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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
- YOU CAN DAMAGE YOUR AUDIO INTERFACE if you don't get this right... Save $$$ and get Great Sound by choosing the right cables and connectors.
⚙️ Used in this Video:
Universal Audio Apollo Twin: amzn.to/3WUwbD0
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4: amzn.to/43tXOVW
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20: amzn.to/45OYSFB
Presonus Quantum 2632: links.askdrtk.com/quantum-2632
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🔥Related Videos:
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🎞 Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:27 Cable Options: Advantages and Disadvantages
02:49 Danger of using XLR to XLR Cables
04:12 Audio Interface: Audio Interface Preamp In / Bypass and Line In
06:07 Two Important Considerations Before Connecting Your Gear
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🔥 Do This First:
To get the most out of your recording or streaming space, I recommend sound treatment including acoustic absorption panels. This is the single biggest way to improve your audio before investing in other gear. You can make your own, or I highly recommend GIK Acoustics as they manufacture some of the best quality acoustic treatment available at an excellent value.
Check out GIK Acoustics here: www.gikacoustics.com/ref/131/ 👈👈👈
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🔥 Need Help?
Building or upgrading a studio for music, voice acting, podcasting, or content creation? Need help choosing the right audio or video gear? Using the gear you have? Book a one-on-one Zoom appointment with Todd to get the answers you need while saving time and money. Visit the askdrtk website for more information: askdrtk.com/coaching/ 👈👈👈
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This question comes up a lot in comments. XLR, TRS 1/4" , balanced, unbalanced... Several options will "work" but choosing the right option can not only provide the best audio quality but also prevent damage to your gear. I hope this helps out!
Todd
Todd, you touched on this issue of hooking an outboard mic preamp to an audio interface in a previous video, and it really helped me out. I was routing my preamp (Avalon M5) into a Steinberg interface, and was using an XLR to XLR connection to the channel 1 mic input on a combo jack. I was using the XLR to XLR because I thought, incorrectly, that this was the "professional" cable to use. It never occurred to me that I could damage my outboard mic preamp if I hit phantom power by mistake! What I did notice was that I was getting sort of crappy audio, with odd little low-frequency glitches. When I heard your previous mention about hooking up mic preamps, I switched to an XLR to TRS cable, going from the preamp into the channel 3 line input on the Steinberg. Audio glitches disappeared! You're distributing excellent technical information handling audio in a home studio. Thank you!
Thank you, and I am very pleased to hear you were able to straighten out the audio glitches! It sounds like there may have been an impedance issue when you connected your M5 to the XLR input on the interface. In the end, nothing beats a line-level signal going into a line-level input. Cheers!
Great video - so informative and you explain things very well. thank you so much!!
Glad to help out, Cheers!
Awesome, amazing explanation of this different connections great tutorial..
Thanks for making this helpful video!
That was a perfect explanation. Thank you !
super helpful! Thank you
Glad to help out, Cheers!
Awesome explanation and awesome shirt. :-)
Thanks for the video, my question is. What about the volume? Should we use the volume from the preamp or audio interface ?
Excellent information!
Thanks! Often the small details are just as important as the major decisions...
What input gain do you recommend on an Apollo X8P interface, when connected to a mic preamp?
Very instructive video, love it! I was going to buy the UAD Volt 476p and now I'm wondering if its better to take the 476 that has 2 line outputs without preamp.
There is a way of expanding the Volt inputs in the future even the interface don't have digital output? Thanks 👏🏻
Glad you enjoyed it! The 476 vs 476p really comes down to your use case. The 476p is a compelling option if you need extra preamps and output gear is less of a priority whereas the 476 is a good choice if you have outboard effects to patch in and you only occasionally need extra preamps. In this case you can connect outboard preamps when you need them but otherwise have line level IO for your outboard effects. Using a patchbay will help make switching more convenient. In the end, lack of digital expansion is a limitation on these interfaces. Aggregate devices can help get around this bay allowing you to add another interface and use it with the Volt (this is easier to implement on Mac vs Windows, but can be done). Not one answer, but I hope this helps out. Cheers!
@@askdrtk Thanks for the response! 💜
On the apollo you set the channel to line input by the input selector button. But yes i agree with the 1/4 for safety with the phantom power back flow.
I look at it this way, in the creative moment or even if we are busy trying to get things done, one less thing to worry about is not a bad thing… Cheers!
Trs handles 48 v phantom power just fine
Just connect first then power up
Thank you for mentioning this cause i do this a lot, plug pre amp's like this into other's but don't use the gain at all, but ya the TRS does not add phantom power, ,I just tried it out on my tascam dp 24 sd machine and your right ! no phantom power comes out of a combo jack in the TRS jack ! only the XLR !
We’ve all used an XLR for this at one time or another, but with how easy it is to switch on phantom power the idea of “better safe than sorry” is the way to go in the long run. It is not intuitive that XLR and TRS in a combo jack would be wired differently, but I am yet to find one (at least “factory gear” where they are wired the same. It makes sense that combo jacks have separate wiring when you think about manufacturers knowing how easily their gear can be damaged by phantom power. Cheers!
Thank you so much for the video one question what is the best interface to use with external preamps? ☘️🙏❤️
Glad you enjoyed my video. For me (excluding all other features / considerations) the best interface to use with external preamps is the one that has enough IO for your needs and at least one line input that bypasses the interface preamp(s). Some examples of basic interfaces include the Scarlett 4i4 (has two line only inputs), Audient ID24 (allows bypass of internal preamp on both inputs), UA Volt 476 (has two line only inputs), and MOTU M4 (has two line only inputs). If you need more IO there are many options, but some to consider include the new Arturia AudioFuse 16Rig (has 16 line only inputs), the RME Fireface UCX II (has 6 line only inputs), and the rackmount Apollo interfaces (desktop Apollos do not bypass mic preamps). These are only a few options, but cover a variety of price ranges and IO configurations. I hope this helps out!
I have an iD 24 + Composer Pro-Xl, I`m planning to use them for my guitar! So, plug in my guitar first to the Composer Pro then send the signal from the XLR of Composer to the Back Line input of iD 24, and connect the Audio interface to the computer?
Focusrite has some funny language at times. I have a Clarett 2pre USB, which has combo inputs only. Focusrite says that even though you can add gain to a line level signal coming from a TRS cable, the Clarett is not adding the "Focusrite mic pre Color" to that signal. YET, you can activate "Air Mode" to a line signal and get the added high frequency boost.
Yes, Focusrite basically says their Clarett preamps do not color the sound…but the preamps are not bypassed when using combo-jock inputs… There are opinions either way on the importance of bypassing interface preamps. Tests almost always show an impact from running through a preamp in an interface vs bypassing them, but in some cases the impact is minimal and in others it is not… Using an outboard preamp through that Clarett with “Air Mode” on would be a modern way of replicating the effect of connecting an external preamp to a vintage Focusrite console, another cool way to use our gear… Cheers!
Thanks man!
All good...Cheers!
I have a guitar input on my mooer guitar processor, what is difference from line input?
Can you link the best adapter to use
Thanks for the video, I'm getting into hybrid home studio and I tried to put my ART preamp into my 18i20 audio interface.
If I understand well, with this one, I have to turn the gain knob on the interface too. Does this have an impact on the sound I get ?
I mean if the sound goes into two preamps(the ART+the 18i20) it's pretty weird no ?
I also have the 18i20 and have been confused about connecting a compressor or multi effects to it. Have you done anything like this ? I would like to have it connected in my 3u case and have it working across the 18i20 when I need it ...not entirely sure about the chain any tips would be greatly appreciated thanks
hey man, very helpful video! I only have 1 critique point which I'd like to mention because this could seriously damage people's equipment:
Phantom power definitely DOES pass through TRS cables, I don't know where you heard that it doesn't.
in fact, TRS cables are more dangerous when it comes to phantom power, because, due to the anatomy of their connectors, when plugging and unplugging TRS cables while phantom power is engaged, you run the risk of short-circuiting your devices.
just wanted to put that out there!
Hey Tony! Agreed, phantom power definitely does pass through TRS cables which is also why you never want to use a TRS patch bay for microphones due to potential short circuit as you said ( I've see too many situations where an XLR connection on a preamp ends up at a TRS on a patch bay).
The key to safety is in the TRS jack on the interface or preamp and not the cable. Whether it is a TRS line input or TRS on a combo jack input, interfaces / preamps are designed not to send phantom power out over TRS, even when phantom is active on the XLR part of a combo jack. I've done pretty extensive testing on this with a couple of dozen interfaces and preamps using both a meter and a TRS to XLR cable with a condenser mic connected. In all cases I found that phantom was not output over the TRS jack even when it was hot on the XLR of a combo jack. Of course I can't speak for every preamp / interface, but it was good to see the connections designed that way... Nonetheless, for the sake of caution I appreciate that you brought up the point about the cable itself being able carry phantom power. We don't want anyone to take out their gear! Cheers!
@@askdrtk Yes the mics with the TRS would be a problem due to the way the sleeves hit on the rings inside the jack, where as XLR all pulls out at the same time, in fact i did this sometimes i forgot to turn off phantom power and pulled out my mic cable, but they were fine after, but ya the mic and TRS would definitely cause that issue. Another thing is i do this a lot running nice pre amps into others, but i never use the gain on the other pre amp but want a better sound than some cheaper pre amps say on the tascam dp24 i have, thanks again, great info i never thought as well .
Here's an idea to try ? take a trs to xlr cable, plug the trs into a combo jack then plug your condenser mic to the xlr, and turn on phantom power and see if it works ? By the way i just tried this on my tascam dp 24 sd machine and guess what i was right !
@@askdrtk ahh, that's very interesting, I didn't know that. Thank you for letting us know about your experience :)
@@christopherdunn317 that's a cool experiment! thank you for telling us about your experience as well
Hey can you please help me I have an rme ucx2 and just bought a 1073 and distressor how would I connect all of them together and control it just got into analog gear
i have an old Gemini XL-120 turntable i still use to listen to records, got some new gear but Im having sound issues. i can hear the vinyl on the headphones but cant ear anything on the speakers. i bought a Fosi audio box x1 phono pre amp ( That is working from the headphone jack) but no sound from connected rca line to a Yamaha rS202 Receiver, ...... i bought rca to 3/4" to connect to a N.I. Komplete Audio 6 [Audio interface] (unless i need different cables?) that connects to JBL 3 series 305p MKll Studio Monitors. any ideas on why im not getting any sound ? please and much appreciation to any who comments tryinng to get audio to FL studio also so i can sample vinyls
Ive been struggling to understand. Do I have to buy a external pre amp to use my Klark 2a? I have the universal audio apollo but it has a preamp, why would I have to buy a external preamp if I like the sound with the Apollo? is there a way to compress without a external preamp ?
Only 1 pre amp necessary. Compress with plug ins
use an isolation transformer at the unbalanced device output to be certain that any phantom that may inadvertently be present is isolated.
Frankly all unbalanced outputs should have a built in phantom blocker imho
I keep several Triton phantom blockers at hand it’s to easy to hit the phantom power on the interface
Unless one works alone and is diligent
But given the price of my Shelford Channels and Ribbon Mics I use an inline blocker or a Royer signal booster if necessary and power it with phantom power
If the switch is hit in this senario you just lose the signal
Before you connect the device you wish to shield from phantom power, make sure your phantom blocker is attached to the cable and have phantom power engaged. Wait 5 seconds, during which phantom blockers internal bleeder resistors will cancel out voltage differences. Connecting in this order prevents the transfer of an initial AC voltage burst created by the phantom power switching on.
Lastly remember that trs can conduct phantom power perhaps not in this vid example but not a great idea to just rely on the cable type to determine if it’s hot on not
Patch bays teach us that
I have antelope audio interface and you can switch the xlr to Trs and get the same capabilities with the xlr as if it is Trs. Are you familiar with it? Great video
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed my tutorial.
I am familiar with some Antelope gear, in fact my main audio interface is an Orion 32+ gen 3. It has been flawless in operation and I find its patching and gain staging (trim) features indispensable for my workflow. My Orion does not have mic preamps so I don't have phantom power considerations with it. If Antelope interfaces with mic preamps include a way to set XLR output to line and disable phantom power to prevent accidentally turning it on, that would be a great feature! Makes me want to take a closer look. Which interface are you using? Cheers!
So if you can't bypass the preamp within the interface, such as the case with an 18i20, how would you gain stage to reap the most benefit from the external preamp's colorization? Or will the interface's preamps have the same amount of effect regardless of where the levels are set on each piece of gear? Thanks.
Sorry I missed your question earlier. To get the most out of the external preamp I would set the gain on the 18i20 as low as possible allowing more room to drive the input/ output stages of the external preamp. I basically start with the Scarlet gain at minimum and then use it only as a trim if necessary. Hope this helps out!
Sir, Which "audio interface" do I need so that I can use my external pream (Focusrite Iso one) for all recordings? I have a digital card on the preamp with s/pdif and adat and also "word clock". My question would be for digital recording: is an audio interface with S/PDIF sufficient or does it also have to have a word clock connection? I ask for help
Sorry for the late reply. SPDIF will carry the clock signal from the ISA One to an audio interface with a SPDIF input without the need for a word clock cable. In this configuration, the ISA One will be the master clock and the interface will be the slave. This works however the issue is that if your want to change the sample rate for recordings you will need to do it on the ISA One, not the interface. This means you cannot change the sample rate in your DAW or interface software. Again, not really a problem, just a different way of controlling things. All of this said, using a dedicated word clock cable can provide the most accurate and stable clocking between devices, think of it as the "gold standard." This is not to say clock over SPDIF is not a good option, I have used this setup without issue many times and it is often the only option. If however you did get an interface with a word clock out connector, I would recommend connecting the word clock "out" from the interface to the word clock "in" on the ISA One as well as using a SPDIF cable to send the digital audio. This way the interface will be the master clock with the ISA One as the slave so changing sample rates can be done in software on your computer and clock sync will be as accurate as possible. I hope this helps out!
What would be the best way to connect a KSM32 to ART Voice Channel to GoXLR?? I'm planning to get the ART for the superior processing.
I'm also interested in how you managed your cables to move your pc out of your room. I watched the video with the fibre optic usb cables. Many of the devices I use require direct USB connection to the pc; they don't seem to cooperate when used with extenders and hubs. My pc only has USB A ports; the huaham cables seem to only come in C or C/A. I've found an A/A extension cable, but I'm unsure how well those would work. I'm very keen on moving my pc out not just because of the sound, but also to avoid the sauna level heat in the summer.
The KDM32 to ART Voice Channel is a stand XLR mic cable (I use Mogami, WBC, and HOSA Pro cables in my studio). I would use the balanced XLR mic input on the GoXLR. While the line input can be made to work, it is unbalanced stereo and will not provide the best sound. To connect the ART VC to the GoXLR you will need an isolation transformer such as the ART Dual Transformer/ Isolator (DTI). This will allow you to connect the balanced output from the ART VC into the DTI and then connect the balanced XLR input from the GoXLR to the balanced output of the DTI using either an XLR to XLR or an XLR to TRS cable. This approach will match the correct impedance requirements on both the VC and GoXLR and will also prevent accidental damage to the VC if you were to turn on phantom power on the GoXLR by mistake.
I have generally had good success with fibre optic cables for usb, thunderbolt, and HDMI. I use all of these cables between my "computer room" and studio. I also have a thunderbolt dock (OWC Thunderbolt Pro Dock) in my studio which has its own usb host controller and jacks which behave exactly like the usb ports on the computer itself for any potential "problem" devices. The Thunderbolt dock also provides a convenient connection for my Thunderbolt audio interfaces (Apollo, Quantum, and MOTU). It was definitely worth the effort (and cost) to relocate my PC for (as you said) the head and noise...I will never go back to having my PC in the studio. Hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk Hello again! I ended up finally getting a ART VC. Though in my haste to try it out, I had forgotten about your recommendation regarding the DTI. I did manage to connect the mic input from the GOXLR directly into the balanced XLR output on the back of the ART VC using XLR to XLR. The ART VC emitted a feedback loop sound for about 5 minutes until I realized it was doing so because I had forgotten to turn off the phantom power from the GOXLR 😱. It seemed to function fine after that but I can't be sure if I damaged it or not. Though it seems to work, I'd like to ask if you could explain the part about the correct impedance requirements of the two devices. I don't quite understand the role of the DTI. Thank you
As a side note, I'd like to share my experiences with the optical cables. I've been using them for about 6 months now. My setup was 1 optical USB A male to A female into a USB 5Gbps hub. Some of my devices would occasionally fail to work when plugged into the hub. Eventually I figured out why my usb devices were not working well with the hub. Due to the length of the cabling, the bandwidth the USB hub was receiving as well as the bandwidth of the hub itself was insufficient to drive the usb 3.0 webcams I intended to use. I alleviated this issue by getting more USB optical cables for the individual data hungry devices and getting a hub with a 10Gbps data rating. Though the devices are occasionally temperamental. It seems I'll have to shell out for the thunderbolt equipment at some point. But as I use a standard pc (no thunderbolt), my options are with a pcie expansion card that is unreliable or rebuilding my pc on a motherboard that already has thunderbolt built into it (time consuming and expensive).
Despite all the panic of devices occasionally not working when going live, the improvements to ambient noise and heat were so great that I too am never having my computer in the same room again. Thank you so much for introducing those optical cables on your channel; I would not have attempted to do it if not for your advice.
hello nice video..!how setup with cables line out from apollo input focusrite isa and line output focusrite isa from input apollo?
For line level IO I would use TRS from the Apollo line out to TRS on the ISA One line in and then XLR from the ISA One main out to TRS on the Apollo line in.
@@askdrtk The return and send plugs What can they do?
They allow you to add an outboard effect such as a compressor, eq... into the signal path before the signal is sent to the main output or digital IO if you have the expansion card.
which audio interface would you suggest to get if you want to completely bypass the audio interface inputs?
Do you mean bypass the interface preamps?
yes @@gitarman666
Just buy an audio interface that has independent line input, not a combo jack; for example, tascam or other interfaces that have line input independently are designed to only accept line sources and, not go through an internal preamp.
Hello i have a Art Pro MPA ll and a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 would the work together
Yes, the MPA II will give you the option of adding some color / saturation to your recordings. When connecting the two, I recommend setting the ART to +4 and using TRS for input on the 18i20 combo jacks. Since each input does not have separate phantom power control on the 18i20, using TRS will ensure you don’t send phantom power to the MPA II accidentally while still allowing you to use phantom power on the other mic preamps on the 18i20. I hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk thank you i mean i dont know what trs means but ill figure it out i also noted from your video that i have to be carefull not f anything up hahah im glad i didnt attemp to set them up before whatching your video and consulting with you
can someone please tell what is the name of the cable i need that he said wont damage the mic. or give me the direct amazon link.
When connecting an outboard preamp to an audio interface, if your preamp has a TRS output, use a TRS to TRS cable such as this one: amzn.to/46VBvLa If your preamp has an XLR output, use an XLR (female) to TRS cable such as this one: amzn.to/46NjmiB In any case, the connection on your audio interface from other gear (preamp or effect) should be TRS to avoid the risk of phantom power from your audio interface damaging your other gear.
Microphones should always be connected to a preamp (either an outboard one or one built into an audio interface) using an XLR to XLR microphone cable such as this one: amzn.to/43sjh0J I hope this helps out!
I have problems with ac ground loops. Using a guitar amp with fx pedals mic'd to a outboard pre into a interface and a computer.
Too many different inputs to the powerboard? 😢
That can happen with a lot of gear plugged in. Guitar amps are often an issue. I address this by using either a power strip with individually isolated outlets such as the TrippLite Isobar or if you can narrow the issue down to one device, a hum eliminator such as a Hum X for that specific unit. Try testing with out the amp or preamp by recording silence from the interface inputs to see if you can isolate the cause. Often a Hum X on the plug for the guitar amp and pedals will solve the problem. I have a lot of gear including amps connected and by using a Furman to condition the power and then individual Isobar power strips for each rack I have been able to eliminate ground loop and other interference issues to the point I do not have to think about them, even on sessions running a lot of inserts. If you find the noise is due to your computer, let me know as I have other suggestions that may help out with that. Hope this helps out!
Direct in box. JDI engineering
Can I connect a Audient MKii into a Art Voice Channel and turn off the built in interface on the Art Channel?
Yes, the VoiceChannel can be used as an entirely analog channel strip. Connect balanced the output from the VoiceChannel to balanced a input on the MKii using a TRS cable to avoid accidental complications with phantom power from the Mkii.
hi sir i do have the art voice channel and my interface is volt 476P can you please tell me the diagram on how i connect it properly. needed badly its been a month i am trying to set up but i am not getting the signal since i am confused what cables sh
should i use. when i check the preference on my daw still volt476p
its not showing the art voice channel. the connection i made input 1 to interface using male xlr plugg to mic pre amp out using balanced trs and i use xlr cables plug on the back of the art mic line input directly to my microphone the same diagram on your ither tutorial. when i start recording there is no changes on the vocals even i tweaks the knobs on the art but when i use another xlr male and female i plugg it line 2 input of the interface and the female xlr plugg into the output of the art im getting signal on line 2 is it finally working?
I would recommend connecting the VoiceChannel balanced TRS output to one of the TRS inputs on the combo jacks on the 476P using a TRS to TRS cable. This way not only will you ensure phantom power is not sent from the Volt to the VoiceChannel, but the Volt will also automatically adjust the input gain and impedance to be appropriate for the signal coming from the VoiceChannel. The input you use will still show as "Volt" in your DAW as the computer has no way of knowing you have an analog channel strip connected to the Volt, but the audio on whichever Volt input you use will be that of the VoiceChannel. I hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk thanks a lot i will give it a try🙂
@@askdrtk thanks a lot sir i made it work finally🙌🙌🙌
Universal Audio says that using a trs cable to connect a preamp to the Apollo bypasses the internal preamp.
The rack mount Apollos (except FireWire) provide the option to bypass the preamps for line in with TRS cables, desktop Apollos do not have the preamp bypass circuit. If you check the Hardware Block Diagram in the user manuals you will see a preamp bypass circuit option in the rack mounts that is not present in the desktops. That said, the preamps in the desktop Apollos are very transparent, but as UA says in the rack mount manuals the preamp can be bypassed “for the purest path directly into the AD counter.” ADAT inputs are digital already and so no AD conversion takes place and the audio is routed directly to the computer. Hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk Thank you for clarifying. When I asked UA I specified that I was inquiring about my Apollo Twin, and their reply was to use a TRS cable to bypass the preamp. I guess the customer service operator either lied or didn't really know himself.
Glad to help out. In general I think UA is a great company. They make reliable high quality gear and plugins (I use their analog gear and plugins regularly), but I have heard many stories about their support being less than stellar…really unfortunate all things considered. Their gear has great specs, there’s no need to bury information in the “depths” of the manual imo. Enjoy your Twin, it’s a fantastic interface that can produce pro quality results. Cheers!
@@DanieleT90 You are not alone, I have the Apollo Twin and Focusrite ISA One combo and I got the same advice from UA. I use the Line input on the Apollo with the level turned down to 0 with the gain coming from the Focusrite. To my ears the ISA One is a noticeable improvement on the stand alone Apollo pres. Warmer, fuller and with sweeter highs and an overall more 'polished' sound. I still use the Apollo pres when I'm recording in stereo and it is a handy tool for the plug ins (and processing them).
@@grahamhobson2397 Thank you for your feedback. I'm about to buy my first external preamp and that's why I'm researching the matter. Thanks for sharing your experience.