Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

For the last hour I've been trying to record through with my Mackie 1202 - VLZ PRO Mixer's Preamp into my UA Apollo Interface. I have the Mic hooked up to a Mic Pre on the Mackie, then hooked up a cable from the Channel Insert to a Line input on my Apollo. The Mic is registering on the Mackie, so the problem is somewhere between the channel insert and Apollo Line In. Is there a certain way to hook this up that I might be missing? Like a button I failed to engage?

Thanks,
-Adam

Re: Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

Make sure you're working with the send part of the channel insert and not the return. Some h/w has the send & return on the same .25 inch connector.

Re: Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

Ya, I tried it the way it says to in the manual, leaving the cable on the first click. I tried it clicked all the way in (two clicks) once it wasn't working, just to see what would happen, but nothing.

Re: Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

What is the purpose of using the Mackie? The preamp in the Apollo should be every bit as good, if not better:o In any case, I would simply(if you just gotta use the Mackie) take a group or main output and feed that to the line in on the Apollo:rolleyes:

Re: Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

What kinda cable do you use from the insert out to your Apollo? You need a Mono Line cable which you put in only to the first click, not completely in the insert out. Further you make sure that the input of your Apollo is set to Line and not to Mic. You then can use the Trim and the Low Cut on the Mackie to adjust the input gain. Additionally you may keep an eye on the Apollo's input in Console 2 to get the right level finally.
Btw you also can use the ALT 3 or 4 outputs as well as AUX 1 or 2 Send Outs to get your signal into the Apollo. With these the whole channel strip EQ+fader will be included while the pure preamp signal without EQ+fader will be transmitted by the insert outs.
It might be an interesting option to use the Mackie preamps however I think you know that the Apollo preamps are a lot better than the Mackies. If you decide to keep the Apollo for a longer time it certainly would make sense to get one of these cool Unison preamp/channelstrips. I seriously can recommend the Neve 88RS Collection. Killer sound on tracking through its Unison channel. Musical and smooth as hell! This sounds pretty close to high class hardware. The standard UA 610 series preamps are not even half as good.
Anyway. You may check the cable on the insert out of the Mackie and the input setting of the Apollo in Console 2. If you can't get it to work via the insert outs you may try it via ALT 3 or 4 or AUX Send 1 or 2 instead.
Again for the Insert Outs you have to use a Mono Line cable not completely put in, just to the first click. For ALT 3/4 or AUX Send 1/2 you may use a balanced Line cable.

The best of success to you.

Re: Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

I would skip that Mackie mixer as Apolo will have WAY better preamp sounds and the mackie will just drag down the quality of your recordings.

Re: Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

I finally got it to work; the problem was simple...in the Console app I had the track set to Mic instead of Line. I needed to use the preamp on the Mackie cuz the only remaining mic cable I had was a XLR to 1/4". You can only use a XLR connector with the Apollo preamp connectors.

The only way I could get it to work was plugging the cable all the way (two clicks). In the manual it states that one click is a "direct out with no signal interruption to master." Inserting all the way in to the second click is a "direct out with signal interruption to master." Does this mean that the double click outputs the signal before the channel strip (EQ, Pan, etc.), while a single click outputs the entire strip?

Re: Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

The best way to solve this dilemma is to google the wiring schematic for that little board. It'll tell you if tip or ring is send or return. At the end of the day, sell that board or re-purpose it and buy cables. The pre's on the UA are far superior.

Re: Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

Using a low-cost mixer preamps for recording is a bad idea. Let's say you have a 300 dollar mixer that has a whole lot of extra functionality in addition to the preamp section, its sound quality doesn't sound like a winner to me.

Cheapest "decent" sound quality I can think of is in the ballpark of Focusrite Octopre that costs about 400 for 8 channels of preamps, or 650 if you want the version with onboard dynamics. Anything cheaper than that is just -- sorry to say -- crap quality. With that said, the original "platinum" octopre can now be had for about 250 used and it is actually better sounding unit than the current one. Just that the original is only analog device unless you install a digital option card. The new ones come with digital connections as standard.

Re: Recording with Mixer Preamps
 

Unfortunately I'm too strapped for cash to make any new equipment purchases. I'm recording my friend's band soon and I'll need all 8 inputs, simultaneously, to record them. I'm going to pass the Mackie pre's into the Apollo's 4 Line inputs. Someone over at the Home Recording forum told me that I can plug mics directly into the Line Inputs. I haven't tried it yet because it seems incorrect. We'll be renting a RE20 for the kick drum and bass amp (record it live DI and then overdub it with the RE20). The rental place has preamps, but they're pricey; they range from $60-75/day. I don't think they'll be able to afford that tho...the RE20 is already $30/day.

Since I'm stuck with the Mackie Preamps, I'll have to decide what goes through the UA and what's relegated to the Mackie. I'll be using the Glyn Johns Drum Mic Technique, so that's two overheads, snare and kick. Then the guitar amp, bass and vocals. The kid playing guitar sucks at overdubs, so his live guitar track will have to be a keeper. The bass will be DI, so that'll go line in. The singer will do a scratch vocal while they play live and then do the real take afterwards. That way I can set him up on one of the LDC mics that'll be on the drums as an overhead. I might throw the RE20 infront of him as well and see what his voice sounds better on. Anyways, that means all 4 drum mics and the guitar mic will be keeper tracks on the initial recording. So I can either put all 4 drum mics thru the UA or switch a drum mic to the Mackie and put the guitar amp thru the UA. I'll probably end up doing the latter...I think the guitar should be on the better preamp. I'm thinking that the overheads should go into the UA; I'll be panning them left and right and they'll be capturing a large part of the drum sound. Since they're a punk band I'll most likely have the snare on the UA and throw the kick on the Mackie (most punk recordings we're fans of are snare heavy). Do you guys agree with this or have a different suggestion?

Thanks for the help,
-Adam