surferXmatt
Joined: Aug 27, 2008
Posts: 1570
New York
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Posted on May 07 2009 09:25 AM
So, I finally purchased a laptop that I can use for recording.. I have been tinkering with it through a Line 6 Pod XT Live (Piece of garbage) which sounds good awful and extremely synthetic. I ultimately want to mic my amp and record the proper way. I am wondering what everyone's opinion is regarding my signal chain. Two options are as follows:
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Mic -> Tube Pre Amp (Art or Behringer - something inexpensive) -> USB Audio Interface
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Mic -> Small and Simple Mixer with Mic Pre Amp (No tubes) -> USB Audio Interface
Which will yield better results?
Gracias!
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on May 07 2009 09:33 AM
If you don't have speakers you can use other than your lap top speakers, then I say you should save the money of the preamp and get speakers. Listening back to a mix on laptop speakers is the worst and you don't necessarily want to mix via headphones.
I record with the mic into my USB interface and then into my lap top. Sounds good.
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surferXmatt
Joined: Aug 27, 2008
Posts: 1570
New York
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Posted on May 07 2009 09:50 AM
My audio interface only has RCA in's and out's. So, plugging the mic directly in to that will not work. That is why I was thinking of a mixer or preamp. I agree laptop speakers are atrocious.
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2773
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on May 07 2009 10:13 AM
I've had several small Behringer boards. Amazing values. I currently have a small in-line Behringer (8/4/2 setup w/o effects) and it's mic pres are easily as musical sounding (and probably cleaner) than those in my Mackie 32-8 in the basement studio. Most of the gear one can buy today is butt over tea kettle better and cleaner than the gear in most small studios in late '50s and early '60s.
Those guys had great mic's, analog tape, and great ears.
ed
— Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?
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surferXmatt
Joined: Aug 27, 2008
Posts: 1570
New York
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Posted on May 07 2009 10:28 AM
I guess the advantage of a small mixer over a pre amp would be the ability to maybe EQ a little bit and make some minor tweaks.. which is advantageous.
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LHR
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 2123
The jungle
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Posted on May 07 2009 11:23 AM
Those cheap ART tube preamps derive no benefit from the 12AX7 in the circuit. It runs at a very low plate voltage and really the whole gizmo is a gimmick. You will introduce no wanted tube artifacts using this thing. The cheapest Behringer mixer (say the XENYX 502) will yield superior results; it has a better mic pre and lower noise floor. And it is a mixer and EQ which might come in handy.
And as far as the speakers go, why not forgo them and just use headphones? I recently ordered several pairs of Sennheiser HD202 headphones that blew me away for the twenty bucks apiece I paid.
— SSIV
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surferXmatt
Joined: Aug 27, 2008
Posts: 1570
New York
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Posted on May 07 2009 11:29 AM
A $40 pre amp, hmmm I figured as much :). The mixer would be handy for other applications as well.
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Jagshark
Joined: Nov 05, 2008
Posts: 745
Colorado, home of The Astronauts
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Posted on May 07 2009 11:38 AM
I second the "stay away from the ART" notion - you'll only really add noise to your mix, from my experience with them.
— (defunct) Thee Jaguar Sharks
Plus! Other stuff not surf: https://soundcloud.com/jamesmileshq
Enjoy every minute
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surferXmatt
Joined: Aug 27, 2008
Posts: 1570
New York
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Posted on May 07 2009 11:42 AM
Man, what a difference it will make to be recording a real mic'd amp, as opposed to running through a Pod XT Live.. yuck. What terrible, synthetic and ultimately awkward tone. I played a quick mix I did for my wife to hear and she instantly was like "that sounds weird". Which clearly leads me to.... Any one want to buy a Line 6 Floor POD XT Live?  Haha.
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Stormtiger
Joined: Dec 12, 2006
Posts: 2681
Ventura, CA
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Posted on May 07 2009 11:57 AM
Before it gets too trashed, the ART tube pre-amp was a big improvement at minimal cost for me. Kahuna Kawentzmann recorded some very nice stuff using a 2 channel model and claims he gets different flavors using 2 different tubes. I don't use it for the mic, just to beef up the guitar signal before going into the computer. I'm getting much better tones now than when I used a mic for home recording, you have to turn the amp up too loud to get a good tone.
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LHR
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 2123
The jungle
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Posted on May 07 2009 12:17 PM
I have a few ART Tube MPs. They are fine for what they are. I use them for recording band practices using some nice condensers into a Boss Micro BR. But they are noisy and the mic pres are in no way as good as the ones on my cheapo Behringer XENYX 1202FX. And I am not saying the XENYX is all that good; it is merely okay.
— SSIV
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Stormtiger
Joined: Dec 12, 2006
Posts: 2681
Ventura, CA
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Posted on May 07 2009 01:18 PM
I don't want to give the impression that I know what I'm doing, just that it was better with the ART than without. I've been considering one the Behringers because of the expanded functionality and I think the Surfites used one to record Big Pounder direct.
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surferXmatt
Joined: Aug 27, 2008
Posts: 1570
New York
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Posted on May 07 2009 01:22 PM
Yes - there is a Behringer version with expanded "voices". If that is the one you are talking about. I appreciate every one's opinion, professional, amateur or bedroom recording artist. 
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RecRoomSurfer
Joined: Sep 19, 2008
Posts: 206
Canada, eh?
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Posted on May 07 2009 04:25 PM
surferXmatt
So, I finally purchased a laptop that I can use for recording...
My basement home recording setup is centered around a mixer. I have
an inexpensive Atlo AMX-140, it was on sale.
http://www.altoproaudio.com/index.php?template=3&id_prod=129&id_padre=122123575604213
The mixer is connected to a pair of Behringer B2031A powered monitor
speakers. http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHB2031A
Everything is plugged into the mixer, computer audio outputs, CD player, iPod, microphone, amp modeler.
The audio input of the computer (for recording) is connected to the AUX send of the mixer. In this setup
the mixer is used to listen to the previously recorded tracks from the recording software along with a new live track
from the mic or the amp modeler. Only the mixer channel with the new live track is sent to AUX send to be recorded.
Of course you need to use headphones instead of the monitor speakers when recording an amp with a mic.
It's a convient setup for one man home recording and practicing with prerecorded jam tracks.
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