OT: Mic Preamp Solutions

[Metal_Boy16]

I wasn't sure where else to post this...and I know a lot of you are very "techie", so I have a question for those specific people. But first, my situation:

 

My band is trying to record. We will all be getting our own microphones for our respective instruments around this holiday season, so no more putting up with cheap vocal mics! I have a small BOSS digital recorder, with XLR, 1/4", and RCA inputs. We have a PA, including a separate 12 channel mixer board and power amp. My first thoughts were to hook all the microphones into the mixer, adjust the signal to my liking, and send the Left and Right output of the mixer to the digital recorder.

 

Will the mixer work well as the microphone preamp we hope to us it as? We will be hooking up about 9 microphones to it, including a drum mic kit, bass amp mic (AKG D112 ), and a guitar amp mic. I was thinking that maybe the output signal from the mixer would be too thin. It's an older board, from the 80s is my guess, but it works perfect for the PA.

 

I basically want to know if I'm going to have to buy a separate mic preamp. And to what I've seen online, good ones with multiple channels don't seem to be cheap...

[mcbn]

Wouldn't that send it all to the recorder as 1 single track? I'm not one of the gear freaks, but unless it is a digital mixer set up to work with the digital recorder (look up the Fostex stuff) then I think you would have to have the perfect mix. Of course you could overdub like Buddy Holly in that movie......

[Metal_Boy16]

It actually would record two tracks using the left and right outputs from the mixer. I can adjust the pan of each channel on the mixer. We would have to sound check every session, but that's easy. We can just listen from the headphones jack of the recorder to get the sound balance correct on the mixer. We could also record something, play it back, then adjust the sound balance on the mixer, record again, play it back, adjust, etc.

 

But that's all if we do a "real-time"/live recording. We want to do it that way, but if we can't, we can put everyone's part on seperate tracks, but we'd still use the mixer as a preamp to all the mics, especially all 7 drum mics.

 

BTW, we are just a bunch of high school kids (not to degrade us...) in a band, and all we want is a decent recording of us so we can show people our stuff. It doesn't have to sound perfect.

[SteveC]

Yes, your mixer should work as a preamp for this application.

[Metal_Boy16]

Thanks. Anymore comments would be appreciated.

[Fred TBP]

Originally posted by Metal_Boy16:

Thanks. Anymore comments would be appreciated.

Check out my reply to a similar thread on preamps.

 

Bottom line is that a tube preamp works differently than the digital preamp on a mixer to get the same results. You might like what you hear. Plus, although I haven't tried out the MXR unit, I intend to because I hear it's not a bad unit for a nice boost.

[getz out]

Also, if you're going to record bass with just one track, you might want to consider a DI instead of a mic. There was recently a thread on that as well.

[Metal_Boy16]

My amp actually has a DI, but it sounds way too dead. I may try to get a good sound with that using some EQing, but then I'll just use the mic and DI simultaneously into 2 different tracks. The Bass Player Book (by Bass Player Magazine) says that is the sure way to get a good sound, because you can blend the two signals to get the best of both. I'm aware of the threads that have been on this forum, but my question was specific to the equipment I have and needed a specific answer.

[getz out]

If you want a specific answer, you might want to list the "specific" mixer you'll be using.

 

I've never heard of a Mackie VLZ preamp sounding "too thin."

[Metal_Boy16]

I would have given a brand name for the mixer, but it's "nameless", meaning it's got no visible identification. All I really know is that it was bought new sometime in the 80s and it has no digital components.

[getz out]

Then you're in the land of ear.

 

Pick up a book on recording techniques. Home Recording for Dummies is very well written and gives good, straight ahead advice. It's an easy read and will improve your recording techniques quickly. There are other books and sources of information (including school) if you want to really dive deeply into the subject.

[Fred TBP]

Originally posted by Metal_Boy16:

My amp actually has a DI, but it sounds way too dead. I may try to get a good sound with that using some EQing, but then I'll just use the mic and DI simultaneously into 2 different tracks.

Amp DIs are usually matching impedance transformers placed immediately after the input jack or the input gain control of the amplifier. That may be good for a clean, direct signal to a mixer, but as one of my friends puts it, "y'gotta add a little hot sauce to it". Between the clean DI and the mike is where the DI/preamp combo boxes come in.

 

I'm not trying to talk you out of using a mic, but after spending a few hours in different studios I've learned that mic placement is a science unto itself, and a bad mic placement won't do anything positive for your sound. I just prefer the DI/preamp approach to save studio time to get the track down, and later if I want an amp sound I can run a prerecorded bass track back into an amp, mic that, and record it on a separate track.