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Technology of the Trade: PC Recording |
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Pre-Amps Def. A low-noise amplifier designed to take a low-level signal (microphone) and bring it up to normal line level. A pre-amps ability to amplify the signal is crucial to getting a good recording. Pre-amps add some colorization to the signal which can be a good thing or a very bad thing, so as always try before you buy. Compact (ex. M-Audio "Audio Buddy", Presonus TUBEPre) Generally single or dual channel units, portable, affordable, and downright cute, this style of pre-amp is perfect for solo musicians. Very limiting when it comes to recording drums but this can be remedied by adding a mixing board to your setup. Single-Channel TubePre Rackmount (ex. Presonus Digimax, Focusrite OctoPre) Ranging from single channel to 8 channels, these higher end boast Class-A preamps, peak meters, individual Phantom Power circuits, and some even have on board dynamics. Condenser mics require a power source to operate which is where Phantom Power comes in. Available on most mixers and pre-amps. Focusrite 8 Channel Pre-Amp w/ Dynamics Recommendation Your choice of pre-amp will depend on how many tracks you want to record simultaneously and how many channels your recorder will support but there are a few things to keep in mind: The cheapest solution is to buy a mixing board with onboard pre-amps (anywhere from 2-24), but then your money is being spent on EQ circuits, knobs, sliders, and extra outputs which you may never use. Generally the pre-amps in today's bargain mixing boards are subpar at best. One really good pre-amp is a lot better than 8 that flatten your tracks, so choose wisely. If you plan on recording one track at a time you can get a way with using a single channel pre-amp but a dual channel (stereo) pre-amp is a lot better choice. The M-Audio "Audio Buddy" appears to be a very popular choice for amateur recording. If you plan on recording drums frequently or could take advantage of the advanced features, then an 8 channel is the way to go. The pre-amps of today offer an endless list of analog and digital connectivity options including XLR, 1/4" TRS, ADAT™ LightPipe Digital Optical (24-bit), AES/EBU (24-bit), and S/PDIF (24-bit) further expanding their capabilities. -The General < Recorders > |
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