clarifying doubts on preamp

[buffalo man]

to sum up what i THINK i know about preamps


1.) the mic preamp helps to boost the lo Z mic signal cleanly without adding noise.

but what about for all the line level stuff like keyboards or guitars that you just plug straight into your audio interface with a high impedance setting,what does the preamp do for these instruments? does it boost the signal cleanly as well?

i also read up about standalone digital audio convertors and how they are part of a better signal chain and how it converts the analog audio to digital audio better,if the digital audio convertors does the job of converting then how does the preamp come into play for all the other musical instruments that are not recorded using a mic?



Thanks in advance for whatever help guys

 

[blueprintstudios]

1) it does everything this link says - https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=what+does+a+mic+preamp+do

it may add character it may add its own colour it may be flat it may be thin it may be phat it may be sterile it may be warm

2) if you try recording DI guitar/keyboards using a low end pre like behringer/line6/zoom etc. vs a high end summit/avalon/uad/neve/portico/ you'll see/hear the significant difference even if at RAW doesn't sound big difference it becomes obvious when you start mixing etc. you can read more here. http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/studio/preamps/buying-guide.php

3) http://www.sweetwater.com/c796--AD_DA_Converters
your answer is here
http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/sound-amazing.php
and a few popular ones would be the rosetta. many debate about how RME converters are as good as apogees and how RME's cost isn't justified as compared to Echo Audio's. it's not what you use, but how you use and how you want to use. some want to go into the finer details of audio at unjustified costs, some people like me will just go for cost efficiency. not that it's BETTER but i'm just more practical, not that I can't afford, but I'd rather spend the money in the finer details of life over audio. like investing.