Help me choose a preamp

[nboyer941]

Hi, I use an M audio Fast Track Ultra audio interface. It has 8 channels, but only four of them have a preamp built in.

I'm looking for a decent all around external preamp that I can plug things into for the four non preamp channels. (vocal mics, drum mics, insturment mics, guitars, whatever may come up). I would think it should have about 4 inputs and outputs.

Any suggestions for something? Cheap is good, It doesn't need to be Pro quality.

***Side question***, what is the purpose of having an audio interface that has 8 outputs? I can only see using two. ??

thanks.

 

[waleross]

Digimax d8, worth checking out.

 

[nboyer941]

http://cgi.ebay.com/SM-Pro-Audio-Q-...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3caf1dcda8

?

 

[Charling]

Hi, I use an M audio Fast Track Ultra audio interface. It has 8 channels, but only four of them have a preamp built in.

I'm looking for a decent all around external preamp that I can plug things into for the four non preamp channels. (vocal mics, drum mics, insturment mics, guitars, whatever may come up). I would think it should have about 4 inputs and outputs.

Any suggestions for something? Cheap is good, It doesn't need to be Pro quality.

***Side question***, what is the purpose of having an audio interface that has 8 outputs? I can only see using two. ??

thanks.

Multiple outputs is for mixing on a desk and/or for sending audio to external effects, external recording devices and musicians headphones. Once you start making a bigger setup you'll be surprised how many you need! Even if you are just listening to the stereo out then you may need 2 more to send to a hardware reverb, and 3 stereo mixes going to the band, thats 10 already! Add a desk and you start needing a lot, but adding a desk is really only of use with bigger setups.

It depends what your budget is, there is quite a range. There are quite a few companies making mid range preamp units at a great price that are designed in a similar way to some of the big (expensive) names. Check out Line Audio, Golden Age Music and the like. They are very good value for money and created by small teams of real enthusiasts (just like the super expensive gear is, they really care!).

 

[korybaugus]

For the money, the Groove Tubes "Brick" is amazing. Used, they're really cheap..

 

[MasterCrab]

This would do the trick.. easily.

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Plug your mics in to that and then with balanced cables run the signal to the line-ins of your FastTrack Ultra.

Don't know about the quality though..

EDIT: Next time i should maybe read all the posts..
Yes, i think it's a good solution if quality ain't most important.

 

[thefruitfarmer]

***Side question***, what is the purpose of having an audio interface that has 8 outputs? I can only see using two. ??

thanks.

If you are mixing in the box then two will be okay to send to your stereo monitors.

If you are mixing with an analogue console, a summing box, or integrating hardware compressors, reverbs etc then you will need at least 8 really.

I use a M-Audio Delta 1010 and Delta 66 for a total of 12 outs into the Mackie 1604vlz.....this way I can patch in hardware via the desk so it works for me...

Plenty of peeps mix ITB though.

 

[Hellbastard]

Hi, I use an M audio Fast Track Ultra audio interface. It has 8 channels, but only four of them have a preamp built in.

One thing you need to know is how manufacturers set the number of inputs and outputs for their interfaces.
In your case the M-audio FT ultra is a 8in x 8out
this is 6 Analog inputs and 2 digital inputs in this case Spdif. Also 6 analog TRS outputs and 2 digital Spdif outputs.
This is very misleading for the general buyer because they think they are getting a lot of I/O and the possibility to expand their systems but in most of the cases this is very expensive to achieve.

I would think it should have about 4 inputs and outputs.

thanks.

This is correct. In order to use the complete I/O your interface is capable of handling you need a preamplifier with 4 XLR mic inputs and 4 outputs, the problem here is that 4 analog outputs won't do it.

What you would need is a 4 channel preamp with 2 analog and 2 digital Spdif outputs.

I don't know any preamp that has those features, there's the Focusrite octopre, but that's an 8 channel preamp no longer in production.

You'll need to buy 2 different preamp.
1. Two channel preamp with analog output. The presonus Blue Tube DP is a good option http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BlueTubeDP/

2. Two channel preamp with Spdif output. The Art DPS II is the cheapest option I've found.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DPSII

Buying those two preamps is a total of about 500 bucks. If you add the money you already paid for the FT ultra, plus the cables you need to buy to connect the preamps to the interface, we're talking of more than 800 dollars.

So my advice is if you really need the 8 channels sell the Fast track ultra and buy an interface with 8 mic preamps. There are very good options on the market and you won't need to connect as many devices as you would with an 8 channel interface.