preamp through a preamp - inception

up'Chuck

alright lads, having a bit of an issue with my preamps.

I used to own a lil m-audio one that had two instrument jacks and two microphone jacks with the option for phantom power. went and bought another m audio there recently but it doesn't connect to the pc via usb. so now i have to go and buy another one to feed it to the computer.

now, you might say just sell it to try recuperate some of the money, but the guy who works in music maker said that i can feed my condenser mic into the one i purchased (using phantom power), and then use my normal non phantom power mic on the other preamp, which is what i kind of want. on the old preamp i had to choose which mic cause i really had no idea how to get around it.

the pre amp in question and my condenser mic are in the link below:
http://imageshack.us/g/35/akgcompressor.jpg/

so to sum it up, what kind of preamp am i looking for? cause i clearly couldn't get it right the first time. only specification is that it connects via usb and doesn't break the 200 mark.

peter05

I think I might be a bit confused, are you trying to run one preamp into the other in a chain. Once one preamp goes to 48V i gather both channels will be @ 48V so you won't be able to chain them and run an omin and condenser at the same time.

If this is what you are trying to do you might look at a little desk that has 48v on the channel strip and put you interface on the 2 channel bus.

I remember using them audiobuddys about 10 years ago. Just always crashed on me in Cubase. how you finding it?

Here is USB well under budget http://www.thomann.de/ie/tascam_us122mk2.htm

Squidgy Black

What you're looking for isn't a preamp, it's an audio interface, which can contain preamps and Analog to Digital converters with a usb connection.

For under 200, I'd suggest the Focusrite Saffire 6. 2 decent mic pre's with phantom power, 2 instrument/line in jacks, midi and of course your usb connection. You could also run the M-Audio Buddy through the line ins if you wanted to, once you have the gain staged properly.

up'Chuck

cheers lads, good options there.

@peter05: that pre amp looks pretty good, nice and simple... fully intend on using it with cubase alright. couldn't tell you bout the audiobuddy, i have no idea how to hook it up to the computer, it's been a disaster of a purchase.


@stetyrrell: an audio interface would let me use my microphone congiguration? would i be getting good bang for buck with that price?

peter05

If I remember correctly it need a PCI card with AES/EBU connection.

madtheory

The audio buddy is just a dual mic preamp, it has no computer related connections on it. It was originally designed to pair with M Audio interfaces that were without mic inputs, i.e. line in only.

So it will work as a mic pre with anything.

peter05

My memories fail me. Apologies

madtheory

In fairness, that's a pretty useless fact to keep in one's head! I do that a lot.

peter05

Ha! Thanks!

up'Chuck

working like a dog, so had to put this on the back burner but luckily i feel im due an early present to put me in the xmas spirit. gonna go for the audio interface option and hang onto the other one. so i can use that configuration and to just have really.

cheers for the knowledge mad theory, feel a lil more informed now, haha.