the question is for what you want to use them. I would need them as hum destroyers. I have other gear to do this, but a rackmount option would just be nice. thats why 800 bucks would be too much.
I just need it to work and sound good. as I have no experience with DI’s, I would need some info on the gear
I didn’t see where the OP listed a budget, so I’m throwing out suggestions for good units.
I saw what you stated but my comment was oriented to OP.
The plan is to use the first 16 mic pre inputs on the desk for line level signals.
Reason for using a DI is unbalanced to balanced conversion, the option of gnd lift, ideally a mechanically switchable pad, hum suppression, again, should the need arise.
I’m gonna try a few (line level) bits straight into the mic pre channels later today, just to see how I get on.
The SL doesn’t have a switchable pad on the input channels and the channel gain control doesn’t look like it goes through zero (and therefore attenuates the input signal back down). Maybe this is why they quote in the manual that inputs 1-16 are mic only? The SL 64 has combi input sockets on all channels but it was well over £1k more than I paid for my 32. Investing in the radial gets me a lot closer to the price of the 64 but with none of the advantages the bigger desk.
One option would be to passively attenuate the signal down before it hits the desk, either by using attenuating adaptors, modding some leads/looms to do the same job or better still building a 1u 16ch rack attenuator. None of these options deal with the balanced to unbalanced conversion, which to be fair, in my small rig with fairly short cable runs, shouldn’t be a huge issue. This is how I got to the Palmer option as it covers all my requirements.
Did you get the Palmer? I’m looking to do the same thing and was wondering what you think about it.
I haven’t yet but it’s looking like the route I’m gonna take. I plugged my Bodyssey balanced out into one of the mic pre channels on the SL desk and it seemed to be coming through at line level which is odd? I was expecting it to be distorted, especially as this is the ‘high’ output but none of it? I’ve yet to try a mic plugged in so I might have some pre amp (or lack of!) issues… I’ve not seen anything on their site saying they’ll take a line level signal? In fact the manual clearly states they’re mic only. 17-24 are on combi sockets so the act of plugging in a jack lead disconnects the mic pre’s on those channels so Unless the other channels are ‘sensing’ that line voltage is present and bypassing the mic pre I at a loss to explain it?
I’m in the process of moving stuff around with a view to a more permanent set up so I don’t think I’ll be getting the DI until I’m finished setting stuff up but I’ll deffo report back. It won’t be long tho… I’ve already maxed out the 16 line inputs and I’ve even dragged the Tascam 2524 out with a view to using that as a sub mixer for drum machine individual outs etc. So those first 16 channels will be getting pressed into action!
Sorry if a stet a few obvious things and without commenting specifically on the particular Presonus desk in question as these things are rather consistent from one desk to another:
There isn’t a clear cut border where “mic level” ends and “line level” begins. As far as voltage, there isn’t a huge difference between what comes out when someone screams into a condenser mic or plucks a string on an electric guitar. Both will require just a few dB of gain to get to ca. 0dBu at which point the (analog) mixer’s internals are happy or the (digital) mixer’s A to D is happy.
The mic output is balanced, and the guitar is un-balanced but the mic input is perfectly happy with an unbalanced input. Most mixers are internally unbalanced anyway. It only matters if you have really long cable runs and have lots of dimmers in your studio. There is also a matter of impedence, which might matter in case of a guitar pickup but really doesn’t matter for your synths.
Some mic inputs will have gain that goes from 0dB (the preamp does not change the incoming signal’s gain) up to about +60dB. They will often have a -20dB pad to make really hot signals (such as synths) more manageable. Others (the more expensive ones, generally) will have a gain control which is variable down to -20dB rather than a switch. Most of these more expensive desks don’t have separate mic and line inputs. Just plug any source into any input and you’re fine.
This is true for both analog and digital desks as the preamp is analog anyway.
Assuming the source is a synth/sampler/soundcard it is perfectly OK to plug into those XLR sockets. If the source is too hot and you don’t have a pad, just lower the level on your synth a tad. There is no compromise in fidelity here. A cheap DI is a much bigger compromise. A cheap passive DI is an even bigger compromise. If you have the dough for 16 quality DI’s then you can afford a better mixer.
So channels 1-16 are not “sensing” anything, they just work as expected 
Bodyssey outputs line level>preamp gain at 0dB> signal stays at line level. Nothing mysterious going on, no need for DI’s .
Thanks for your reply. It mostly stuff I’ve already seen mentioned but I wonder why they make a point of saying mic only on 1-16?
I’ve just turned my desk on (most stuff is packed down at present while I re hash stuff) and I have a quick look at one of those input channels. No pad available and gain only goes to 0dB so no attenuation. I just would have expected the synth signal to be hotter at 0dB than it was.
Apologies for the quality but a quick shot of the channel screen. The volume in the top right corner relates to the fader position.
Did you get a di box in the end. I have the same desk and wondering if it’s worth getting. Cheers
Hi. I didn’t. TBH I’ve been busy with other stuff recently and the studio build have ground to a bit of a halt. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
How are you finding the desk? What computer/DAW are you using? Getting the desk into controller mode with my Mac can be a faff…I found the order you start up the computer, desk and software was critical. That could have been addressed in an OS update, I’ve not used the desk for weeks.
