Connecting Preamp to Digi001

[Allen Hallada]

Just hooking up an Avalon 737 to the Digi and have a question.
I've read previous posts about hooking Mic preamps to the line ins on the back of Digi instead of the micpre ports on the front of Digi to avoid interference. Don't you lose quality if you go from an XLR connection on the Preamp to the 1/4" connections on the Digi. I would think that XLR to XLR would be the best and there should be a way of using the XLR ports on the front of Digi and not getting any additional affects from the Digi preamps. Any thoughts?
Thanks.
Allen [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[yavuzj]

Use XLR to TRS Balanced converter cable and you won't lose quapity. TRS=Tip Ring Sleve and looks like a setereo jack.

[Allen Hallada]

Thanks Yavuz,
I've been getting it from Monster cable that way for my reference monitors. Prolink 1000. Kind of spendy but hopefully worth it.
Allen [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[yavuzj]

Monsters are good cables but they are known to be noisy fore guitar cables.

[Mark_Knecht]

Allen,
Don't you want an XLR to balanced TRS 1/4". The 1/4" connector itself isn't noisy, and you're using 3 wires, which is what you want.

On another forum that I read, I understand that going into inputs that have phantom power, but you have the phantom power turned off, usually causes more noise. Those mic pre inputs have noise from the phantom power circuit itself.

Take care,
Mark

[Allen Hallada]

Yea,
I figured that out from the post by Yavuz. I'll hook it up in the back.
Thanks.
Allen [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Audiohead]

By going into the back inputs, you're bypassing the mic pre circuits, so there should be less noise in the signal path. If you're using a separate mic pre, it would be the thing to do.

I've also heard people saying good things about using the Alesis AI3 as opposed to the Digi analog inputs - anyone heard one in action? I'm thinking of getting one....

As for the XLR-TRS jack leads, use proper studio grade cable, not instrument cable, and quality connectors such as Neutrik. Quality control in your cabling makes a huge difference as your system grows - I now have a large-ish project setup which is virtually silent because of good cabling, balanced line patchbay etc. It's what my brother does for a living, which helps rather a lot...

[GW]

From Monster you have the Studio Pro 1000 cable, that´s really, really good...

[STUDIO-DE-ARIEL]

BE CAREFUL WITH THE AVALON IT HAS A HIGH OUTPUT CAPACITY BUT IT IS A SERIOUS UNIT
IT CAN ALSO TAKE SOME HOT LEVELS IN BUT THE HEADROOM FOR THE DIGI IS LESS THAN THE OUTPUT FOR THE AVALON SO IT CAN CLIP THE DIGI REALLY BAD BUT IF YOU ARE USING AN OCSCILLOSCOPE YOU CAN SEE THE SIGNAL AT EVERY JUNCTION AND AVOID MELT DOWN [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Allen Hallada]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll remember that. When I was reading the Avalon manual last night, it says " Go ahead and crank all the knobs to their max, the Avalon can take it." I guess they weren't thinking of the effects down the path.
Yea those Monster Prolink 1000 are supposed to be great cables, but for 74.00 for 10 feet, I feel like I'm investing in Gold here. Thanks everyone. Great info here.
Allen [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]