preamp question

much much, in theory, would the improvement be by using an Art TPS II tube preamp instead of the XLR pre's that are attached to my Delta 1010lt soundcard using a 57 on guitar cab? Noticable? If i did an A / B using the exact same settings with the exception of the preamp instead of the hot XLR would there be a difference? in eq or fattness?. which is what i want....

i know right? try it and find out. i guess what im asking is  - are tube preamps better than a so-called preamped XLR right off the soundcard? yeah thats what i meant...

The sound should be different, perhaps more desirable for what you are doing, though to give a difinitive answer on which is "better" is an impossible matter of opinion.  Some interface pramps are much much more "high end" than either the ART or Delta.  For a good clean, low noise, preamp with a nice character, I doubt either would completely satisfy.   

IMO...............

The Art will be a noticeable improvement over the 10/10Lt pre's.

Artificial,smoke in mirrors or not, the ART TPS II will provide more warmth than the 10/10LT and more gain. The TPS II will also provide a very moderate variety in sound. Bonus?

I've used the 10/10LT (quite alot)and those pre's are very weak. They can also induce a bit more noise than outboard pre's, as that card is completely in your PC.......no break out box.........Pretty much horrible?

You should be able to find a used TPS II for around $100.00 

An ART MPA Pro I or II will provide more headroom and thickness than the TPS series. You can find these for well under $200.00 if you look around enough.

With that card, you'll not get the full benefit of expensive pre's any ways, but it is a solid card for project recording,kinda like an old rack Reverb that delivers every time.

Are they pro gear.............only in the hands of pro's


Are they better than the Deltas pre's....


I think so.


  Good Luck

zungle


IMO...............

The Art will be a noticeable improvement over the 10/10Lt pre's.

Artificial,smoke in mirrors or not, the ART TPS II will provide more warmth than the 10/10LT and more gain. The TPS II will also provide a very moderate variety in sound. Bonus?

I've used the 10/10LT (quite alot)and those pre's are very weak. They can also induce a bit more noise than outboard pre's, as that card is completely in your PC.......no break out box.........Pretty much horrible?

You should be able to find a used TPS II for around $100.00 

An ART MPA Pro I or II will provide more headroom and thickness than the TPS series. You can find these for well under $200.00 if you look around enough.

With that card, you'll not get the full benefit of expensive pre's any ways, but it is a solid card for project recording,kinda like an old rack Reverb that delivers every time.

Are they pro gear.............only in the hands of pro's


Are they better than the Deltas pre's....


I think so.


 Good Luck

+1.  I've used the 1010LT as well.  I bought it because it was inexpensive and had a couple of mic pres built in.  they were horrible.  I very quickly learned that I needed an external mic pre and just changed the jumpers on the 1010LT card to use those 2 inputs as LINE instead of MIC.
 
And it seems that zungle and I did the same thing!  I also bought the ART TPS II and still have and use it (well - I bought another cheap pre first and hated it as well, THEN bought the TPS II!).  The TPS II is a starved plate design but it is really worth the price and probably worth more than they are sold for.