Best way to connect an external vocal mic preamp

[theodmack]

In my use case the Helix is my primary audio interface for my DAW.

I record Guitar and Vocals using the Helix as the interface.

 

While I enjoy the built in microphone pre-amp for vocals, I'd like to know the best way to integrate and patch an external pre amp into the Helix.

The Mic pre is by Warm Audio.

It has a balanced +4 line level output. Both  a 1/4 inch TRS  jack and XLR are available as outputs,

Should I:

• Get an XLR -20dB pad and plug the Warm output to the Helix XLR mic input? (Ensuring the p48 is off on the helix)
• Go into one of the line RTN 1/4 inputs, If so are these helix inputs TRS or TS and what adapter cable would you recommend?

 

 

 

[HonestOpinion]

 

5 hours ago, theodmack said:

In my use case the Helix is my primary audio interface for my DAW.

I record Guitar and Vocals using the Helix as the interface.

 

While I enjoy the built in microphone pre-amp for vocals, I'd like to know the best way to integrate and patch an external pre amp into the Helix.

The Mic pre is by Warm Audio.

It has a balanced +4 line level output. Both  a 1/4 inch TRS  jack and XLR are available as outputs,

Should I:

• Get an XLR -20dB pad and plug the Warm output to the Helix XLR mic input? (Ensuring the p48 is off on the helix)
• Go into one of the line RTN 1/4 inputs, If so are these helix inputs TRS or TS and what adapter cable would you recommend?

 

 

 

 

Not sure if I would want to use the mic input on the Helix as you will be using your Warm Audio mic pre into the mic pre on the Helix. Redundant and perhaps capable of damaging the Helix or your monitor. A return jack might be safer and I would make sure that you dial the level way down on your mic pre as well as the Helix's return loop until you find the correct signal strength to send into the Helix. The Send/Return jacks are TS as far as I know. Each Return input is mono, you definitely need two to run a stereo input. The safest option is probably just using the Helix mic pre but I assume you have already tried that and still want the sound of your Warm Audio mic pre.

[geetar_geek79]

If I had an external mic pre, I probably would just use the mic input to save the loops for other things.  I'd ensure that the global settings are set properly, i.e. mic gain set to 0, phantom off, etc.  Yeah you probably would need that pad.

[Matthieu-Ridolfo]

I Theodmack !

 

I have the same issue with connecting my micpre hardware into Helix.

 

So far I chose the return path, cause I didn't want to risk damaging the Helix micpre, but now I'd like to use this Helix XLR in for re-amping...

 

So, did you try that path ? Connecting your micpre hardware output into the Helix Micpre XLR in ?

 

Or maybe did u attack the Helix micpre, then loop it to your hardware ?

 

Thanks in advance for your experience,

Matthieu

[rwandering]

I don't have a Floor (or Rack) so I can't test this, but I'm not sure I would want to.  The output of your mic-pre is line level, and shouldn't be put back into another mic-pre.  Unless the Helix supports treating the XLR input as line-level, I would not think you would get good results.  You *should* use a return (set to line level).

 

For my own recording, I use my Helix LT into a mixer/interface, along with onboard/offboard mic pres.  I find everything -- even reamping -- easier treating the Helix LT like an analog device.  And the quality is great.

 

BTW: my point about re-amping is that with analog inputs/outputs, unity is very easy to achieve versus when recording from USB where the Helix drops the volume level to create headroom.

[codamedia]

On 2/19/2023 at 11:29 PM, rwandering said:

he output of your mic-pre is line level, and shouldn't be put back into another mic-pre.  Unless the Helix supports treating the XLR input as line-level, I would not think you would get good results.  You *should* use a return (set to line level).

 

^^^ This ^^^

[datacommando]

On 2/19/2023 at 6:19 PM, Matthieu-Ridolfo said:

I Theodmack !

 

I have the same issue with connecting my micpre hardware into Helix.

 

So far I chose the return path, cause I didn't want to risk damaging the Helix micpre, but now I'd like to use this Helix XLR in for re-amping...

 

So, did you try that path ? Connecting your micpre hardware output into the Helix Micpre XLR in ?

 

Or maybe did u attack the Helix micpre, then loop it to your hardware ?

 

Thanks in advance for your experience,

Matthieu

 

 

Hi,

 

Not sure if you realise that you are responding to a thread that went to sleep 4 years back.

 

 

On 2/20/2023 at 5:29 AM, rwandering said:

I don't have a Floor (or Rack) so I can't test this, but I'm not sure I would want to.  The output of your mic-pre is line level, and shouldn't be put back into another mic-pre.  Unless the Helix supports treating the XLR input as line-level, I would not think you would get good results.  You *should* use a return (set to line level).

 

For my own recording, I use my Helix LT into a mixer/interface, along with onboard/offboard mic pres.  I find everything -- even reamping -- easier treating the Helix LT like an analog device.  And the quality is great.

 

BTW: my point about re-amping is that with analog inputs/outputs, unity is very easy to achieve versus when recording from USB where the Helix drops the volume level to create headroom.

 

On 2/20/2023 at 12:32 PM, codamedia said:

 

^^^ This ^^^

Hi guys,

 

The post from @Matthieu-Ridolfo was a reply to a four year old “dead thread”, but your info is still valid.

:-0