828mkII, Direct Box 600ohm output, Front Panel Pre's....

[wgcabp]

Sorry for all that in the title.

What I'm asking is the MOTU manual says: "Do not connect a +4 (line level) XLR cable to the front panel inputs (because of the preamps). Use a rear-panel quarter-inch input instead."

OK, I do all of my recording of electric bass with an Avalon U5 and sometimes I will use a Radial Tonebone Bassbone for the same purpose.

So I should NOT cable the 600ohm output of either DI into the front inputs of the 828mkII via standard XLR?

It's no big deal to get XLR-F -> 1/4" TRS terminated cable and use one of the line inputs on the back of the unit, I have plenty of cable laying around. It's just.....I've plugged these DI's into just about every mixer known to man......are the front panel pre's on the 828mkII that much of a problem??

And is this really a no-no with the 828mkII?

[sustainiac]

Using the Front XLR inputs introduces an un needed Mic Gain stage into your signal path, and will not provid ethe best headroom of SNR for your recordings.

Use the Avalon Pre-Amp - but feed the Rear +4db TRS Input.

[1nput0utput]

If your DI boxes behave like most DI boxes, then they do three things: adjust the impedance of the instrument output so that it bridges the mic input, reduce the level of the signal to mic level (so that it doesn't overload the mic input), and balance the signal. Therefore, if we can assume that you DI boxes are like the majority of other DI boxes, it will be fine to connect their outputs to the 828mkII front panel mic inputs.

[billruys]

If your DI boxes behave like most DI boxes, then they do three things: adjust the impedance of the instrument output so that it bridges the mic input, reduce the level of the signal to mic level (so that it doesn't overload the mic input), and balance the signal. Therefore, if we can assume that you DI boxes are like the majority of other DI boxes, it will be fine to connect their outputs to the 828mkII front panel mic inputs.

1nput0utput is absolutely right. Most DI's outputs "look like a mic" to the mic preamp and don't actually push enough signal to drive a +4dBu (or even -10 dBV) line level input anyway.

If you had an external preamp with line level outputs, that would be another story entirely and you would want to go into the rear line level inputs.

[wgcabp]

1nput0utput is absolutely right. Most DI's outputs "look like a mic" to the mic preamp and don't actually push enough signal to drive a +4dBu (or even -10 dBV) line level input anyway.

Doh! Yes, I knew that....but a temporary synaptic disconnect prevented me from understanding that particular line that I quoted in the manual. All is fine now and I appreciate your help.

If you had an external preamp with line level outputs, that would be another story entirely and you would want to go into the rear line level inputs.

Right.....the Avalon has two XLR outputs, one 150ohm line level and one 600ohm mic level. Both work as advertised when cabled to the appropriate I/O. Thanks once again for clearing this up for me.

Now I have the problem of having way too much gain when using either DI....which is a good problem to have I suppose. When I patch a compressor it lights up like a Christmas tree with the slightest signal from the instrument. But I'm new to the 828mkII so there will be a lot of experimentation involved in the next few days.

[eyeknow]

I don't wanna take this off topic but this is the PERFECT thread and exactly what I was looking for. So to confirm (in case I'm reading this incorrectly)

DO NOT hook up something like a solo610, u5, radial (di or other) xlr to xlr!? Go with a line input?

q: Is that why when I've tried all the above units I got no extra headroom (makes sense but I was a super noob when it comes to preamps)

I really appreciate the help in advance!!!!!!

[eyeknow]

Sorry, one more question

For bass ( I have one active one passive) would a di like the radial j48 do me good or do I need to go to the avalon u5? Thanks

[wgcabp]

So to confirm (in case I'm reading this incorrectly)
DO NOT hook up something like a solo610, u5, radial (di or other) xlr to xlr!? Go with a line input?

No. That was me not being able to read English and asked a silly question. Go ahead and use the XLR out of your DI into the XLR input of your MOTU.

The guys above are right, my original question was basically because I was stupid and I couldn't understand a line in the manual. And English is my native language and everything!!

One of the guys above put it best: The entire purpose of a Direct Box is to have the signal "look like a mic" to the input.....adjusting the impedance of the output and adjusting the output level of the signal so it doesn't overload the mic input.

And yeah......I have SO much signal now that I have to attenuate it somewhere, but there's a thousand places you can do that....either on the MOTU itself or even the input of the signal before it hits the MOTU input.

For bass ( I have one active one passive) would a di like the radial j48 do me good or do I need to go to the avalon u5?

Frankly (and this will get debated hotly depending on who you ask) with an active instrument anything like a Radial will do fine. I think I mentioned that I use the Radial Tonebone "Bassbone" and it's fantastic. I also use it with my passive Fender and quite frankly, except for a few situations where I just can't seem to dial in that sound, it does the job as well as the U5.

The U5 is expensive and well worth it.....but if you don't have one and made all of your recordings with a nice active Radial DI, in my opinion there's going to be few that will hear the difference. And once again, this will get hotly debated.....but I'm a professional bass player, not a professional recording engineer.

[eyeknow]

thanks very much!