Why is there no line input on the VMS-1?

The VMS-1 is designed to be a clean platform for ​microphone preamp​ modeling. It does not feature a line input, because if one wanted the sound of a classic mic preamp on a line level source, the way to achieve this is to send the line-level signal through the padded-down mic input. For instance, on a mic preamp such as a Neve 1073, the line input bypasses the mic preamp altogether. It is injected at a later point in the circuit just before the EQ. When one wanted the sound of a 1073 mic preamp on a line level source, one would pad the input and go through the actual physical mic input. This was actually common on old Neve and API consoles, many engineers preferred the sound of mixing the (line-level) tape returns through the mic inputs for added weight to the sound. So in this sense, one uses the XLR connector (pins) which go to the mic preamp circuit for both mic ​and line inputs, as what we want is the sound of the ​mic preamp​ on either source. For only the sound of console line amps you can try our VCC module for the VMR platform. The 1/4" input is a TS connection which hits a Hi-Z buffer stage before being routed to the mic preamp. The input switch is there so that the mic input can go very cleanly through the input circuitry without being loaded by the instrument stage or using an additional buffer stage. This emulates an active DI being sent to a mic preamp, which was the most common and preferred method in professional studios in the era before DI inputs were included on Pro Audio gear. An original Neve 1073, for instance, has no Hi-Z instrument input (The switch on the back refers to the mic preamp impedance, and is in no way as high as an instrument wants to see).

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