Nice job on this series of videos. Just one technical point regarding the 511 - the "Trim" control is not an output level control. The gain knob is stepped in 6db increments, the "Trim" control allows fine gain adjustment in a +/- 6db range, for a total max gain of +72db. (+66db w/ the gain control then +6 more from trim control)
I notice that the Rupert's 517 (the 500 series pre/compressor/DI version) has the same stepped input gain control but lacks a fine "Trim" knob. Hard to beat the lunchbox lifestyle - DB25 FTW. We all get to learn from each other - videos like yours really help people learning about recording. Keep em' coming!
Thankyou thankyou thankyou-I now understand how mic pre's are used for and how they differ. I now know what they mean by color and how to set it up. THANX dude
Great video as are all of your videos! On the EQ2, are there are any settings you find work well for getting rid of the muddiness of a vocal? bringing it out into the mix? Thanks!
Thanks for the video, one question, I have an Avalon 737 and Neumann tlm 103 and a Tascam DM 4800, so will I have to make the adjustments on the pre or the mixer as I'm getting lots of floor noise as you stated earlier on the video, what would be your professional opinion I should do? Thanks
You mentioned being aware of your noise floor. To reduce room noise, is it better to increase the input and reduce the output or decrease the input and reduce the output?
Kingdom First he’s being a little bit wrong and a bit right. First of all his room has a computer or something with a fan that’s really loud. If you record please not next to a sound source like that. The noise floor he is supposed to talk about is the noise generated by the pre amp. You can find the specs of the noise floor on the Neve website. Yes with soft sources where you have to up the amp you’ll get more room sound also.
I've got a question. I've been having a lot of problems getting good signal from my mic. I used to use a focusrite 2i2 interface. But the signal was so low and bad. I went to a music store and they couldn't tell me what the problem was, but recommended that i bought a new interface. I went out and bought the Audient iD 22. He told me that would defiantly do the trick. Well it didn't. I have to crank the gain knob up to almost 100% just to hear what I record. I then have to put compression on it inside logic. But that makes it peak because my gain is set so high. So my question is: Should a buy a mic pre, and then connect to my interface to get my mic to produce a good signal ? I usually record acoustic guitar, vocals, and amps. I really want to solve this problem, but I don't want to go out and buy some expensive studio gear again, just so I can come home, to find it not working again. Please some expert help me haha. Thank you,
+camfre4k +camfre4k have you tried a different mic? And what kind of mic? Cranking the interface mic ore should be way too loud for vocals. But you've changed interfaces. Next I'd look at the mic or the cable. Remember a condenser mic needs 48v phantom power.
+audioczarnet i've already checked my mic as well. when he tested it in the shop it worked fine. I haven't tried the cable actually but i highly doubt thats where the problem lies since It works if I crank the gain up. I use a rode nt1a. It's a good mic and it worked fine in the shop. maybe it's my computer, but I have an Imac from 2013 so that shouldn't be the problem. It's really frustrating
What about if you got a focusrite isa1 preamp going into a Presonous tube channelstrip going to a art pro vla compressor going to a focusrite 18i8 do you think the tube will effect the transitor
Absolutely! With a decent external pre, you will get input signal boost with high signal to noise ratio. Result is a high quality recorded sound, like you get in the professional studios.
I want to get a few 500 series modules for vocals. I want to use it for recording, and transition the same sound from a record to a live performance. I think what I am trying to imagine is a signal from my mic that doesn't sound so dry, but a little wet from some kind of nice effect that is within the 500 series, such as the lunchbox you got. And then sent to the PA system. I watched the Radial EXTC review and I'm not sure if I want to use pedals for effects. I don't own any pedals. Is there an explanation that can verify my idea? I want to have at least 3 good consistent tones I can jot down with paper and pen ( The settings ). I sing hard rock/ metal music, minus the screaming. And I will rap occasionally. Please, and thank you, I'll be waiting for a response.
+Mitchell Martinez I don't know about performing live so I don't know using the pedals, but there is everything from mic pres to reverbs and delays in the 500 series
the noise floor is the audio CREATED by the device (i.E. preamps, compressor, EQ), not the audio recorded by the device. ur understanding of noisefloor is incorrect. U can hear nosiefloor on lesser quality devices with nothing plugged in, because the device, the pre, the eq or whatever, creates noise.
I wouldn't call -12db really hot, but that would be your opinion. I've never had headroom issues as long as I'm recording in 24bit, which everyone should be doing now. As long as your recording over the noise floor and your not clipping your levels should be acceptable.
Czar oan I have a tube tech cl1b thinking about selling it and going all in on the 500 series compressors , do you think that would be a bad move ? I’ve heard the bac 500 and inwards connection are dope
I think it's official. The 511 sucks. I've seen about every video offered demoing it and they're all either just someone talking over it,someone talking about it, or both. If it actually sounded good, there's be an actual demo. Makes sense. $545 for a Neve pre is a little unbelievable. Rule #1: Show. Don't tell. The only real demo I heard was a clean guitar and it sounded exactly like the interface pres. Sometimes the truth is written between the lines. Going out of the rack and getting the standalone 5017. Thanks.
By the way, it's called a preamplifier because it's the gain stage before the "post" amplifier, otherwise know as the power amp. The amps that boost microphones and instruments are preamps. The amps that power or drive speakers are called power amps.
Great tutorial but there’s one thing that I would like to add to this which is recording the vocals with preamp is very important if you don’t record the vocals without a preamp your vocals will not sound as good is if you were to record it with a mic preamp so I hope I make sense Another words I’m trying to say that if you record your vocals without a good mic preamp then later on you will not be able to get the same result let’s say if you had recorded already with a mic preamp
