So, I have finally found a topic about which audiophiles have no opinions? Wow!
Assistance needed with system component configuration
I need some help configuring my system components. I am soon to take delivery of new recording device, the second one in my system. The new recorder will be analog input/output only. The current digital recorder has a digital output, so I will not need to output an analog signal from the current recorder. My system is not minimalist. I have a combo home theater/2 channel system with a lot of gear in a double-wide rack with four shelves. I enjoy my audio toys, and I am not looking to remove any of them. I use an equalizer (with no tape loop) when recording, so that must remain in the recording chain. The problem is that I am outgrowing the jack pack on my preamp (McIntosh C220). With only one tape loop, I have a bit of a dilemma. So here are the four possible configurations I am considering. What I would appreciate is comments on which might be preferable from a signal purity and integrity standpoint. Assume that all cabling will be of equal and good quality and that I am not going spend more mobney to accomplish this (i.e., replace my preamp with a preamp that has two tape loops). TIA.
1. Preamp Tape Out > Equalizer input > Equalizer Output to a vintage, cheap Rat Shack input/output selector with two outputs > each of two recording device inputs > New recorder analog output to preamp tape input.
2. Preamp Tape Out > Equalizer input > Equalilzer output to two pairs of Y-cables, one pair for each recording device > New recorder analog output to preamp tape input.
3. Preamp Tape Out > Equalizer input > Equalizer output > input of a vintage mid-fi audio receiver with two tape loops(I have a couple laying around) > one set of tape outputs from the receiver to each recording device > New recorder analog output to preamp input.
4. Preamp Tape Out > Equalizer input > Equalizer output > current recorder analog input > current recorder analog output > new recorder analog input > new recorder analog output > preamp tape input. (Note that this configuration would require the current recorder to be powered up when feeding a signal to the new recorder. While the outputs are fixed line level, the input has a ganged level control that cannot be defeated.)
1. Preamp Tape Out > Equalizer input > Equalizer Output to a vintage, cheap Rat Shack input/output selector with two outputs > each of two recording device inputs > New recorder analog output to preamp tape input.
2. Preamp Tape Out > Equalizer input > Equalilzer output to two pairs of Y-cables, one pair for each recording device > New recorder analog output to preamp tape input.
3. Preamp Tape Out > Equalizer input > Equalizer output > input of a vintage mid-fi audio receiver with two tape loops(I have a couple laying around) > one set of tape outputs from the receiver to each recording device > New recorder analog output to preamp input.
4. Preamp Tape Out > Equalizer input > Equalizer output > current recorder analog input > current recorder analog output > new recorder analog input > new recorder analog output > preamp tape input. (Note that this configuration would require the current recorder to be powered up when feeding a signal to the new recorder. While the outputs are fixed line level, the input has a ganged level control that cannot be defeated.)