Connecting balanced preamp signal to octatrack?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
1

Long time lurker first time poster here :slight_smile:

I currently have a setup where i want to run bass/guitar as well as my OP1 into my octatrack.
I currently run the guitar/bass through a tubedrive pedal (H&K tube factor) then into a Torpedo cab and on to the octatrack. The op1 then either goes straight to OT, but then i get slight noise, or through the same chain as the guitars.

Thing is, i actually have some nice outboard around, a LA610 preamp, Neve RNDI di box and a WA12 API clone… but my attempts to connect the preamps balanced output to the OT have left the signal very weak and tinny. As the problem likely had to do with balanced outs into unbalanced inputs, i tried using a reamp box to unbalance the signal, but that didn’t really sound as good as it should either.

So my question for all you OT sharks out there, have you tried connecting mic pres, how do you get a balanced signal into the OT, any advice?

…and yeah i should just shut up and play some music and worry less about sound quality. It just bugs me not using the tubey goodness of the LA610 to warm up the OP1 on its way to the OT.

2

Just go to the mixer menu and bring the internal gain on the OT down. That should allow you to send in a really hot signal that doesn’t go overboard.

3

The signal is not too hot. I have gain staged the LA610 reasonably well, it just sounds very bad, almost out of phase or something, when connected to OT compared to when I run into my RME babyface soundcard.

4

Figured it out myself.

I needed to connect the Ring and Sleeve on the OT end to effectively make a “XLR to TRS” into a “XLR to TS jack” . Only potential problem should be if the source is not transformer balanced as IC balancing might have problems with the ring to shield connection.

So yes, a playing my bass and OP1 though a proper tube stage before hitting the OT sound great… (and would probably be even better with the balanced improved input on the MK2)

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