oof. people have signal chains they like. why does it matter if they do?
really depends on the sound someone is going for and all those considerations. the same reason there’s a million different DI boxes… some of the impart color either gracefully or brutally. tube DI, jensen transformer DI etc. it can be part of the sound design process or it can be about subtle tone or it can just be what an engineer does because they like to do it.
is it absolutely needed? no but what is?
also, a mixer is a line amp and a mic pre… when you plug your synth into it you get the line amp… whatever that is… some are better than others obviously. some mic pres have a line input or DI input right on them so you don’t need an external DI and you can still get gain control to hit whatever recording medium you are hitting at the level of your choice or an EQ and compressor on the way to that medium.
some DIs are active and you can drive them. check out the Reddi DI… or the DIs that are active and take line level and have like 40db of gain. people get these things because of the tube or transformer in the signal path and how it makes things sound.
until you have heard a mackie/yamaha etc mixer next to something else considered “pro audio” then you can’t really tell what the difference is. it’s there.
but will anyone notice? idk… i guess that’s the thing. my experience has been yes… in the same way people will notice something recorded poorly on any kind of gear vs something recorded well on any kind of gear.
i’ve owned a bunch of pro audio stuff over the years… sadly had to sell all or most of it around 2008 when the economy took a huge dump.
i won’t soon forget how good my machinedrum sounded through 2 avalon DIs directly into my audio interface. they have line level outputs and plenty of gain. the bass extension was flat and clear down to like 30hz. it was gorgeous. i think freq response of the avalon di is flat at .1hz to 25khz or something crazy. also, the Jensen 6 channel DI is awesome. as is the Phoenix Audio Nice DI.
also, the AMS Calrec Minimixer was instant vibe. super simple musical EQ that never sounded bad and the line ins adn mic pres were a perfect mix of color vs clarity for me. instantly noticeable next to my mackie.
anyway… you don’t need to spend a shit ton of money on pro audio gear but it’s fun to have a few gems in the signal path of that’s your thing. is it worth getting obsessed over? probably not unless you are a professional making your living from music or recording.
TL DR… if you put a synth thru a DI into a mic pre it’s basically like having a nice line amp with a transformer or tube depending on your mic pre. it’s pretty much how most Bass guitar tracks are recorded… 1 channel for DI and the other channel is micing the cabinet. the DI gives a better transient attack of the bass and then the 2 tracks get layered. it’s a common technique.
have seen many synths/drum machines recorded in similar ways or just stereo DI into a mic pres -> eqs -> compressors.
i miss a few of the pro audio things i had… mostly an API compressor and the AMS Calrec mixer… currently using a patch bay and a mackie and good converters. i record synths usually directly into the audio interface and sometimes thru the mackie.
