I would like to add another "Thank You" for this video. I too have the same set-up from my Scarlett interface into my 286s preamp. After some research, I realized you were absolutely right. But the real truth came after the hook up itself. The line distortion I had been experiencing pre hookup had disappeared immediately. Nothing but clarity beyond this point forward. One word... Amazing. I would never had figured out something so simple would be such a game changer. Please your invaluable work. You are appreciated.

Every interface I've see for the last decade or so has a line in. You'll be fine. just go trs from a balanced line out to the line in on the interface. Thats literally what it was designed for. Converting it to instrument level and then boosting it back to line level is redundant and will introduce more noice into the signal.

this is really helpful info that i feel can be easily convoluted on forums and instructional videos. this also applies to stacking preamps of any kind, like if you were someone who recorded analog wanted to use an external pre with a mixing console, the same rule applies for gain staging

Without people like you, I would go insane. Thank you for making this so much more clear.

That is correct, thanks for making this video. I use to connect using TRS to combo connection ( front input ), and couple months ago, i changed it to the back connection, input line. Sound change dramatically, perfect. Line to line level. That is correct. Super thanks

I had absolutely no idea, maybe that's the cause of my issue! Thanks!

I bought a tube pre years ago and never understood why it sounded so noisy and bad, so it's just been collecting dust all this time. I had some direct boxes sitting around, so after watching your video it was just a matter of putting the pieces together. Thanks for the advice!

Mate, I appreciate that you have good intentions and trying to teach people however you should really clarify that most audio interfaces with one or two inputs (even at the time when you made this video) have line level in. Most interfaces inputs have XLR as Mic in or TRS 1/4 inch as instrument or line in. There is usually a switch that lets you select one or the other.

Great to know. I'd just aquired an XLR and tried connecting my Mark Bass to my Interface. Big up!!!

Thanks for the video. Clear, concise & extremely helpful 👊🏾

As always... Very useful info! You're an excellent communicator!!! Thanks!

Thanks for being the first guy speaking about connecting the proper way on connecting a preamp to the interface

Thanks for this! It's info like this which has just helped me to avoid a critical error. I've just ordered my gear an hour ago. Because my Roland Duo-Capture Ex audio interface surprisingly doesn't have Line In, I'm replacing it with a Steinberg UR242. I'm hooking it up to a Behringer MIC 2200 19 inch 2-channel tube preamp, which I've also just ordered. I'm looking forward to hearing the sound I get from them.

Thank you sooooo much. I’m plugging a Boss VE8 into a Yamaha MX10 and was wondering why I was struggling with it ... off to Long and McQuade for a DI.

Just bought a MOTU M4 as it has two Mic pres plus 2 line ins that bypass it's mic pres. Wonderful interface. Made in the U.S.A!

Thank you for this wonderful insight!

Perfect! I just need to switch line on my Apollo 8 and that will give me less noise? Thanks bro. Love your vids!!!

i avoided blowing up my interface thanks, and I love the czech mandolin. Have seen two of those in my life and had my hands on one at one time. They were great mandos.

I just wanted to say thank you bro, I was stuck and your video save me. thanks again!

i had the same problem till yesterday that I bought the cable you advice of.. and now sounds better.. before I be getting vocals too loud ... I connect my Avalon to line 5 .. and now I can use my Avalon much better ...

Thanks for getting that clear. Very helpful.

Thanks for your videos they have really helped me with my recording!

XLR cables are balanced, the third pin provides the extra ground to keep the signal balanced. The only reason I could see to convert it to a line signal would in case you accidently send a signal that's too hot, but if you don't know how to gain stage from the pre amp to the interface then no amount of gear or signal conversion is going to help you.

Shared and liked! Happy to find this after hours of searching! Looking to see if you explain digital ins and outs somewhere next!

Good stuff...I have Tascam UH7000 with superb preamps which can serve as a stand alone, output thru my Kopul Humbuster and XLR into my Denon Mixer, with no fear of causing damage ? Mic into the Tascam via a Cloudlifter, this is for voice only live streaming.

You just saved my Alesis iO Dock ll from being made of smoke. I have the ART tube preamp & have been wanting to utilize it. Thanks

hi thanks for this information, if i plug my outboard gear into my mic line at the back of my Audio Apollo Twin will I still need a direct box ?

I like the video! Well-done and informative. I have a question for you though. I have a Tascam us-16x08. It subs as a mic preamp when not plugged into my 'puter. It has 8 xlr ins on the front with 8 -1/4 outs and 8 -1/4 ins on the back. I've ran my XLR snake lines through the back of a pass-through in my effects rack, connected to the XLR ins on the front of my interface, out the 1/4 outs on the back of the interface, up to the mic inputs on my Xenyx x2442usb mixer and I get no sound! Have all gains and levels turned up enough to be able to hear. Nothing! Just poking around for others answers. Oh and all my cables are balanced.

Would i need that direct box to connect a turntable preamp mixer to the interface???

thanks for the video, I was wondering about this as I have a focusrite scarlett 6i6 and was thinking of buying a universal audio preamp and was wondering how that was going to work. I am new to recording, with a separate preamp

Well now I’m worried because I had just purchased the presonus studio channel preamp and I set it up the way you have said not too. Now I only had it hook up that way and on for maybe a hour but I wasn’t recording thru it. I tested my voice thru my mic a couple times but I then had shit it down. I have the presonus auidio box as shown in your video with the presonus studio channel preamp. So my main question and thanks in advance if I choose to run the preamp thru the studio box. Do I have to have the direct box? Now I’m also thinking about up grading my interface with the presonus 1824 interface. If I do so...will I still need the direct box or would me upgrading to the 1824 and using line out work instead or be better? I’m having a tough time with this lol

Tracking a reggae funk soul group and haven"t tracked a keyboard before. Helpful video. Thanks!

Very helpful vidéo. thank you!

I like you content. I have a question regarding using my Focusrite 2i2 as a pre amp? If so where do I begin? Thanks

Hello please help!!! I have an external preamp and I’m trying to hook it up to my interface but I don’t want to damage my gear and i want to connect everything properly. Here’s my set up I have an audix mic I would like to run it through my Neve 511 pre which is in my lunch box. From the lunch box I want to go into my clarett 8pre interface. What audio cable do I need to use from the lunchbox to the interface and why?? The line n mic level thing has me confused. My interface has combi-jacks. The lunchbox only has XLR outputs.

Thanks for the video! All this "technical studio stuff" is very hard to get a good grip on if you lack the basic pre-knowledge or experience about it, plus most ppl just wanna get started recording their music, etc... Buying a piece of hardware like an "external pre-amp for vocal, guitar, etc" can put some ppl off I guess… If you don't know how to hook things up on a basic home studio... Like I'd guess many ppl these Days have a computer and an Audio Interface to begin with... And they have a few instruments like guitar, bass, microphone, keyboard... Then the next step is to buy some additional hardware like a pre-amp, a compressor, a reverb/delay unit, etc. Then these "thechnical headaches" usually begins... ;) So much easier to just use plugins, right? Well, it takes some research into different "signal levels", different connectors (jacks/plugs) & different "cable types"... Good thing we have KZfaq, google, etc! :) One thing though, I believe a "TRS-cable" can carry either a stereo or a mono signal, while a "TS-cable" only carries a mono signal.

So I have a ESI U46 audio interface and a Presonus TubePre V2 preamp and on the interface has a line and mic on and off switch via XLR input. So my question is, can I just plug the pre amp directly to the interface ( witch u said is wrong ) but switch it to line input with the on and off Switch ? Thanks in advance for any answers from you are anyone!

Great info, thanks!!!

Very , very useful . Thank you very much .

Really good infos !! but what about connecting multiFX stereo devices to a PA mixer or such

As long as your interface has a line option, you can use that. That's the "PAD" switch in your interface which i think most of the audio interfaces have. Make sure to turn off your interface's volume before plugging your connector and switch to the "PAD" option.

What if you go preamp>compressor>to combo jack on interface with the gain to zero? Would you still need a DI in this case?

subscribed because your the only person to answer that question .........how would I run my line 6 pod into my interface same way?.....yes all vague info on this subject on net

How if I want to record from my headset mic to audio interface? I am using focusrite Itrack solo

Excellent video! If I use guitar into a preamp should I just run straight into the preamp ? I have a focusrite 18i20 - would I need to use a DI in this case? I have one. I want to record direct because I will reamp

Would you still need a DI box when using a preamp with a modern mirrorless camera?

Hi there! Thanks for the video! I got a question. So I saw a youtube video about the Shure SM7B, and he said that he used the MOTU 828 and the MOTU 4 pre for the recording. It sounded incredibly crips! So I'm thinking of buying both of those. That's hella money I gotta spent, but I don't mind lol. Anyways, I wanted to ask, how do you think he connected those with each other? I don't get it, isn't it the same thing? If they're doing the same job, which one do you think is the best for the Shure SM7B? Thanks in advance!

Thanks for this. I have a 6i6, was thinking about going to MOTU, but never really thought about even connecting another pre-amp to it considering the scarlett has pre-amps already. Just never really thought about it. I'm thinking about getting a UA LA610 for it :)

Ok, but now I have a question. In the case of the SM7B, that mic needs like 60db of gain. So even with say, a Presonus Tube Pre, it's only going to *cleanly* hit say -20db going into the Interface--which is BELOW line level right? In that case is it still risky, or problematic? If so, there are Interfaces (like an M-Audio) that have a switch for the inputs to switch between inst and line level. Would that work as well? to switch the Interface to line level inputs?

Hey man, love this! Which one is the pre-amp volume? I was recording recently and vocals came out distorted. my mixer told me to reduce there pre-amp volume, which knob would that one be?

Thanks for this!

I want to buy a guitar preamp by ENGL which has a line gain adjuster on the back next to the line out. I wanna plug it in my Audiobox USB's input but it doesn't have a line in except for the mic and instrument inputs. Can i do this or do i need di box? Thanks

Can you also run it through a mixing board to the focusrite. Do you get the same quaility using a direct box?

Hi and thanks for the information! I've been researching how to connect multiple guitar preamps to a single power amp. I have a Mesa Boogie Stereo 50/50 amp and 3 Mesa Boogie guitar pre amps. V Twin, Rectifier Recording Pre and a Mesa Boogie Quad Preamp. Will a Patch Bay do it? Or is there a better interface to help me quickly switch from one pre to another? Thanks to anyone out there that can answer this for me!

when using Saffire Mix Control with my Saffire Pro 24 audio interface, do you have to just set your analog 3 input to "Low Gain" if thats the input you have your preamp going into? it almost seems like my interface has gain added to my preamps gain, which I'm trying to turn off but don't know how.

Hello, Man! Just a quick question, i've got ehringer DI600P Ultra-DI Passive DI Box. Is it good for purpose of recording the way you suggested for cheap chain like Preamp -->DI BOX --> Audiobox ??? Or you would suggest getting an active DI box?

great video, Thanks. does that apply if you have a Focusrite 2i4 and have the option to switch to Line?

Ich have the behringer xenyx x1204usb, which is including the interface, so I should be save with that.

Great video! Quick question, when running the cable from the preamp to the DI box should I be going from the preamp output into the output of the box and then connecting the input to my interface? (the image on the left at 1:34 seems to imply that I should be doing that) I'm new at recording but your videos help lots!

awesome tip, thanks mate!

I have a focusrite 2i4. Do I need a DI box?Because I can switch to line/instrument level as per my need.

Hello I have a question so I have the Uphoria UMC404HD interface and a pro mpa II pre amp. Can I connect my mic directly to the pre amp than trow signal straight to the UMC404HD interface?

Great vid man! Wondering about di box placement or if it’s even needed if I’m going into my isa one into my fatman tube compressor into my Scarlett.

But that presonus audiobox that you used as an example has a built in di in one of the inputs, hence the mic/instrument difference

Totally helpful... I was doing it wrong. Thanks

Hi! Could work if the preamp is actually an amp for guitar and then it's being wired to the D.I.? And if yes, pedals and effects would sound normally? Thanks

That's great, Thank you! This makes sense. Would not having a DI box make your sound still come through the amp speakers? Let me explain... I have a Fishman Loudbox Mini. I ran an XLR cable from the XLR DI output into my mixing board then into my interface. I got the sound through the headphones just fine.. BUT.. I ALSO got it from the amp speaker. What's up with that? I wanted to record line out and not have any sound coming from the Fishman speaker. Thank you.

i use a presonus studio channel preamp to a direct box to my scarlett solo 2nd gen interface. how do i set the volume gain in/out for the preamp and interface?

I am a total noob, I want to connect the focusite solo to the MASSDROP OBJECTIVE 2 HEADPHONE AMP. How should i do that?

So helpful Thanks!

I have that same interface. Love to use the DRM sonic spaces for mix comparisons. Question: I recently bought some new cans that need a headphone amp. Is it safe to run the output on the amp through the input on one of the two headphones where I would normally plug my cans through?

GaragebandandBeyond I have a condenser mic (NW-800) with an external phantom power power supply (NW-100) and I want connect it to the microphone 3.5 jack of my internal PC card through an "ART Tube MP Studio V3 preamplifier". My question is: I always need the line level box between de preamplifier and the internal sound card?

I have a DI/Pre. My interface has only 2 in's . Has Adat which I should get say an Octapre. But in the mean time can I use the DI/Pre which does have a bass and Treble and output knobs ( similar to the Noble DI). It has Balance and unbalance out. Can I go into the interface from the DI/Pre? I have a Mackie 12 channel mixer and I think its not going to give a good signal as the DI/pre is a much better unit. The interface is A babyface RME. Has two XLR left and right ins and a regular guitar input.

how about preamp > compressor/expander > equalizer > interface ? is this ok ? i suppose the comp & eq will bring the signal to line level for the interface ? thanks

Would i need an active or a passive Di BOX? im going from the interface to the di box to a powered amp

Great video

Why can't you just connect your preamp into the preamp on the interface but set the input to "line" instead of "instrument"? Won't that do the same thing as a DI box?

Does my sound will improve in some way if i connect the preamp to a DI box and then to the interface (scarlett 2i2)?

Also, what is the name of that direct box you are displaying in the video?

Nice video! I was wondering if you could help me on something since you're more experienced. I play electronic drums hooked via midi to my macmini. I also have an SMSL SU8 DAC connected to the macmini via USB and an SMSL SP200 headphone amp connected with XLR to the DAC to drive my Beyer DT 1770 (250 ohm) heaphones. I'm very satisfied with the sound i'm getting but i was wondering if i could add a tube preamp to get even better sound. I also plan to buy 2 alesis Strike 8 drum monitors in the future. Could you tell me how i should connect all these together in order to listen from both heaphones and monitors at the same time with a preamp included? Thank you!

Thanks for this video. I have a Shure SM58 and would like to connect it to my PC. I currently have a standard XLR cable going to a XLR to USB adapter. I've had issues with Windows 10 using this setup (low mic input, no mic boost, big pain in the butt). I'd rather not use any kind of USB adapter again, so I'm thinking of buying a PreSonus TubePre V2. My plan was to use a balanced XLR cable between the mic and the TubePre V2, then a TSR to TSR cable to the mic input on my PC, but according to your instructions, I should have a "Direct Box" between the TubePre V2 and PC, eh? I just want to do this right without damaging my equipment. Thanks in advance.

Very informative and easy to understand video. The visualization thing works really good to help me as not native english speaker to follow along. Thank you for your videos man, all the best

Question I have a black lion b12a mk2 I want to run it to my digi 003 I have line down input my question is do you use the volume on the pre amp and the interface please help

i have a mixer board compressor eq harmonic 3 racks in a loop then to the interface where would be the best spot?

If I connect the dbx 286s to line unput #5 on the back of the focusrite scarlet 18i8 using a male to male TRS cable then I can hear myself when I speak into the microphone, but I can't get other software to pick it up so it's basically like no microphone is connected. If I plug the TRS into one of the front XLR/TRS inserts the microphone does register, but it sounds kind of funky sometimes so I want to see if using the line input will fix the issue. In the windows sound panels under playback and recording I have the focusrite usb audio selected as the default device so with the TRS plugged into the line input I can hear things, but the computer doesn't pick up anything from the mic.

thanks for clarification

Hey man, I was just wondering if you could help me with an impedance issue. I'm looking into getting an audio interface that has a minimum of 1-2 I/O and a XLR connection for as cheap as possible. I'm currently looking at the Scarlett Solo (2 Gen) for it's ease of use and affordability. But the thing is, the headphones i'd like to monitor my DAW with (Beyerdynamic DT 770 80 or 250 ohms) require more power to operate them at a decent volume. My question is this: What could you recommend that would support this setup? Should I consider a different more powerful Interface? Is it possible to connect a Headphone Preamp to the Interface to make up for the required operating power? Appreciate any help! Cheers

Please help me.. i use..mic direct in tc elecretonics voicelive 3..( i can select mic or line livel) xlr to a stereo xlr preamp of focusrite Scarlett .. Is better i set xlr from voicelive 3 at mic o line livel..?? Thank you

Hi guy, congrats for your video, I was looking for something like this, and you are the only one that I found.. I have a question about this. In my case, I have my guitar amp with a preamp out (separated from FX LOOP) and I want to connect it to my mixer. Is it also feasible to connect them through a DI Box?

When i use my acoustic guitar with pre-amp no problem until i try and run it through looper then the sound is bad ?? help please

What if i have a scarlet that can change from inst to line signal?

Some interfaces allow you to go from Line to Inst level on a per input basis also.

Have you done a video on the Joe Meek 3Q? I need something in front of a Presonus 44VSL and was thinking of the 3Q, or a Presonus Studio Channel,,, or an ART Pro MPA. They are all about the same price give or take.... Do you know if the preamp in the Presonus Studio Channel is the same circuit as in the TubePre? If it is and you have used the TubePre... could you compare the Joe Meek 3Q and the Tube Pre as as far as how the preamps in each sound. I think I read somewhere that the preamp in the Joe Meek is really clean and the unit is worth the price if it was just the preamp alone. How do you find the compressor and EQ in the 3Q as well....

oh so when you plug into the 1/4" inputs on an interface you are basically bypassing the pre-amp of the interface? And when you plug into the XLR inputs of the interface you are using the pre-amp? If I'm right, whats better... doing what you said with your current setup or buying a line level converting and pluging into the XLR?

Am right after the DirectBox mention and am wondering if this applies to Focusrite too, as their interfaces have a switch for mic/line on their inputs. Many thanks in advance if anybody knows this ( :

I have a direct box with ground with hi-z in hi-out from there what to do? I have two 1/4 in and out .

can i use output from interface to input of preamp ? re-amping ?

Does this really help ? Cause i also have bluetube and would like to decrease the noise but isnt bluetube DI-box by itself?

This the same for the UR22? I've been coming out of my WA73 eq into xlr on front of UR22 with ok results. Now I'm coming trs to trs line input (double socket on front) and my volume needs to be pumped way high on the WA73

Respected sir...i have a question that is i am using steinberg u12 audio interface whic connect to mic and usb cable to laptop....but whenever i record a audio its records electric noise like zzzzz...i switch off all the electric system and still facing same problem ..please help me