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  #1  
Old 07-22-2019, 10:28 AM
mondoslug mondoslug is offline
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Default ToneDexter future tweak question

Hey, I don't even own a TD so I probably shouldn't be allowed to bring it up & it probably was covered on day one but the threads are so massive, didn't see it....

what if there was a line level in that bypassed the on-board mic pre, then you could use your own mic pres if you choose & do the thing.
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Old 07-22-2019, 10:44 AM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
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That would be a simple and worthy upgrade to the Tonedexter.
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Old 07-23-2019, 10:04 AM
mondoslug mondoslug is offline
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Seems like it, engineer that I ain't.
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Old 07-23-2019, 10:57 AM
fenderball fenderball is offline
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i once emailed them and asked that question..never got a response
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Old 07-23-2019, 11:14 AM
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If we missed an inquiry, I apologize.

You can use an external mic preamp now for training if you want to. You just need to turn its output down to mic level before feeding it into ToneDexter's mic input.
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Old 07-23-2019, 02:22 PM
shufflebeat shufflebeat is offline
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Nice idea in theory but in practice the training process is a bit hit & miss and the benefits of a top end preamp (I reckon) would be lost. You could, of course record with your preamp and use the recordings to train, as described elsewhere on these pages.

Now - changing w/m with the footswitches, that would be useful.
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Old 07-23-2019, 02:37 PM
mondoslug mondoslug is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shufflebeat View Post
Nice idea in theory but in practice the training process is a bit hit & miss and the benefits of a top end preamp (I reckon) would be lost.
Hey lots of people love the box as is but I don't see why the "benefits" would be lost, I mean it might be just don't see why it would be.
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You could, of course record with your preamp and use the recordings to train, as described elsewhere on these pages.

Now - changing w/m with the footswitches, that would be useful.
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Old 07-23-2019, 04:21 PM
Peter Z Peter Z is offline
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I used an external preamp with my ToneDexter and it works great. That said, I don't think you get a remarkable improvement just because of the pre.
But if you take a nice channelstrip or a pre+EQ combination you can take advantage of the EQ. That can halp alot!
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Old 07-23-2019, 04:58 PM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James May View Post
If we missed an inquiry, I apologize.

You can use an external mic preamp now for training if you want to. You just need to turn its output down to mic level before feeding it into ToneDexter's mic input.
James,

My understanding is that the 48v balanced phantom power is always turned on at the XLR mic input on the Tonedexter. While that may be safe with many 3rd party preamp XLR outputs, it is not safe with all of them. There have been numerous reports over the years of damage to preamp output circuits when 48v phantom power is applied to those outputs.
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Old 07-23-2019, 05:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sdelsolray View Post
James,

My understanding is that the 48v balanced phantom power is always turned on at the XLR mic input on the Tonedexter. While that may be safe with many 3rd party preamp XLR outputs, it is not safe with all of them. There have been numerous reports over the years of damage to preamp output circuits when 48v phantom power is applied to those outputs.
If so, the designer cut corners on the output circuit design. I suppose it happens. We thought about putting a switch to turn off phantom power, but did not have the room.

You could always get a phantom blocker.
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Old 07-23-2019, 06:21 PM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James May View Post
If so, the designer cut corners on the output circuit design. I suppose it happens. We thought about putting a switch to turn off phantom power, but did not have the room.

You could always get a phantom blocker.
The reported problems with feeding 48v phantom into a preamp output mostly deal with inexpensive preamps where corners were cut, although a few involved preamps in rather expensive consoles.

I've sent you a PM with two other questions.
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Old 07-24-2019, 04:22 PM
shufflebeat shufflebeat is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mondoslug View Post
Hey lots of people love the box as is but I don't see why the "benefits" would be lost, I mean it might be just don't see why it would be.
Spend some time with one and get back to me.
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Old 07-24-2019, 04:55 PM
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Any EQ (intentional or not) from an external mic preamp or mixer in the mic path would carry through to influence the resultant WaveMap. Any non linear personality or coloration that the preamp has would not.

This is because the WaveMap is a linear process. It can't learn non-linear behavior such as compression or subtle overload characteristics.
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  #14  
Old 07-25-2019, 09:57 AM
phcorrigan phcorrigan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James May View Post
You could always get a phantom blocker.
They are also pretty easy and inexpensive to build: https://www.instructables.com/id/Pha...namic-Microph/

Also, most, if not all, DI boxes block phantom power, and they often cost less than dedicated phantom power blockers.
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Last edited by phcorrigan; 07-25-2019 at 10:18 AM. Reason: Added information
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  #15  
Old 07-25-2019, 10:21 AM
phcorrigan phcorrigan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James May View Post
Any EQ (intentional or not) from an external mic preamp or mixer in the mic path would carry through to influence the resultant WaveMap. Any non linear personality or coloration that the preamp has would not.

This is because the WaveMap is a linear process. It can't learn non-linear behavior such as compression or subtle overload characteristics.
James,

If I understand this, are you saying that, for example, adding a tube preamp into the input path to "warm" the sound would have little or no effect?
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