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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: lsom on March 09, 2010, 03:51:45 PM

Title: Adding a Mic through mixer?
Post by: lsom on March 09, 2010, 03:51:45 PM
Newbie here -- I'm taping a band through a Denecke AD-20 preamp/digital converter feeding into an Iriver HP140. The Denecke has two xlr inputs. We might want to add a 3rd or 4th mic. I could use my little beringer mixer and go analog into the iriver I guess and just forget about the Denecke. Is there any way (or advantage) to use the output of the mixer into one channel of the Deneke? I'd imagine that this probably wouldn't work. That is, I'd be preamping the mic in the mixer then sending it to another preamp in the Denecke (and maybe overwhelming the latter).  Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Adding a Mic through mixer?
Post by: nameloc01 on March 09, 2010, 07:55:04 PM
looks like youre wanting the digital signal mostly? how many channels does your Behringer have? provide phantom? if you have enough channels I'd just run the various mics into the Behringer then out into the recorder, or i guess you could get the appropriate cables and run it through the AD20 first to convert it, mixing it on the fly.

ps. what kind of mics are you using and what are you using to power them? the AD20 wont power the mics, its just a simple preamp.

I have a Behringer 802, never used it for recording at all, just for post mixing.
Title: Re: Adding a Mic through mixer?
Post by: lsom on March 09, 2010, 10:04:30 PM
I have a separate phantom power box for the AD-20. I'm now using two 2 CO2 mics. The Beringer mixer has six channels and also has phantom power.  I'd add one or two more mics. The question is, will the output from the mixer blow the AD20? The mixer I guess generates a preamped signal appropriate for line-in. The AD20 is set up for mic-in. If its safe to run from the mixer into the AD20, do I gain any noticable audio advantage using the AD20 as the digital converter rather than the Iriver?
Title: Re: Adding a Mic through mixer?
Post by: nameloc01 on March 09, 2010, 11:49:10 PM
I have a separate phantom power box for the AD-20. I'm now using two 2 CO2 mics. The Beringer mixer has six channels and also has phantom power.  I'd add one or two more mics. The question is, will the output from the mixer blow the AD20? The mixer I guess generates a preamped signal appropriate for line-in. The AD20 is set up for mic-in. If its safe to run from the mixer into the AD20, do I gain any noticable audio advantage using the AD20 as the digital converter rather than the Iriver?

i honestly dont think there would be an audible difference..I'd just keep it to what you *need* to run via the simplest method. I think if it were me and i was hell bent on running a few different mics I'd just use the Behringer by itself...thats just me.
Title: Re: Adding a Mic through mixer?
Post by: sunjan on March 10, 2010, 04:27:04 AM
I have a separate phantom power box for the AD-20. I'm now using two 2 CO2 mics. The Beringer mixer has six channels and also has phantom power.  I'd add one or two more mics. The question is, will the output from the mixer blow the AD20? The mixer I guess generates a preamped signal appropriate for line-in. The AD20 is set up for mic-in. If its safe to run from the mixer into the AD20, do I gain any noticable audio advantage using the AD20 as the digital converter rather than the Iriver?

i honestly dont think there would be an audible difference..I'd just keep it to what you *need* to run via the simplest method. I think if it were me and i was hell bent on running a few different mics I'd just use the Behringer by itself...thats just me.

What he said. In theory, the AD20 would outperform the internal AD of your Iriver. But since you can't combine both devices in the chain without adding a third piece of gear, just stick to the Behringer.

If you want to be sure, do an A/B comparison at home before the gig, switching between the Behringer and AD20. While you're at it, check that the line level is sufficient for the H140, or you have to add some iriver gain...