Microphone recording - TranceAddict Forums

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Posted by HardTranceProd on Dec-19-2007 01:34:

Microphone recording

Can someone help me.

I connected my mic to the IN left/right of my sound card (M-Audio). But the sound is so low. I have to amplify like it +60 dB.

Where can I get a very simple amplifier, and how does it work? All I want to do is just record my voice, nothing fancy. Or actually, doesn't M-Audio have a mic jack on the card? I couldn't find it...

Posted by echosystm on Dec-19-2007 02:27:

i'm going to assume you're connecting a normal pc microphone in? pro audio cards don't have consumer (powered) mic inputs. use your onboard sound.

if you're connecting a proper microphone to it, you need a mic preamp.

Posted by Blahzaay on Dec-19-2007 03:40:

Which M-Audio sound card do you have?? I have the FireWire 410 and it has an inbuilt mic preamp. As far as I know all the M-Audio firewire series do...

Posted by System101 on Dec-19-2007 04:40:

you need a sound card with PHANTOM POWAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH

Posted by Trance-Canada on Dec-19-2007 06:21:

be sure to run the audio through a pop/click filter

Posted by HardTranceProd on Dec-19-2007 16:56:

quote:
Originally posted by echosystm
i'm going to assume you're connecting a normal pc microphone in? pro audio cards don't have consumer (powered) mic inputs. use your onboard sound.

if you're connecting a proper microphone to it, you need a mic preamp.

thanks. yes, a normal mic. You're right, my M-Audio Delta 2496 doesn't have a mic input... It only has 2 red/white IN, 2 red/white OUT, and MIDI. That's it.

So, where can I get a mic preamp? Do they sell those at your regular Radio Shack or computer store or something?

Once I get this preamp, I will need to connect the mic to my soundcard's IN, just like now?

Posted by Storyteller on Dec-19-2007 17:00:

quote:
Originally posted by HardTranceProd
Once I get this preamp, I will need to connect the mic to my soundcard's IN, just like now?

No you'll have to connect the mic to the preamp and the amp to the pc input. A small mixer with phantom power might be a cheaper solution.

First tell us which microphone you have because the information might be useless and wrong until we know what you're working with.

Posted by HardTranceProd on Dec-19-2007 18:37:

quote:
Originally posted by Storyteller
No you'll have to connect the mic to the preamp and the amp to the pc input. A small mixer with phantom power might be a cheaper solution.

First tell us which microphone you have because the information might be useless and wrong until we know what you're working with.

just a cheap $20 mic, I don't even know the brand

Posted by Trance-Canada on Dec-19-2007 19:01:

quote:
Originally posted by HardTranceProd
just a cheap $20 mic, I don't even know the brand

yeah, then you get $20 mic quality = shit.

Posted by Storyteller on Dec-19-2007 19:15:

Then it must be dynamic which should mean and input with an amp should be more than enough. Like the mic input on most soundcards. Audiophile doesn't have one unfortunately. Maybe by a cheap 50$ behringer mixer for in between to get something going?

Posted by System101 on Dec-19-2007 19:59:

quote:
Originally posted by Trance-Canada
yeah, then you get $20 mic quality = shit.

maybe thats the sound they're going for..

Posted by Eldritch on Dec-19-2007 21:34:

You can get a decent condenser mic and preamp for a low price.
Like a Samson C01 and an ART Tube MP. Or even better, a Studio Projects B1 and a Presonus TubePRE.

Posted by HardTranceProd on Dec-19-2007 22:04:

quote:
Originally posted by Eldritch
You can get a decent condenser mic and preamp for a low price.
Like a Samson C01 and an ART Tube MP. Or even better, a Studio Projects B1 and a Presonus TubePRE.

there's a preamp INSIDE the mic? or they're always separate?

Posted by HardTranceProd on Dec-19-2007 22:07:

quote:
Originally posted by Storyteller
Then it must be dynamic which should mean and input with an amp should be more than enough. Like the mic input on most soundcards. Audiophile doesn't have one unfortunately. Maybe by a cheap 50$ behringer mixer for in between to get something going?

you mean a DJ mixer? a "powered mixer"?

a specific link would be useful

Posted by Eldritch on Dec-19-2007 22:25:

quote:
Originally posted by HardTranceProd
there's a preamp INSIDE the mic? or they're always separate?

No, they are separate things.

Posted by Storyteller on Dec-19-2007 23:34:

quote:
Originally posted by HardTranceProd
you mean a DJ mixer? a "powered mixer"?

a specific link would be useful

I'd say something along the lines of :

Behringer XENYX 802
Phonic AM 120
Tapco Blend 6

The cheaper the better unless you're willing to invest a couple of $100 in gear for some decent stuff .

Posted by echosystm on Dec-20-2007 02:17:

guys... it is a pc microphone. most of the suggestions here don't make any sense.

just enable your onboard soundcard and use that. this will provide the CORRECT power and connection for the mic...

you can't connect a pc microphone to a proper preamp, the orientation of the male connector is different. if you use a 3.5mm to quarter inch male converter, it will still be wrong.

(afaik)

Posted by Storyteller on Dec-20-2007 09:53:

quote:
Originally posted by echosystm
guys... it is a pc microphone. most of the suggestions here don't make any sense.

just enable your onboard soundcard and use that. this will provide the CORRECT power and connection for the mic...

you can't connect a pc microphone to a proper preamp, the orientation of the male connector is different. if you use a 3.5mm to quarter inch male converter, it will still be wrong.

(afaik)

I said that too in my earlier reply, but it seems that our topic starter is reluctant to even try that . As far as I know simple pc mics just have regular 3.5mm jacks, so they should be usable on a mixer with jack inputs as well (given you use the quarter inch male converter plug.).

Posted by echosystm on Dec-20-2007 11:07:

quote:
Originally posted by Storyteller
As far as I know simple pc mics just have regular 3.5mm jacks, so they should be usable on a mixer with jack inputs as well (given you use the quarter inch male converter plug.).

i was under the impression that the arrangement of the contacts is different. could be wrong though!

Posted by Storyteller on Dec-20-2007 11:53:

quote:
Originally posted by echosystm
i was under the impression that the arrangement of the contacts is different. could be wrong though!

Well all I do know is you can plug in some headphones in the mic input and use them as a mic when screaming loud enough . I tend to think the plug needs to have the same arrangement to be able to do such things

Posted by HardTranceProd on Dec-24-2007 15:05:

quote:
Originally posted by Storyteller
I'd say something along the lines of :

Behringer XENYX 802
Phonic AM 120
Tapco Blend 6

Behringer XENYX 802 - the price is right - $60.

http://www.behringer.com/802/index.cfm?lang=eng

What are those two jacks at the top-left corner? The description says one of them is a mic pre-amp. How would I connect my mic to that input? It looks more like a power jack...