9 Audio Interfaces without Preamps (+ those that Bypass the Preamps)

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Having an audio interface’s preamp color the sound of our recordings is what many recording engineers don’t like. For one, some of the preamps on budget audio interfaces are not that great. And secondly, many professionals have an external preamp they prefer using.  Whatever your reason, if you are looking for an audio interface without preamps, this post is for you. You will learn about audio interfaces without preamps, … more

5 Best Synthesizers with Built-in Speakers Review

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There are not many synthesizers out there with built-in speakers, and that’s totally understandable. It’s challenging to fit decent speakers in a synth’s form factor.  However, there are quite a number of synths out there with built-in speakers. Most of them are made for musicians who simply want to take their synths along and jam on the road, at the park, or want to have fun tweaking and playing … more

Can You Use Two Preamps? (+ Creative Ways to Use Multiple Preamps)

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Perhaps one preamp didn’t amplify your signal enough to be audible. Or maybe you want to blend the tone of multiple preamps to have a unique. Whatever your reason, can you use two preamps? You can use two preamps as long as you balance the gain on the preamps to have enough headroom, so the audio signal doesn’t clip or distort. You can either connect the preamps in series … more

How to Bypass an Audio Interface Preamp (3 Clever Ways + Helpful Tips

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Every audio interface that is made nowadays, especially the budget options, has a preamp built-in, and it makes sense. Having an all-in-one interface where you can plug in a microphone or any instrument and start recording is great, especially for beginners, and saves you a lot on gear. But what if you already own a preamp? Is there a way to bypass the preamp on your audio interface? The … more

Can You Plug a Guitar Amp into an Audio Interface? (Solved!)

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Guitar amps are an absolute necessity for every guitar player. It magnifies your guitar’s tone and brings out all the subtle artifacts of your guitar’s tone. But what if you want to record your guitar amp’s sound? Can you plug it directly into an audio interface? You can plug a guitar amp into an audio interface. The best and simplest way is to connect the guitar amp’s line out … more

How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to an Audio Interface (3 Steps)

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For years, music producers have been looking for ways to use Bluetooth headphones with their audio interface, but there was no way around it. Now the time is here, and with no innovation and technology improvement, it’s now possible to connect your Bluetooth headphones with an audio interface.  To connect a Bluetooth headphone with an audio interface, Connect your audio interface to your computer Plug in a Bluetooth transmitter … more

Do You Need a DI Box for a Synthesizer? Things to Consider + 3 Tips

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DI boxes are useful for numerous reasons, but do you need one for a synthesizer? Is it necessary or worth it at all? You don’t need a DI Box to record your synthesizer in a home or professional studio. However, it’s a good idea to use a DI box for your synth in a live setting, especially if the mixing console is more than 15 feet away from the … more

Do Synthesizers Have Speakers? (Synths with Built-in Speakers + Tips)

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It is common to see some digital pianos and keyboards with speakers built into them. That’s because most of those keyboards are made with the beginner in mind. It’s an excellent idea to have an all-in-one package without any extra gear when learning how to play the piano/keyboard. But what about synthesizers? Do synths have speakers? While a few synthesizers have built-in speakers, most synths don’t have speakers because … more

Do You Need an Amp for a Synthesizer? (+ When to Use It for a Synth)

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Perhaps you just picked up your first synthesizer, and you want to get the best sound out of it, or maybe a friend of yours suggested you pick up an amp to play it through. I think these are all good enough reasons for you to consider buying an amp for your synth. But do you actually need an amp for a synth? Synthesizers output a line level signal, … more

Can You Use a Sustain Pedal as an Expression Pedal? Here are the Facts

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The sustain pedal is undoubtedly one of the most popular foot pedals available. They are good for one particular thing – holding notes for longer periods. But can the sustain pedal do other things? Like using it as an expression pedal, for example. I had always been curious about this question, so I finally took some time to research, and here is what I found. Sustain pedals cannot be … more