Ableton Forum

Can somebody please explain the difference between Hi-Z inputs and line?

I know that Hi-Z is for instruments like guitar, but what's the point? Can't I go guitar into a line input?

What about my synths? If I want to record my synth through a preamp, should I go into the Line or Hi-Z input?

You want your synths to go in the line input because they have line level outputs. Essentially guitars have lower than line level output and get boosted more with high-z inputs. So hi-z for things with pickups that require amplification. Line for things that would just go to a mixer.

yup

that was a pretty good explanation. I would only add that Hi-Z has a lot more noise due to the fact that the signal is so weak. If you think about an electric guitar, the audio come from the pickups which have no power source by themselves. The strings buzz, and the pickups take that audio and pump them through the cable to the amplifier.

Synths, on the other hand, have a powered stronger signal coming out of their outputs and have no need for the amount of amplification that guitars do.

You might also look into direct input boxes, which allow you to turn a synth or guitar output from an unbalanced to a balanced signal...this will help to reduce noise into your recording unit...this is often used in live setups where you have a lot of cables, all of which are really long, all creating tons of noise leading to crappy humming.

It really has to do with impedence. If you put a guitar into a low impedence input (regardless of level) it will load down the guitar pickup and you loose all your hi frequency material from the guitar i.e. it will sound like crap.

loophead wrote:It really has to do with impedence. If you put a guitar into a low impedence input (regardless of level) it will load down the guitar pickup and you loose all your hi frequency material from the guitar i.e. it will sound like crap.

+1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impedance_matching