Avid C24 -Using outboard micpre's

[stringbassist]

After reading the manual my understanding is that the Avid C24 has only 4 Line Level Inputs. Which are - DI 1.2.9 and 10.
(Not as a mic preamp or instrument level input).

Connecting an outboard preamp to Mic Pre or Line In channels 1-16 would result in a 2 stage preamp.

Is this correct?

I've read a lot of negative remarks on the C24 mic pre's.
So, if I am correct, You can only use the 4 DI's at a time. #1,2 & 9, 10. (Which is Line Level Input)

Or run an outboard mic pre into the Line Input which results in still having the C24 mic pres in the signal path.
Thanks in advanced.

[Simon Johansson]

Hi,

connect the output of your external preamps directly into your interface, no need to go trough the C24 with the signal.
But the onboard preamps are not useless, maybe not the best ones around either. Try the and decide for yourself. I used them on drums with good result in the past.

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[Rich Breen]

If you're using outboard preamps why wouldn't you just put all this on a patch bay and bypass the C24 entirely? Even if they're super clean line inputs I'd still bypass them out of good practice.

[albee1952]

Indeed^^^, I would also completely bypass the C24 with external preamps. Connect them directly to the line level inputs of your interface.

[Simon Johansson]

I have to change my answer and agree with the 2 above. Of course that's correct and was the way I did it also.
With external preamps there's better to just bypass the C24.

Sorry if I caused some confusion. Sold that system some years ago.

/Simon


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[stringbassist]

Thanks for the info guys.

If I switch to line/DI input on the c24 will this bypass the mic pre in the c24 so I can patch in a ext pre before and the out of the c24 will go to the digi i/o.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by stringbassist

Thanks for the info guys.

If I switch to line/DI input on the c24 will this bypass the mic pre in the c24 so I can patch in a ext pre before and the out of the c24 will go to the digi i/o.

Did you read all the recommendations here advising you to forget the analog signal path in the C|24 and go straight to the Digilink interface?

Why can't you do that?

[albee1952]

You CAN patch external preamps into the LINE inputs of the C24(the LINE input DB25 connections are separate from the MIC level DB25 connections), but unless your cables force this as the ONLY option, its not the best option. Yes, I have a friend that routes 2 external preamps into 15&16 LINE input, but its really just because his wiring looms don't allow a direct connection without mods(and he doesn't solder). The "best" path is the one with the least stages, so external preamp>Interface is the shortest and cleanest path(maybe with a compressor in the chain) Adding the C24 into the path simply adds more connections and another stage of circuit(not the best thing to do to your signal, especially for "premium" channels).

Also, remember to never patch the output of a preamp into a mic-level input