Good Mic Preamp into a focusrite saffire

Hi Guys!

Just a short question. I own a focusrite saffire 26 and I'm not to happy with the sound of its mic pres. Everything sounds far away and it sounds somehow weird on sources like snare with fast transients...

My question is:

If i would use a higher quality preamp infront of the focusrite to amplify the mic signal and then load the line signal into the balanced line input of the focusrite, could I get a better sound out of it, or would the focusrite just do the same thing with the line signal from the better mic pre?

Maybe a stupid question :wink:

Thanks,
Stefan

I don't know the box , but is it a real line level input and not use attentuation into the mic pre ?

Why don´t you check it out?
If this box is cheapass then the line inputs are simply padded and go into the mikeamps. In this case nothing will be better with an external preamp. If there is a seperate lineamp it´s still the question how much better it is designed than the mikeamp. Might be better but I guess when budget is a subject the designers tried to save money everywhere.

Other scenario is that the converters are shitty. Then there´s not much improvement to be expected from the external preamp.

I just mailed focusrite and they told me that the line inputs are fed through the mic-pres with a pad infront.
That means that it makes absolutely no sense to build a G9 for example?

That is frustrating right now as goog converters are just too expensive for me...

Converters are the only way to go... sorry.

Keith

what you need is a mic pre with integrated S/PDIF outputs...

maybe something in an API500 style rack...

but if only someone had an API500 converter.

What if I had a real good line to SPDIF converter.
Can I feed the output of the spdif converter to the spdif input of my focusrite without loss. It should be digital already, am I right?

Thanks!

yes.

make sure the extra S/PDIF has a good clock though, as the saffire will most likely make the incomign S/PDIF the new master clock.

[quote author="Rochey"]maybe something in an API500 style rack...
but if only someone had an API500 converter.[/quote]

stop teasing us Rochey and build it :grin:
I know nothing about converter design, or I'd give it a shot.
Whats the main limitation? Would adding a digital card add noise to 0V gnd?

So now I'm looking for a good 2 CH Line to S/PDIF converter.
I'm don't know if this specs are good (a converter I found), could you take a look:

Sample Rates: 16-192 hkZ
Analog Inputs: 2x XLR (balanced)
Digital Outputs: 1 x on-board optical (Toslink, up to 96 kHz only)
1 x on-board coaxial Cinch (RCA)
Option: External AES-3 XLR balanced

Input Sensititivity @ 100% FS: 5VRms
Dynamic Range 20 Hz - 20 kHz: 115dB unweighted, typically
117dB A-weighted typically
THD: typ. -120 dB @ -6 dB

Frequency Response: 2 Hz - SR / 2 @ -3 dB
Except 192 kHz SR: 3 Hz - 73 kHz @ -3 dB

Latency: 192 kHz: 46 µs
96 kHz: 126 µs
48 kHz: 310 µs
44.1 kHz: 275 µs (yes, less than @ 48 kHz)

Would that be OK?

Thanks!

I forgot!

The focusrite supports only 2 channels of S/PDIF. Are there any cards for PC for example that feature more S/PDIF 24bit at once so I could record lets say 8 channels of S/PDIF simultaneously?
I wouldn't need AD conversion or anything, just some more S/PDIF to lets say fire wire, USB or PCI or anything connectible and recordable on my DAW...

Well at this point, it sounds like you really want a different interface.

If all the inputs (esp. since line to the mic pres) sound bad on the Saffire to you, then a different interface is your only answer.

It could also be that your unit is defective. Bad clocks or something can really cause weird problems.

Focusrite is supposed to be up there with other high end gear and I suspect would be the same performance as Presonus, or MOTU, or Digidesign. Those units sound great to me.

Are you sure you aren't having a low latency issue? Things can sound really weird if you are getting direct monitoring with a 3 ms delay monitoring of the same signal. All sorts of weird phasing and it can really make your brain hurt

Maybe actually record some of the material and see if it is still there?

But really by the time you spend the money on nice converters and such to use the SPDIF or ADAT ins, you will have paid for another unit. Even a nice 2-channel SDPIF A/D that would be better than something like the focusrite, will be $500+.

Hi!
Thanks for your help.
The Focusrite doesn't sound really bad, bad as you could think something is wrong...But I tracked some stuff in my pal's studio a few weeks ago (he uses focusrite red series pres and apogee converters...)and i would like to have at least two channels of that sound...4 would be better. I just like the saffire's monitoring system, but you are right of course, a new interface would solve that problem. I can buy some nice converters (A/D S/PDIF) used from a friend but I can record only 2 channels at once thats why I would like to have the possibility to record more S/PDIF signals...
I'm searching for it on the internet, but all I get are interfaces with mic pres and everything but I would only need 2 or more S/PDIF to computer interface. Does such a device exist?

Thanks!
Stefan

SOT...Matt@ Black Lion Audio just announced they're releasing a 2-channel AD converter with AES/Spidf out. What little I've read looks really interesting!... :thumb:

I think that one has S/P-DIF if you like DIY: www.beis.de/Elektronik/ADDA24QS/ADDA24QS.html

Samuel

I think that one has S/P-DIF if you like DIY: www.beis.de/Elektronik/ADDA24QS/ADDA24QS.html

Click to expand...

Nice one!

But there's still a big problem. How can I record multiple S/PDIF signals?

I just can't find anything. The ADAT format seems to support 8ch but S/PDIF is just 2ch!