• Registered: 2011-08-21
  • Posts: 6

Topic: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

I am recording a grand piano in an acoustically prepared room.  I have a stereo set of Schoeps microphones with a Grace M101 Preamp for each.

From the Preamp 'Out' I have 2 XLR to the Babyface breakout cables:  I have several questions:

1) I have the XLR going to the line in Right and line in left - is this correct?

2)  In Totalmix I have on the top row, AN 1/2 set to stereo.  I haven't activated phantom power as its supplied by the preamps.  I have both channels gain set to '0'. With the sliders all the way down.  Is this correct?

3)  On the second row I have AN 1/2 set to stereo.  I'm not sure about the slider position here?  Similarly for the bottom row.  I have PH 3/4  set to stereo but not sure ...

I'm aiming to use the signal from the Grace preamps and bypass the Babyface preamp using just the analog to digital convertor.  Am I doing this correctly?

I am recording into Logic and my first tests had a strong recorded signal.  As the gain in Babyface was at 0 I assume the signal into Logic is actually the signal from the preamps?

Any help would be appreciated.  Tx.

  • From: Connecticut, USA
  • Registered: 2011-08-01
  • Posts: 376

Re: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

Hi,
1) Yes. Just make sure you have channel one as left and channel 2 as right coming out of the Grace Pre-Amp.

2) You can have the 2 inputs set as stereo if you want. Typically I keep them a individual mono channels and use 2 mono tracks in your software. This will allow for flexible panning and level adjustments later. Correct leave the Phantom power and the Gain set to 0. The inputs operate at Line level at this point. So the only level adjustments for the recording are being done on the Grace.
You would only need to raise the faders on the Input channels if you wanted to monitor the input level outside of Logic. The Input faders do not effect recording levels. They just control your monitoring of those levels. Do this can be helpful if you have a computer that is slow or your software has limited monitoring options. Monitoring this way is latency free but you need to be careful not to also monitor your live input though your software at the same time.

3) The 2nd Row is playback level of your software, i.e., Logic in your case. This is just the monitoring post Logic so it does not effect Logic's Main Mix level. The 3rd Row are the hardware outputs and can monitor any combination of the Input and Playback rows.

Here are some like to some You Tube videos that may help you understanding the Total Mix FX. The Fireface UFX and Babyface have very similar functions with the Total mix FX so you can study some of those tutorials for undertaking the mixer.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2167A9113CB26297

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1F944CF1A99CC577

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1DE774C632FC103C

There are also some tutorials on our Facebook page.

Thanks Chris

Chris Ludwig
North East USA Sales | Synthax/RME
www.facebook.com/RMEAmericas
Twitter @RMEAmericas

ChrisLudwig's Website

  • Registered: 2011-08-21
  • Posts: 6

Re: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

Thank you Chris, your reply was most helpful.  Thank you for the links too, I will study each tutorial.

I take your point about working with separate mono channels in Logic. I've found this (in my limited experience) to deliver better stereo when the separate mono channels are panned hard left and hard right than working with one stereo channel.  Now you confirmed I am on the right path with the gain settings in Totalmix I will experiment with this.

Many thanks,

Paul.

  • Registered: 2011-12-27
  • Posts: 3

Re: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

Hi Chris. Other than setting the input gain to zero in TotalMix, do I need to keep the unit's input at minimal level for using an external preamp (to have minimal effect from babyface's pre)?

Thanks in advance.

Sunrisus

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,782

Re: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

The preamps are designed to have no effect on the audio signal other than gain. There is no need for low signal levels or so. This is not some kind of tube preamp with "added flavour"...


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2011-12-27
  • Posts: 3

Re: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

Thanks Daniel.

  • From: United States
  • Registered: 2010-10-01
  • Posts: 39

Re: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

Is there any signal or quality loss when you set BabyFace preamps' gains to 0, I mean (as I dont know the signal flow in Babyface) can I have the same signal flow like I am recording with external preamps (like Avalon 737 etc.) and HDSP-e AIO with BabyFace when its internal preamps' gains set to 0?

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-21
  • Posts: 4,667

Re: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

These are transparent, so no quality loss. However, the input is +4 (balanced) and external pres typically need more headroom, as the AIO provides with the "Hi Gain" setting.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

9 Reply by whatudid2me (edited by whatudid2me 2012-01-25 22:46:09)

  • From: United States
  • Registered: 2010-10-01
  • Posts: 39

Re: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

I'll just use Babyface for the vocal recordings on the go (max recording levels would be like -10 to -8 dbfs) would it be a problem (btw I'am running my old E-MU 1212m PCI card in +4DB mode too and there's no problem)? Thanks for your fast reply, appreciated..

  • From: United States
  • Registered: 2010-10-01
  • Posts: 39

Re: How to Babyface with external Preamps?

I learned that E-MU 1212m's max input level is 20 dbu (with +4db balanced setting), as Babyface has +12 dbu max input level using external preamps with Babyface will not be too efficient like you've said..