps vs interfaces. I have been using a Focusrite Clarett (with Logic) for some years now. I have decent skills, a decent mic, decent room etc. All my mixing has been done ITB using plugins, and I've never really thought about using outboard gear until I got hold of a warm audio 76. After some months using it, my vocals have sounded great. But more than that, my vocal mixing time has been cut by a lot. I've realised for some reason it takes less time trying to dial in the sound I want, almost like I don't have to do as much to the vocals as I did with plugins.
Near the end of the video, you say when you take care of those areas, then that's when you can look at nicer preamps, I assume then your answer would be to eventually get a preamp? So my question is, all things considered, would a vocal preamp be the next level for me in recording vocals, or is my clarett preamp good enough? Thanks for any advice. Great videos!
Hey hey, thanks for the kind words, and glad you liked the video 🙂
The Clarett has really good mic pre’s. Warren Huart once said everyone should try and get one premium mic pre. I think people need to worry about their skills first, but beyond that I 100% agree with him.
So since there is nothing wrong with the pre’s in the Clarett, I see no reason to rush into buying a preamp just because. If I were you at this point I would save up and buy a nice channel strip. Something with an EQ and possibly a compressor.
If you wanted something clean you could look at SSL or Focusrite. If you wanted something with colour you could look at Neve, Chandler Limited, tons of options
It might cost you $2-4,000 but I think it would be worth the wait if it’s not something you need right this minute.
If you are more eager and don’t want to wait or save that much money then Warm Audio has some good clones, Heritage Audio is another good one. Lots to choose from.
That’s my two cents. Hope that was helpful.
Ninja this is exactly my situation too, same interface, same kinda experience and a WA76 in the post. Your question is excellent!
I only just discovered this channel, keep up the great work. I'd love to see a video where you show us how you hook up and route say a compressor, both for tracking and using as an insert. I've been looking around YT and not found anything. Keep up the great work!
Such a great video! It's just like the classic "diet and exercise" answer from a doctor. No one wants to hear what they pretty much already know. It's been said so many times and shall be repeated many many more. And it's always true.
Hey this is a great video! Thanks for the ideas.
I have a question.. I’m using Rode NT1 microphone along with Focusrite Scarlett Solo audio interface at my home studio setup. And I’m working with software Cubase 5. Do I need any additional preamp? Really appreciate your help. Thanks!
+Suchetana Sinha hey thanks for the kind words. The Scarlett Solo only has one mic pre and isn’t expandable. So if you only ever need to use one mic at a time, then I wouldn’t worry about it. I have the Scarlett 18i20 first gen and it’s preamps are really good. Now if you need to start using more than one mic at a time, your interface isn’t going to cut it. So I would suggest getting as much mileage out of your Solo for now. If one mic preamp isn’t enough down the road then I would just invest in an interface with more inputs/mic preamps. If you think you need 2 mic preamps, get an interface with 4. If you think you need 4, get one with 8. It’s better to have the extra inputs and not need them, then need them and not have them. Hope that helps 🙂
@@EverythingMusicRecording Thanks for your reply and the detailed analysis 😊. Actually I’m using only one microphone and I’m recording only my vocal.
Really a great video. Very very informative. Thank you for that. I want to buy a preamp. I have Neumann tlm 102 mic and Audient id 14 interface. So suggest me the best preamp for my setup.
Thanks. And no worries. I don’t have an answer to your question tho. Far too many options for preamps. Do you want it clean and transparent? Then maybe a Focusrite or SSL style preamp. Warm and fat? Neve. Then there are tube preamps.
Personally if it was my money I’d hand it to Neve and Chandler Limited. But those might not work for what you’re going for either.
@@EverythingMusicRecording thank you very much
Hey man, so I want to start to get into voice over work. I'm really getting confused on these recorders, preamps, audio interfaces, etc. Would you mind telling me the essential "must have" equipment for setting up a home studio for voice acting/ voice over? (By the way, I have a deeper, bass type voice) Thank you so much!
You just need a good mic, would recommend shure sm7b, an audio interface and a computer. 👌🏻
Onpoint bro
Thanks, I do what I can 🙂
Very helpful and detailed. Thank you.
Hey man! Great video. I have a focusrite 2i2 and now I'm about buy a neumann Tlm 103. Do I invest in a better interface or a 300-400usd pre amp? Please help me out!
Oh nice, the TLM 103 is a great mic. Old buddy of mine has 1, maybe 2 of them. I can't remember. Nothing wrong with the 2i2, I'm still using my first gen 18i20. These are always tough questions to answer as I don't want people to buy gear just for the sake of it. And if I was going to buy an external preamp for myself I'd just save up and go straight to a Neve.
So I would suggest sticking with what you've got right now and get aquatinted with the 103 for a bit first. If the sources you're recording are lower volume and there isn't enough gain in the 2i2, then grab a FETHEAD Phantom. I have one and swear by it. And they're only about $100ish.
@@EverythingMusicRecording Thanks alot man. I am sticking to my 2i2 for now and I will save up for the big guys like neve or avalon.
Wow! I love this dude! Thank you, Mr. Jeff!!!!!
Lol no worries my friend 🙂
At 3:38 " there is a priority order" Some of the best advice!
Thanks Alejandro!! Yea it’s very much that whole “need to learn to crawl before you learn to walk” thing really. I hope all of us can get to the point where big name preamps makes sense to get. But until then I’m sure we all have bigger fish to fry.
I have a Sure SM 48 and I run it though my mixer. It does not come any were close to clipping. So I use a inline preamp. What I find out is weird I get a lot less feed back on similar volume when directly connected to a PA. Why is that?
What about using a pre amp and raising the gain to drive a compressor, rather than having no preamp and trying to drive the compressor harder and having the input be too hot for the interface?
I saw some channel mention this. I didn’t consider that . His point was instead of trying to drive the compressor harder for saturation and color but then end up being too hot for the interface, he can push the gain up on his pre and get color on the compressor easier while not clipping the interface. I for sole reason just thought driving a pre harder would end up driving the interface harder , but I guess the output on the compressor can balance the out. Am I missing something?
Hey There, can you send me a link to the video? I understand the core of what you’re getting at but there are some parts that aren’t painting the full picture for me. I just need a little more context.
m.ua-cam.com/video/8kbeB4a-VLM/v-deo.html
7:43-8:44
I listened again and he does mention “feeding pre amp instead of a compressor” but I think what he really was saying overall was he simply drives his pre amps for saturation and Uses the compressor regularly with the benefit of the compressor to regulating output going into his interface .
Side question, do you ever use eq before pre amp? I was considering this since an eq I like gets very saturated with its output higher, but I’d want to control its volume with maybe a pre amp after . That way I’m not stuck with the eq getting too saturated as I try and push its volume . Actually similar scenario to the compressor question now that I think of it .
Thanks for your help and time
Oh it's one of David's videos. Yea he is 100% right and that is what he is saying. A mic is always going to go into a pre amp first and where it goes after that is up to you. But like he mentioned the issue is overloading your converters on the way into your DAW. You can drive say a Neve preamp to get some saturation out of it, but the issue is controlling the level coming out of the preamp. If there is no output level control then you could be hitting a compressor or you converters way too hard. So your only option would be you reduce the mic gain to compensate, but now you're loosing the saturation you were after in the first place. So it can become a catch 22.
I think in this day and age it is very necessary for external preamps to have an output level control in most cases (the exception being a very clean preamp that is not designed to saturate) and any other outboard gear should have input and output level adjustments. Gain staging between different units is far easier when we have control of the level going in and out of it.
As for the EQ, it still needs to come after the preamp. A signal coming out of a mic is far too low and needs to be boosted first (hence the job of a preamp) and an EQ will not offer phantom power either. So it still boils down to having a preamp that you can drive for some saturation but also control the output level of the unit.
I hope that helps clear everything up for you. Let me know if you have anymore questions my friend =)
Ok, you're right....lol but a Toyota is not a Rolls Royce have you ever ridden in a Rolls-Royce? I have it's a real eye-opener, both get you to the same place but man what a ride you can hear a pin drop in the rolls Royce and and drink your coffee without spilling it on you..... I have good Mic's professional guitars, Great amp's, Presonus 1810c, mac Pro MI Max ,running studio one professional and an ART MPA II preamp... for my ROYER R 10 I have a ROYER booster which works great but I struggle with volumes on NT1, Aston Spirit, 57 the preamp really helps with the vocals sitting in the mix, if that makes any sense? But it distorts and I can't get enough clean headroom from it.... I would like to get a NEVE but I think a BAE 1073DMP will work excellent.... Without the preamp, things seem to sit flat in the mix, with no dimension and a little colder, thin no matter how many plug-ins I add to it.... It's like a tube amp versus solid-state, am I losing my mind...lol don't get me wrong my interface sounds really good by itself, but I just need that extra push..... Great video
I have never been in a Rolls. Fanciest I’v ever driven would be a Lincoln Navigator. Which is close to a clunker in comparison lol.
Your point though is completely valid. But to counter that point, if everyone had to wait to get their hands on a Rolls then most of us would never drive.
I do think we should strive for great gear and preamps. But none of those things will make our music or skills better. So I feel gear is a gradual upgrade. As our skills get better than our gear should probably get better as well (generally speaking)
If you want the Neve, why not get the Neve instead of the BAE? I mean cost is going to be about the same anyway.
@@EverythingMusicRecording the NEVE in Canada is 469+ more that's half the price of me getting a Neumann TLM 103...lol and I like the Jensen DI for bass and portability is Plus. but the sway would be if I was recording for a living ..... I love your channel thank you for the reply... Look forward to your next video ;)
Yea, nothing Neve is cheap. You can get Rupert Neve stuff at a number of places but as far as I’m aware the only place in the country to get AMS-Neve stuff is that place in Montreal… the name of it is escaping me
Yea that’s the other side of the gear convention. If you’re not making a living either making music or recording it can me more difficult to justify the expense for the real good stuff.
And thanks, glad you’re enjoying the channel Jerry. And a new video did go up a couple hours ago. It’s an odd topic for this channel but I thought it could be interesting. More gear videos coming though 🙂
@@EverythingMusicRecording Maybe Long & McQuades…. Limited selection though not like Sweetwater….
Longs only carries Rupert Neve. That place in Montreal is the only place in Canada listed on the AMS-Neve site. It is www.economik.com/products/shop-by-brand/ams-neve/
How do i choose a Mic preamp when upgrading from interface only preamps? Please lmk Im looking to invest in upgrading my home studio its for hip hop vocals, im looking to invest in a mic preamp and a compressor or channel strip. Idk brands of good equipment cause ive never been around that stuff in my life. How do i go about figuring out a good preamp or analog compressor/channel strip for upgrading my studio and skills?
Presonus Hp4 4 channels both headphone and monitor control and I takes up to 600ohms for headphones! German brand metal case product! 💯🔥
Great Video, thanks for breaking it down. I understood. I don't need one now but I'm laughing cause my friends might have wasted money on some for vocals only
+UNCUT lol thanks, and no worries. Your friend might not have wasted money on a mic pre, I mean a good mic pre is never a waste of money.
What did they pick up?
But that money may, or may not have been put to better use depending on a number of factors surrounding your friends studio that I would have no idea about. I think everyone should aim for great gear, but everyone gets there at different times. 🙂
Question: If I'm using a Sound Devices Mix-pre 6 ll with a Sennheiser MKE 600 OR 416, would I need to use the Sound Devices MM-1 microphone preamp? Would there be any real benefit?
Basically every microphone (unless it’s something like a USB mic with a built-in preamp) will need a preamp. The levels coming out of regular mics are too low, hence needing a preamp to get proper signal level to a recorder or DAW 🙂
@@EverythingMusicRecording Thank you :)
I was hoping you'd suggest some mic preamps, but great video!
+The Wise Monk thanks. Glad you liked the video. Yea it’s hard to recommend much of anything nowadays. There is a million of everything out there now and everyone’s needs are different. Personally though, if money was no object I would do a combination of Neve and Chandler Limited. Warm Audio is supposed to be really good for the price as well but I’ve yet to try any of their stuff out. I have been playing with the idea of picking up one of their Neve clones though.
For now though I use a Focusrite 18i20 and I track everything thru waves NLS using the TG12345 pres and also thru the TG12345 channel strip, then thru Kramer Tape, and then printed to logic. So until the day comes that o can afford some nice external preamps, that’s how I do things. I’ll have to do a video on this actually. It’s a cool setup.
@@EverythingMusicRecording Aah sounds great man, you should do a video on your setup too. Yeah, I agree, we've got way too many options to choose from thesedays, especially in the budget segment.
I've been doing a research on affordable preamps just to boost the performance for dynamic mics. Maybe something other than a Cloud Lifter, which is quite commonly used.
Would really appreciate it if you have any suggestions.
Thanks!
I have a regular Lavalier microphone but when I plug it in to the aux of my radio, it doesn't hear the lavalier. Suggestions?
I am not a musician. I just want to hear people in the back seat of my taxi. I have a Plexiglas barrier because of Covid. Amazon doesn't have an easy fix. I have a Lavalier and a mini boombox
Hey. So an AUX input is expecting to see what is called a “line level” input. A microphone on the other hand sends a very low level audio signal and would need to be connected to a microphone preamps which would then boost the signal coming from the mic to essentially a line level. That is why you are hearing basically nothing from the boombox. You’d have to crank the boombox and you’d still hear next to nothing.
I’m not sure what to suggest for your situation beyond trying to find a mic that has a built in preamp. I mean if your taxi’s stereo has a usb input then you could try a USB mic. But then you couldn’t have the stereo on at the same time…
Maybe there is something that you might find in a limousine that may work? I’d assume they have a way to communicate to passengers with the privacy window up. I’d start my search for a solution there.
@@EverythingMusicRecording thanks. If you see anything on Amazon let me know
great video! its makes a lot of sense
Thanks Grant!! Great preamps are nice but most every interface has good preamps now too. But like building a house, you can’t start with the second floor. You need a foundation first.
So I do hope you and everyone else gets to the point where shelling out for top preamps makes sense, there are just other things to worry about first is all.
I love this! A lot of common sense in this video!
Thanks Andy. I do what I can in the common sense department =)
Great explanation Jeff, very helpful for us small time home studios!
Brilliant succinct and punchy
Great video m8 😀😃
Sweet!! Thanks Bralyn
Thanks 👍
Great video! Subscribed.
Hey Grayling!! Glad you liked the video and hopefully it helped you out. Thanks for subscribing as well 😀
Great information.......thanks
Hi. So I have a Mackie Pro FX 12 I use Pro Tools and my guitar signal goes into Pro Tool and is really low. I cranked the gain up and still low. I have the input level at about 30% when I go any higher feedback . Any ideas? Thanks
Hey Viola. So on the Mackie Pro FX, your guitar needs to be plugged into the LINE/HI-Z input on channel 1. Directly above that is a grey button with a guitar icon on it. That button needs to be pushed in. The signal level coming from a guitar is super low, hence the HI-Z input on your mixer. So make sure you are connected to that input on channel 1 and that the HI-Z button is engaged. Let me know if that takes care of your issue.
@@EverythingMusicRecording Thanks I just came across and video that explained that exact thing . I have a Focus Focusrite 18i20 but no room for it so I use the mackie in its place. Thanks again will let you know the outcome. You do great work very informative 👏
@@violadrums Sweet. Yea channel 1 on your mackie is the same idea as CH 1+2 on the 18i20. Just that the focusrite has 2 HI-Z inputs, but you still have to engage the buttons on the focusrite when connecting a guitar. Thanks btw, I try lol
@@EverythingMusicRecording Thanks for the tip. It helped but still I have to crank up the gain and max then fader . Would a DI box improve it? Thanks again
@@violadrums No worries. That's odd tho. Double check the volume on your guitar is all the way up. (I've had days where my monitors weren't working because i forgot to turn them on... lol) You shouldn't have to crank the gain and fader on the mixer... I almost wonder if there is an issue with the mackie. If you can, try hooking your focusrite back up and see if you have the same problem or not. If it goes away, the issue is likely with the Mackie. If you have the same issue with the focusrite then it could be a possible guitar or patch cord issue. A DI box can be handy to have yes, but I don't think it will fix the issue. Maybe the HI-Z button isn't engaging properly or something... (ponders) Keep me posted.
thanks man
No worries at all =)
Having out board gears is always good as using software.
IMHO I think gear and software are just about on par with each other, give or take a little bit. But I think a good balance of gear and software is never a bad thing.
I think people just need to find the balance that works for them is all. I mean I’m just fine using software amp cabs, but I prefer to use a real tube head. But that doesn’t always work either. I’m not gonna go out and buy 40 amp heads lol.
So I think, as I’m sure I said in a different video, invest in the gear that makes the most sense for your own situation, and use software to fill in the rest.
@@EverythingMusicRecording now I like your answer better. but yea software can get a good sound but hardware would get a great.
Lol my answer is just my opinion. Neither better or worse than anyone else’s.
I agree there is something about gear. Why like I said I prefer to use a real tube amp head as much as I can. Amp sims sound great, but just lack something sometimes.
On the flip side tho, what’s a LA2A plugin cost? Like $29 if Waves has it on sale, vs buying a real one. And what if you need 5 of them? That’s like $25 grand!!
Front end will always be important tho. Unless we are making music where every sound comes from a virtual instrument, we still need to record the sounds into a DAW. So gear isn’t going to go anywhere. Plugins will never replace gear. I just think the roll of gear and how we use it has changed.
Great vid!
Is it necessary to buy external pre amp with apollo x8p to record vocals ?
Nope. Only if you wanted too, or can’t get the “sound” or “colour” you’re looking for out of the Apollo. 🙂
Hi thanks ! Can you suggest me some good mic pre amps between neve 1073SPX or DPX and shelford channel ?
Also newton channel I mainly have to record pop and retro vocals
Well you’d be hard pressed to go wrong with any of those preamps. With the 1073 you’re just getting the preamp and EQ. With the Shelford and Newton you’re also getting a built in compressor. They are also both more or less modern 1073’s. The Newton looks to be a slightly simpler version of the Shelford.
If it was me and I was mainly tracking vocals I’d go with the Shelford just so I could compress a little on the way in.
Yea iono lol try to see if you can rent or borrow them. I mean at the end of the day you aren’t really gonna know for sure which will work best for you until you can try them out 🙂
Is a mic pre amp really necessary if you have plug-ins that can do the same thing? Is there really a difference?
Well a physical mic pre IS necessary yes. It is needed to get the level coming from the mic to where it should be before it hits your DAW. (proper gain staging) The plugins are emulating (generally) vintage and expensive mic pre's that many just cannot afford. In the real world, those mic pre's will colour the sound going through them. So a Neve 1073 will sound very different than the mic pre's in the old REDD consoles that all (except the Abbey Road album) the Beatles records were recorded on.
So in most modern audio interfaces, the mic pre's are designed to sound as clean and transparent as possible. So then running a mic pre plugin would just be to colour the sound and give it some "vibe" or "colour".
Hope that answered your question. I do have a video coming that will better explain this.
@@EverythingMusicRecording Thank you for explaining! I've been looking into getting a pre-amp that adds color, a warm vintage feel. Does physical hardware compressors like the Fatso Distressed make a big difference too, V.S the plug-in version of it?
Great video! 👍🏼
Thanks Brandon!! Glad you liked it!!
I agree with you.
Thanks Sanjoy. It’s only my opinion and people can take it or leave it, but it’s nice when someone understands what you’re trying to get across 🙂
Well said sir! 👏
Thanks FerL. I do what I can =)
Do you think I should upgrade mic o pre first?
Jeff Bastien what is considered a “meh” preamp?
So what your opinion about Mic Preamp *ToneBeast* with a really cheap condenser?
It is actually a simple question to answer. No need for an external preamp.
And what does "a good microphone preamp" mean? Color? No color?
Ask engineers from 30 years ago and they will say no color. Now it is the opposite
Do you want an external preamp? Sure, why not, this can be interesting and useful. But do you need? No.
Thanks!
On the point. 👍
I want ALL the pres...and I want them NOW!
LMAO!! Not uncommon for me, but now I have Queen stuck in my head!!! 😃
@@EverythingMusicRecording HAHA! So...here's where I'm at...long story short as possible. Started recording in the 90s on a 4-track Portastudio tape machine. Slowly upgraded gear for decades - spending a fortune. Became a Sweetwater Sales Engineer...spent way MORE of a fortune. Woke up one day and sold EVERYTHING because all I did was obsess over every signal chain for hours instead of recording ANYTHING...20+ high-end mics, racks of Neve, API, Manley etc. So...right now, I have 2 albums fully written (one singer/songwriter and the other all Blues) that I'm ready to record. All I kept was my Audient ID44 interface. And I'm sitting here trying to decide all over again what I want as my front end...pres? channel strip? Which mic(s) AT4050 good enough? Lauten Audio Atlantis? Soyuz 017 FET...and on and on and on and on and on. IT'S SO PAINFUL! And of course, every single person has an entirely different opinion about every piece of gear on Earth. I just want to make a decision and get to work. Make it stop.
“Make it stop”
Lol ignore marketing and gear*cough*slutz.
I’ve been trying to find the motivation to make a video not far off from what you’ve just said. I’m not sure how to reply to you in this moment cuz I’d be here writing a reply for a month. (Also I miss having a porta studio but they go for a fortune now…)
Long story short, I think we should all try to stop worrying about the gear. Yes, gear is important, but there are other factors that are equally, or more important then the gear.
I mean, look at it this way. If you have to go somewhere, a Ford Fiesta and a Lamborghini will both get you there (tho obviously the Lamborghini would be more fun) but if you have no where to go, what good is either car?
And you working (or worked) at sweet water, you know that even low end gear is worlds better than it was say 10 years ago.
Unless the gear you currently have has issues and doesn’t function as it should, so long as your skills are at least decent, I’d assume you’d be hard pressed to make a bad sounding recording.
I’d love much better gear as well. But looking honestly at my current situation, there is zero point. If this channel was to take off and/or people are really liking the music I put out, then ok, upgrading gear would start to make more sense. Unless that happens, it’s giant sums of money for no real reason.
Not sure if this reply was of any help. Like I said I have a couple videos planned to try and tackle these kind of subjects, just haven’t been motivated to make anything… I really need to get off my ass
@@EverythingMusicRecording Yeah...I could write about this stuff for days as well. I mean, certain gear actually DOES make a difference depending on your GOALS. If I want to make a record that sounds like the song Africa by TOTO for example...that is just not going to happen with a Blue Spark microphone and a Behringer preamp. Know what I mean? So...before I put the hundreds of hours of tracking into my next album(s), I want to make sure I have the right equipment for professional results. Whichever gear that happens to be is the dilemma! You and I would certainly talk on the phone for hours and hours. HAHA!
Hours? Lol. Sounds like we’d be on the phone for days!!
I totally get what you’re saying tho. And there is so much of everything now I’m sure it makes it even harder.
I like things simple personally. And I’ve thought long and hard about what my “dream studio” would have in it (as much as one can anyway)
If I was gonna give advice on what gear to buy, I’d say make a list of records with the type of sounds you’re going for, and then trying and figure out what gear was used on each one, then start with the gear that each one has in common. Like if they all seemed to be tracked on a Neve or a Trident console, I’d start looking at getting some Neve or trident preamps or channel strips. So on and so forth.
Personally I’d love a Neve Genesys Black. Not sure I’d need much else. Load each channel with the 88R EQ and compression and I’d be good to go. Maybe some other bits and bobs but not much.
How many tracks to you need to record at a time? Like full drum kits or just one thing at a time?
thank u
No worries at all =)
Thank you sir
I love you for this lol
Thanks Juan. I do what i can lol
Depends right? If you have a legit sound that drops your panties, stay with it! If it's stale and cheesy sounding.. Test a few legit pres and interfaces...and Keep looking until you get what you're looking for. Do you like Chevy or Ford? Why?
You totally called it.
As a side story.. I used to use an school presonus blue tube with an upgraded tube into a standard sound blaster sound card with my akg 3000b and as much as I loved the sound.. It JUST wasn't quiiiiiite there and it was finicky.. Would shift tone after being on for a while or too long etc. I only had a small window of about 30 to 45 mins to record at its best. I thought I would upgrade... and as soon as I got the UAD Apollo with the Neve emulation.. Or any of the emulations... I just wasn't happy. Was it cleaner? Bigger? YES! ... But it It wasn't as smooth and warm.... Glossy... Or as appealing tonal wise even with the same MIC. I know how crazy that sounds... Trust me. But I found after spending thousands of dollars on equipment that it's great to buy good stuff, but at some point it becomes more about flavor and personality of the equipment than the price. It's not always about the most expensive stuff. I've heard AMAZING tracks made on cheap set ups with free plug ins. Horrible tracks on Hella expensive ones.
So just be intuitive and find your sound.. Your groove. It your journey.. Your music. Trust yourself. 🖐🏻
And then the track goes to space... which changes the sound
+Jake Arama hahaha!!! The vacuum of space!! The largest mute button ever!!! 🤣🤣🤣
words o' wisdom!
I try lol
Thanks
No worries at all. Hope the video was helpful 🙂
For sound design/Foley, you don't need preamps. Maybe for music
Not true at all. Every mic needs a preamp. Some mics might have them built in, like a USB mic or something like a Zoom H4, but there is still a preamp involved. A boom mic operator would plug a shotgun mic into something like a Tascam DR60 which also has preamps and phantom power to power condenser mics.
The only real difference would be in the type of preamp.
For most things film/tv related you’d want your preamps to be as clean and transparent as possible whereas with music many of us prefer preamps that add some colour to the sound. 🙂
@@EverythingMusicRecording Ok thanks for the schooling. What I meant was a separate dedicated preamp because you're right, ultimately, everything needs a pre amp. I'm just saying though that an audio device like an Olympus LS 100 (which has VERY clean preamps for a handheld device) is enough to get good sound. It's the source that matters and the type of room more than needing a pre amp is what I mean.
Oh absolutely. Everything starts at the source and if that sounds bad then the rest of the chain doesn’t matter at all. Can’t really polish a turd lol.
Good stuff
+E H thanks 🙂
Conventional wisdom suggests minimizing anything along the single chain that's not absolutely necessary. Best cables, pristine mic pre's etc. But sometimes you need a little mojo. That's what my LA 610 is all about. I call it my golden channel.
good luck dear bro keep the quality the same plzz
Hmm
so to answer the question, "Yes, No, Maybe , definitely.....but depends
i really like your HAT, and I think you're best in comedy acting too... if you didn't realized man lol... like home alone or Pirates of the Caribbean genre movie... riding in a row boat....sorry pal this kind of... out of topic joke.... but yap... I have a stolen focusrite scarlet 2i2 3rd Gen... and you've really opened my mind, you've free me from this delusion that somewhere somehow by Michael W. Smith and Amy grant thing.... this $3 dollars cow's shit mic I've stole from my neighbor (a priest ) will turned into a brauner vm1s Mic ....but you really broke my heart pal (crying)... as this fuck****n truth has set me free..... it hurt me so badly..... that no audio interface with an outstanding preamp can makes me sounds like elves presly man with this crap stolen mic.... did i spell it correctly? anyway you have a good presentation man.... gooD luck and GodspEED ..... wait a second man.... I really like your time machine when you've send me back in time around 1974.... it looks awesome as a I've walked into the old time studio building.... it's a huge building and has full of analog rigs.... How i wish I could stay right there forever... but I think my friend's UAD Apollo audio interface is enough to send me at present time he he he he tonight again.....hehe he I have a very clever PLAN on it...
If you have to ask that question, you probably don't lol
Lol I think you’re mostly right on that Aaron. I think many people don’t need them since interfaces are so good nowadays. Pros already have them. But I think the people in the middle might be tricky. If someone has a growing studio and/or their trying to get higher paying clients, I think they will eventually need to invest in some preamps. I just think it comes down to “when and what” for them.
Didn’t really explain anything about pre amp.. is like telling people nothing. I guess who doesn’t know anything about music or trying to make a little home studio and came to this video to get some helpful ideas was left with nothing or worse.
Sorry you hated the video Jose. It’s impossible to create a video that address the situation of anybody and everybody who may watch this video.
My intent was as follows. Too many beginners, and I’m sure intermediates as well, get it in their head that buying “insert expensive preamp here” will revolutionize their recordings. Which it will not.
So the point is to have the viewer look at their own skill level, situation, and needs, and decide if their interface is good enough, or if they have reached the point where investing in big name preamps makes sense for them. This is also why I tried to explained with the whole “console to tape and back” rant that a preamp is just one piece of a large puzzle.
Unfortunately marketing and sites like gearslutz get into peoples heads and make them think that unless they have “x gear, brand, etc” their recordings will always be crap. Yes gear is important, but one’s skills are more important. Without the skills, the gear is useless. But most people don’t want to hear that answer.
I just want anyone who sees this video to take an honest look at their situation before maxing out their credit cards on gear that will in no way improve their skills. If they’ve reached the point where spending the money makes sense, great. If not, I hope it causes them to focus on improving their skills and worrying about fancy preamps later on down the road.
treat your room first then buy as much mic as you can afford u87 or manley ref c then work your way down the chain ....one of those mics and a uad interface will absolutely be enough for 99 percent of people including professionals .... spend the rest of your time making good music
thank u
No worries at all 🙂