8 Jan
2012
8 Jan
'12
2:08 a.m.
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On Fri, 6 Jan 2012 16:44:21 +0000
Fons Adriaensen <fons(a)linuxaudio.org> wrote:
Sorry, does that mean that the levels of the guitar signal upon output
from the DI box are comparable to that of a mic, and thus a mic preamp
associated with a microphone input will do the job? I had it in my
head that you used either (an active DI) or (a passive DI + specialized
guitar preamp) to bring the guitar up to line level, and then plugged
into a line input. If I'm understanding you correctly, another option
is to use a passive DI and plug into a microphone input (assuming the
interface has one). Is that correct?
On Fri, Jan 06, 2012 at 10:50:12AM -0500, Chris
Metzler wrote:
How do you find out? This doesn't seem like something they'd go out of
their way to tell you in the product documentation!
2. Some interfaces seem to have a combination jack that allows XLR
and 1/4" inputs. Are these good? Or is there a tradeoff between
convenience and sound quality?
Sound quality is not determined by the connector. But the use of
such connectors can indicate 'budget quality'. Very often they are
used as a combined mic/line input (mic = XLR, line = TRS). Then
it depends: if the line input is just an attenuator feeding the
mic input that's not really very good. A real line input does not
pass via the mic preamp.
d) Since
guitars aren't at line level, do they need
preamplification like microphones do?
Yes. Normally the DI box is connected to a microphone input.
Some other things to consider:
Usually you get what you pay for. Quality is not only sound
quality, but also construction and reliability, and it has
a price.
Are there particular ways you recommend to find out about that, other
than trolling the list archives for positive/negative comments? I've
had mixed results with trusting customer reviews on vendor sites,
because even if honest, those reviews tend to be posted very soon after
purchase, when what I want is to see how people feel after more
extended use.
If you are a musician, consider the combination of a
simple
but good quality soundcard having only balanced line inputs
and outputs (even fixed level) with one the many small
musician's mixers. These usually have mic and guitar inputs,
a headphone output etc. Such a combination is much more
flexible than any soundcard.
Can you elaborate on this a bit more? The mixers I'm familiar with
have a limited number of outputs (since the point of the mixer is to
mix down the signals it's receiving); so if I intended to record
multiple channels simultaneously, I'd lose some post-recording
flexibility (like the ability to manipulate tracks independently in a
DAW) by mixing down before passing the signal to the audio interface.
Or maybe you're not suggesting using the mixer *as a mixer*, but rather
as a mic preamp or guitar preamp for just one of my analog signals
before passing that one signal to the interface? Or do I still not
follow you?
Ciao,
Thanks very much!
- -c
- --
Chris Metzler cmetzler(a)speakeasy.snip-me.net
(remove "snip-me." to email)
"As a child I understood how to give; I have forgotten this grace since
I have become civilized." - Chief Luther Standing Bear
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