The Mic Pre module provides your Symphony I/O with up to 8 mic preamps to your system. Here are answers to some common questions our customers have about the Mic Pre module:
Q. Does it add 8 additional channels to my system?
A. No. It only provides the option of selecting a mic pre to your existing card in slot 1.
For example: If you have an 8x8 module in slot 1 of your Symphony I/O, this provides you with 8 channels of analog line-level input. If this is the only card you have installed, you’d have to use external mic preamps to connect microphones to this system.
By adding a Mic Pre module in slot 2, this provides those 8 channels with high-quality mic preamps internally instead. Whether to use your 8 analog inputs as line-level or mic preamps is selectable in the Maestro 2 software’s Input screen.
Q. Do I plug my mic into one of the four ¼” inputs on the Mic Pre module? What are they for?
A. These ¼” inputs are for connecting high impedance sources such as an electric guitar, bass guitar, or keyboards to the Mic Pre card. It makes it convenient to connect these ¼” sources to the Symphony instead of using an adapter to plug into the XLR input of the card in Slot 1. Enable these in the Maestro 2 software’s Input screen by selecting “Instrument” as the channel’s Analog Source.
Q. What are the Inserts Send/Return for? How do you use them? Where is the insert point?
A. This is a hardware insert for the Microphone Preamps. They are used to insert additional equipment such as Compressors and Equalizers to your input path. You turn Inserts On/Off via the Maestro 2 software’s Input screen, and the insert option is only visible on channels that have the source set to “Mic” or “Instrument”. The insert point is after the preamp and high-pass filter but before the A/D conversion stage.
Q. Can I use the Mic Pre module with the 2x6 analog card or the 16 Digital In + 16 Analog Out card (sometimes called the 16ch D/A card)?
A. No. The Mic Pre module cannot be used with the 2x6 analog card or the 16 digital in + 16 analog out card because they do not have at least 8 channels of analog input available.
Q. Can I use the Mic Pre module with the 16x16 analog I/O card or 16 Analog In + 16 Digital Out card?
A. Yes. The first 8 channels of the 16 input channels can be set as “Mic” via the Maestro 2 software’s Input screen, and the channels 9-16 are limited to line-level.
Q. Does the Mic Pre module work with the 16x16SE module card?
A. No, the 16x16SE module card does not work with the 8 Mic Pre module card.