Recording with Preamp question

[_jojo_bass]

I'm getting into DI recording and I wanna make sure I'm doing this right. I'm gettin hip to PA jargon, but layman's terms would be appreciated.

So I got a Scarlett 2i4 that I've been using for a while and didn't love the direct bass tone with the preamp that's in there. Recently bought a Starlifter Pre for live, but the whole covid thing happened and now I'm doing more home sessions.

How can I rig my Scarlett so it's bypassing its preamp?

I essentially have my bass going into the input then an instrument cable going out of it (as if its a pedal) going into a channel (instrument setting) with the Gain all the way off. I use the volume on the Starlifter to get my gain setting.

Now, I thought with the channel gain at zero it would just bypass the pre, but I've been told otherwise and I'm just learning how to do it right. Any help is appreciated! Thanks

 

[silky smoove]

How can I rig my Scarlett so it's bypassing its preamp?

With that interface you can't. The only path to the AD is through the preamps regardless if you're using the mic input or the line input. The Scarlett preamps are transformerless designs that are very close to "wire with gain" flat. As long as you're not clipping any stage of the signal path there's nothing wrong with cascading one preamp into another. The Scarlett preamps will sound identical at any point of their gain staging as long as they're below clipping of the preamp, which is different than clipping the AD. Just leave yourself some headroom and you'll be fine. As long as you like the sound it's fine.

 

[_jojo_bass]

With that interface you can't. The only path to the AD is through the preamps regardless if you're using the mic input or the line input. The Scarlett preamps are transformerless designs that are very close to "wire with gain" flat. As long as you're not clipping any stage of the signal path there's nothing wrong with cascading one preamp into another. The Scarlett preamps will sound identical at any point of their gain staging as long as they're below clipping of the preamp, which is different than clipping the AD. Just leave yourself some headroom and you'll be fine. As long as you like the sound it's fine.

Thank you! It does sound great the way it is, but I wasn't sure if I had a distorted view of what it actually sounded like because of it being layered on another pre. Even if thats the case, the tone is much superior. Just for my learning, what is AD?

 

[smeet]

Just for my learning, what is AD?

Analog to Digital converter.

 

[silky smoove]

If you want to use your Starlifter without cascading into the front of another preamp (ie you want to go from the Starlifter straight to the AD) then you’d need something like the MOTU 8A or 16A, both of which are prosumer grade equipment compared to your Scarlett which is consumer grade. Beyond that there are TONS of professional grade options but they all come with a price tag to match. The 8A is a real value for an interface and conversion without any built-in preamps or monitor control functions. I run the larger 16A in my studio and it’s excellent.

 

[Aloe]

Now, I thought with the channel gain at zero it would just bypass the pre, but I've been told otherwise and I'm just learning how to do it right. Any help is appreciated!

it doesn't. 2i2 has no way to bypass the mic preamp. 4i4 has two line inputs without a variable gain, but 2i2 just doesn't.

this all said, mic preamps on Scarlett are not that bad. personally I'd use the 20db pad on the Starlifter's DI to produce the mic level.