Multiple Mic-Pre's?

[supersession2001@aol.com]

Is it possible to run a signal partially through one mic pre to achieve a desired charactoristic and then another mic pre to combine charactoristics. If so, is this common and considered gain staging? Thanks, Rob

[DAS]

I don't think there is such a thing as "gain staging" in the sense you are using it. It is not a verb.

http://www.sweetwater.com/insync/word.php?find=GainStage

I've never heard of anyone using two preamps on the same signal before, but it could be interesting. I suppose one could route out of the first one and in the second as you suggest, so long as that second pre can handle higher (line level) signals. You would have to set the gain and outputs carefully between the two, and I imagine you could get significantly different results depending upon the peamps and how those controls are set. In some cases the sound achieved is a result of interaction between the pre and the microphone, which you'd lose on the second pre.

Another way to do this might be to split the mic signal (like a split between a FOH and monitor mixer) using a transformer, then run into the two preamps in parallel and mix the signals in your DAW or mixer. The trick here, however, is maintaining your phase integrity. If any type of EQ of filter is used on either or both of the pres you are bound to cause phase problems when the signals are combined, and you may have minor phase problems even if no EQ is applied. I suppose you could use very small delays in your DAW to experiment with this.

Perhaps these "problems" are one of the reasons why nobody (I know of) is doing anything like this. It seems like there are more potential downsides than there are upsides to it.

[Mitchman]

There are some preamps that have line-level inputs that could be used for this purpose -- one example is the Universal Audio M-610 or 2-610 http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/2610/

Though probably intended for recording a line-level signal from another source, this feature would let you run the output from another preamp or back out of a recorder or DAW through the unit to access the "color" of the circuit, as well as use the EQ (in the case of the 610).

[Jeff Hollman]

Ditto what Mitch and DAS have said... that was one of the reasons I was so excited about my ADL600... It has line inputs just for the purpose of putting recorded tracks and such into the signal path. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ADL600/

It seems to me that you see this sort of feature mostly on tube equipment... all in the pursuit of the "warm" "phat" "toob" sound!:cool:

[djui5]

I used to run line signals into a Neve 1095 for the eq and flavor. Worked lovely. Yes, it's ok, just make sure you have a line input on the second pre-amp.