Thanks for the replies!
Shanabit - This goes along with what my original perceptions were, except knowing that this doesn’t really bypass the preamp. The preamps are clear enough, though, that they don’t really “need” to be bypassed, though, seems to be the idea.
TCoeAudio - I’m not so sure it’s as much as the two formats sound different as much as it is that one might work better in one application over another. I get your idea, though. I’ve seen the GS forums too. I posted here because I was interested in actual MR816 users in a forum moderated by Steinberg. I realize that I could just “try it myself” and use spectrum analyzers, etc., but figured that if people had already done that and come to a consensus (at least more or less) of “best practice” then it wouldn’t require re-inventing the wheel.
I read in one of the posts here that going into the XLR results in a “fuller” sounding lower end. I wasn’t sure if that was because there was a bit of a boost in the preamp, or if going into the insert was somehow “losing” some of the lower end.
I’m a little wary of “incomplete connections” (ie. cable plugged in only part way), though I know this has been done forever in studios all over the world.
So the wisdom seems to be:
Use the XLR connection, even though it isn’t really bypassing the preamp, because it sounds better than using the insert and “actually” bypassing the preamp?
Thanks!
Chris