This guide will step you through connecting and using the external preamps within GR 2/3/4 — In this case we will be connecting a mic signal from within the control room into one of the golden age preamps — however the same will apply for any preamp within the room.
Input Patchbay:
1. First we will connect our mic signal into the left hand side patchbay.
As it is a signal from within the control room we can patch straight into the preamp we want to use — in this case it is the Golden Age Pre In (1).
If you’re recording a signal from the live room you would patch a small XLR lead from stage box output into whichever preamp input you want to use.
Preamp:
1. Then, turn on the relevant preamp making sure phantom power is on if needed.
Adjust the gain parameter until you have a strong enough signal. You most likely won't be getting an output of this sound but you can still check the gain — almost like a PFL signal.
Bantam Patchbay: 1. Locate the output of your chosen preamp on the patchbay at the bottom right of the room. In our example we used the first golden age preamp therefore we will patch out from ‘Golden A Out (1)’.
Insert a bantam cable into this output.
At this point you need to decide whether you want to monitor your signal Pre-fader or Post-fader. Pre-fader means you will monitor the output of the preamp that is coming back from Pro Tools, and the onboard gain and preamp of the SSL XL desk will not affect or colour the sound. Post-fader will mean that the output of the preamp will go into a channel on the SSL XL and can be coloured and affected by its gain or colouration.
Pre-fader:
1. Take the other end of the bantam cable from your preamps output and plug this into ‘Motu 16A Line In (1−8)’
This will patch your signal straight into the soundcard, bypassing the desk — the number in which you patch into will correspond to the input you set on Pro Tools.
In our example we have patched into number 1.
2. Within Pro Tools create an audio track with the corresponding input to which you patch. The output will be what you monitor to hear your signal, for our example we had channel 8 spare so we outputted it down this channel.
We can then make sure the DAW button is pressed on channel 8 and raise the fader and we should be able to hear our signal.
This would make our signal pre-fader as the SSL input fader will not affect gain — but post Pro Tools as we are monitoring the Pro Tools output.
Post-fader:
1. If you wanted to track with the onboard channel EQ and compression of the SSL XL desk you would need to patch your signal post fader.
To do this, take the other end of your bantam that is coming from the output of your preamp and patch this into ‘SSL XL DAW In (1−8).’ This will bring your input signal onto whichever channel corresponds with the number you patched, for example we have patched it into DAW In 1.
You can then add EQ or compression at will and this would record as this is on the input not output of that signal. With the DAW button unpressed you would also be able to monitor this signal on the fader.
2. Then, within pro tools create a new audio channel and set the input to whichever DAW In you patched, in our example that is channel 1.
You could set the output to the same channel and use the DAW button to chose whether you wanted to monitor pre/post pro tools. Alternatively, if you set the output to a different channel you could monitor pre/post Pro Tools on different faders.
