[Ray Thomas[_2_]]

I'd like to connect my mic preamp (balanced TRS outs) to the insert socket
of an Echo Audiofire 8 interface, which has a pair of front panel mic
pre/line inputs connected to the two rear panel inserts. The channel
inserts are wired: tip = send, ring = return, and sleeve = ground, and are
intended to connect a serial effect (eg compressor, eq) to the 2 front panel
universal mic/line inputs. Thus I'd be using the insert socket to bring in
my 2 external mic pres as line level inputs .... do I need to reconfigure
them as unbalanced (TS) inputs, or can I bring them in as TRS balanced ?
Should I insert them only to the first 'click stop' in the insert ?
For more info see page 15 of the manual (and specs on pages 56/57) at:
http://www.echoaudio.com/Downloads/M...ual%20v2.0.pdf

Thanks for your advice,
Ray

[Arny Krueger]

"Ray Thomas" wrote in message


I'd like to connect my mic preamp (balanced TRS outs) to
the insert socket of an Echo Audiofire 8 interface, which
has a pair of front panel mic pre/line inputs connected
to the two rear panel inserts.

Do it, it will work.

The channel inserts are
wired: tip = send, ring = return, and sleeve = ground,
and are intended to connect a serial effect (eg
compressor, eq) to the 2 front panel universal mic/line
inputs. Thus I'd be using the insert socket to bring in
my 2 external mic pres as line level inputs ....

Been there, done that.

do I need to reconfigure them as unbalanced (TS) inputs, or
can I bring them in as TRS balanced ?

Which them? The insert the mic preamp output?

Kinda doesn't matter, because the insert jack is by definition unbalanced,
and there's simply no place to attach the (-) output of the mic preamp
output. If you ground the (-) output of most mic preamps, there is no harm,
no foul. If you leave it unattached, no harm, no foul.

Should I insert them only to the first 'click stop' in the insert ?

If you have a proper insert cable, no. Push the TRS plug all the way in and
use the TS 1/4" plug that gives you sound. You may want to insulate the tip
of the TS plug that you don't use.

For more info see page 15 of the manual (and specs on
pages 56/57) at:
http://www.echoaudio.com/Downloads/M...ual%20v2.0.pdf

[Ray Thomas[_2_]]

On second thought, since the channel inserts are not separate channels,
why
do you want to do this? Why not simply set 1 &I 2 to line level? From the
manual:

"To record a guitar or line level signal, just plug a cable with a ¼"
connector into one of the universal inputs. Whenever a ¼" cable is
connected to a universal input, the guitar/line preamp is enabled and the
gain range of the trim knob is set to range from 0 to +45 dB. The
guitar/line preamp can support both guitar & line level signals. "

This is the cleaner way to do it.

Bob Morein
(310) 237-6511

Thanks Bob,

It's certainly the easier way to do it (plugging into the front panel
mic/line input) but what I was hoping to do was avoid going through the Echo
mic preamp circuitry altogether (even though when that Echo mic pre gain is
set to 0, there should be no gain added by it) That was my rationale in
using the insert socket as my external preamp's input point...as I hoped it
would bypass the Echo's mic pre altogether ? I guess it would help to know
where in the chain the Echo's insert was positioned: pre or post the
universal inputs preamp ? In effect I'm looking for a non-amplified line
in, independent of the Echo's mic preamp circuitry. As I understand it,
using a 1/4" plug for line in at the 'universal XLR input' gives you a gain
range of 0 to +45dB compared with the +10 to +59dB of the mic input, but it
doesn't bypass the inbuilt preamp's circuit ?
Ray

[Ray Thomas[_2_]]

In effect I'm looking for a
non-amplified line in, independent of the Echo's mic preamp circuitry. As
I understand it, using a 1/4" plug for line in at the 'universal XLR
input' gives you a gain range of 0 to +45dB compared with the +10 to
+59dB of the mic input, but it doesn't bypass the inbuilt preamp's
circuit ?
Ray
Send a query to Echo. They always respond.

Bob Morein
(310) 237-6511


good idea....I'll do that !