Pre-amp out > SBL In?

I add a mixer between pre-amp out and sblive in.  It's eaiser to controll the signal coming from the amp.

Yeah, thats how I do it. Pre-amp->soundblaster line-in->creative recorder (it has a ncie limiter to prevent distortion)->audacity.

Unfortunately many people don't understand what "line input" means. It means an input jack at a line level. "Line level" is a standard value that is generally 200 millivolts and is compatible with normal stereo equipment such as CD players, cassette decks, stereo receivers, and so on that generally use phono plugs. It is not considered directly compatible with microphones of any kind, guitars, guitar amp speaker outputs, headphone jacks, or anything else that drives a speaker or headphone.

Now, you can use your line input jack directly with a great many things, such as keyboard line outputs, guitar/bass amp line outputs, CD player line outputs...see the pattern here? You should only plug a line output into a line input, period.

Instead, buy a mixer, A real mixer (like a Mackie, Behringer, etc.) with as many channels as you can afford. This kind of mixer not only has built-in preamps on all the mic channels, but should also have phantom power for condenser mics as well, which you will undoubtedly need at some point. And it will have a number of stereo inputs for mixing in keyboards or things such as effects processors, and possibly channel inserts, so you can plug in a compressor or other Things.

What I'm getting to is you need to look at the tech information for your map. if it says that its a line level signal coming from the preamp out then you'll be all right. I would still think about the option of using a mixer of some sort will allow you more control over the signal and better recorded material.

Just my thoughts.

Joe