Preamp for home studio

[Nicholas Smith]

Hello folks…

I’ve never yet dabbled in the world of pre amp pedals for home recording.

I’ve recently acquired a Musicman Bongo. It’s onboard power is VERY hot when recording into a Scarlet 2i2.

Yes, I can turn down the volume and mess with the EQ on the Bongo, but wondering if it would help IN ANY WAY to consider using a preamp OR have you settled using an EQ pedal for example?

I mean the Bongo sounds nice and all, but when the volume is turned down to even 30% to avoid clippling (in association with modifying the gain input knob on the Scarlet, it loses a little “balls” from the onboard bass internal drive output.

So…should I let go of the preamp curiosity or do you think it MIGHT enable using louder Bongo settings?

Does this make sense?

cheers

 

[Riff Ranger]

I like the results I have gotten with some hot active basses (Ibanez ATKs and Roadbass, Jackson with EMG pickups and preamp) going into my @tech21nyc SansAmp Para Driver into my Presonus interface. Knocking the level down on the SansAmp doesn’t seem to hurt the tone going direct, and I know what you mean about knocking it down on the bass, too. I presume the many other flavors of SansAmp would behave similarly; I went with the Para Driver for its semi parametric mid control and its ability to get along about equally with electric and acoustic basses and guitars.

 

[Aloe]

get a passive DI with a pad and you're good to go. maybe something like JDI.

running a very hot active bass in preamp doesn't seem right to me. you already have a preamp in your bass, unless you're chasing a very specific tone from outboard preamp, that will suffice. I'm usually recording my active bass without a second preamp engaged.

 

[Tosh]

I use a compressor to even out my levels between guitars (and fatten the tone a bit).
Seymour Duncan Studio Bass

 

[amper]

The Scarlett has a -20 dB pad on it. Use it. Set the “line/inst” switch to “line”.

 

[tylerwylie]

The Scarlett has a -20 dB pad on it. Use it. Set the “line/inst” switch to “line”.

This, if this doesn't work - get a DI that'll drop the signal to something the Scarlett handles better.

I have a Bongo and use it this way too, I also like using my Tech21 Q\Strip if I want a more conventional "channel" style preamp/DI that also allows me to drop the signal to mic level for my interfaces to deal with.

 

[IvanBassist]

get a passive DI with a pad and you're good to go. maybe something like JDI.

running a very hot active bass in preamp doesn't seem right to me. you already have a preamp in your bass, unless you're chasing a very specific tone from outboard preamp, that will suffice. I'm usually recording my active bass without a second preamp engaged.

One without a pad, but with PLENTY of headroom is the Neve RNDI. Highly recommended.
The other alternative would be to get (unfortunately) a different interface. Scarletts 2i2 are known to clip very easily. I've used them a couple of times and sometimes you need to keep the gain at the lowest setting in order to get a usable signal level.

 

[Aloe]

One without a pad, but with PLENTY of headroom is the Neve RNDI.

well, there is a separate thing called an XLR pad. this is basically an XLR-to-XLR connection that substracts some dBs from your signal.

Scarletts 2i2 are known to clip very easily.

hmm, never had a problem with my 2gen 18i8 while I owned it. owning a Clarett since and it's also okay.

let's start with the fact that mic level is -60 to -40 dbU. if you're pushing say -10 dbU at mic preamp, it won't like it and it's not the mic preamp to blame, it just does its' job.

 

[IvanBassist]

well, there is a separate thing called an XLR pad. this is basically an XLR-to-XLR connection that substracts some dBs from your signal.

hmm, never had a problem with my 2gen 18i8 while I owned it. owning a Clarett since and it's also okay.

let's start with the fact that mic level is -60 to -40 dbU. if you're pushing say -10 dbU at mic preamp, it won't like it and it's not the mic preamp to blame, it just does its' job.

I had a clarett and it worked fine, too. Have moved to UAD since, tho.

But like i said, i’ve seen some 2i2 clip by connecting a guitar/bass directly to it (no DI) even at the lowest gain setting.

 

[cassanova]

I wouldn't let go of the idea. I use an Ampeg SCR-DI, or now the DI on my head into my Focusrite. I'll also run one run one of my basses direct into it, and use its preamp. Using the preamp pedals/head IMO yields a better tone. I like the coloration they give compared to running the basses directly into the Focusrite. Also between the bass's preamp, the preamp pedal, and DAW's eq, makes for limitless tone shaping in post.