Logic pro and pre amps

Since there's already a preamp in your FW410, another preamp is not necessary. A good preamp can improve sounds but the first step to do in your case if you want to improve your sound is to buy a good large-diaphragm condenser mic. Rode NT-1A is a good choice for great mic quality if you don't want to pay too much. Avoid cheap chinese microphones. And the next step colude be to replace your M-Audio with an Apogee Duet that'll give you very good preamps with very good converters.

I think you will find that a large diaphragm condensor mic will give you a richer and warmer sound with more subtlety; there are zillions of brands and type's out there and no doubt there are people reading this thread who have professional experience with recording windinstruments and can recommend certain brands and types.
The only sensible tip I can give is: go to a good musicstore, and test several (condensor) mics. Take your M57 (and Flute, Oboe) along for comparison.

regards, Erik.

Warmer is very subjective...the best thing you can do is to try several microphones and see what you like. For wind instruments, if you want warmth, my personnal choice wouldn't be a condenser but a ribbon mic, like the Royer R121. However, those mics are very fragile and costly.

If you're willing to pay a little more than the Rode, I'd choose the AKG C214. This is a cardiod-only version of the industry-standard C414, which is very popular for classical music. However, C414 are not considered like warm mics. If you want something warmer, you may want to check tube microphones. Rode K2 would be nice. AKG is more neutral, the K2 is more warm, kind-of Neumann sounding.

oboeguy wrote:
I'm using Logic Pro with M audio Firewire 410 and a M57 microphone. Does anyone have suggestions about what pre amps in the lower price range are good. I'm primarily recording oboe and flute. And do I need one and if so, why?
Thanks

If you are going to make serious records, put your pants on, and go:

http://www.rupertneve.com/

http://www.telefunkenusa.com/

If, on the other hand, you are just playing around, then buy nothing.

Cheers