microphone problem - kindly help

hai guys :D



i bought a microphone (brand : shure) and recorded some tracks in mt DAW . i conected the mic directly to the mic input of my computer. the out put sound is very much reduced. i turned the volume of my speakers (multimedia speakers) to full but the out put audio is not effective, forceful and is very much low.


(previously i recorded with a small chat mic in which the out put audio was good but it pickups surrounding sounds and the out put audio is full of hisss sound.)

kindly tell me what i have to do to have the full input and good output of my new shure mic. wheather i have to get a amplifier? is it possible to connect the amplifier to pc?

kindly advice

Many of us have walked the path you are now travelling along… And I think I said in one of my other posts that you should use the gear that you have until you find its limits. You have now done that so it’s time to move to the next level.

The problem you are finding is that microphone input on your soundcard isn’t designed for use with “professional” microphones. Added to that, the input is usually “noisy” and less than ideal quality.

You have several options…

1. Buy a new sound interface that has an XLR input on it.

2. Buy a recording microphone preamp that has an XLR input on it and then connect that to the LINE-IN on your computer (not the MIC IN)

3. Buy a small (or large!) mixer. Connect the mic to that and connect that to the LINE IN on the computer

These are all really the same solution. Take the microphone, plug it into a device that is designed for it (it is often called a “preamp”), and then use the output of that device to record.

The mixer solution is probably the most versatile solution, but the “new sound interface” option is compact and gets you a “better” sound interface than the one on your computer.

HTH

Mark

thankyou Mark

i thank you sincerely for your valuable advices. i am great ful to you.

a small mixing board (for my budjet) is available in my place Chennai ., India

connecting mic to mixing board and the mixng board to pc line in .
…is the path right? is it solve the problem?

(so the mixing board will enhance the audio input from the mic and supply it to pc am i right?)

kidly advice

awaiting

Yes if the mixing board has preamps.
But that can go both ways.
If you use a 1/8 in (like guitar cord jack), that is usually low impedance into a mixing board.
With that, the signal is weaker.
If you use a three prong jack with the mic, into the mixer, the signal will be stronger.

Is there a chance that you could rent a mixer or two, to find out which one works best for you?
Just a thought.

thanks Mr levei my best regards for your words

my mic has three pin holes at the back which could be connected to the cord which has three jack pins (as you told).

i hope a mixing board will solve the problem.


is there any difference between preamp and a amplifier?

awaiting

Yes.
The function of a preamp is to amplify a low-level signal like a mic signal, to line-level.
And there is usually one per channel on a mixing board.
And that will work for a signal to your computer.
I don’t have a mixer, so I have preamps to bring up my mic’s signal strength.
I use the nTrack mixer.
A power amp is separate and for a different use, to power speakers.

Thanks Levi

Hope this will help me very much

my sincere thanks to you

Can you tell us what model mixer you are looking at?

Really, a dedicated audio interface (e.g., with USB) might be a better way to spend your money.

Quote: (fixyjohn @ Nov. 19 2009, 12:34 AM)

thankyou Mark

i thank you sincerely for your valuable advices. i am great ful to you.

a small mixing board (for my budjet) is available in my place Chennai ., India

connecting mic to mixing board and
the mixng board to pc line in .
.............is the path right? is it solve the problem?

(so the mixing board will enhance the audio input from the mic and supply it to pc am i right?)

kidly advice

awaiting

Yes, that's correct.

So you need a mixer with XLR input(s) for your microphone, and phono or 1/4" jack outputs to go to your soundcard (with a cable that converts 1/4" to the mini stereo jack on the soundcard).

But also consider what I said in my original post, and what Tom has reiterated, maybe a dedicated USB sound interface would be a good start for you?

Hi Fixyjohn.

Are you planning to record more than one thing at a time? ie; two musicians on a track each.

the mixing board at my place (chennai , india) is BX 8 P Proton 8 channel mixer and Yamaha mixer 82CX

other advanced and costlier mixers are available also but for my budjet the above said two only…

kindly advice me shall i go agead with this… or anything else please suggest me

awaiting

That little Yamaha should be a great mixer to get you started! Good luck and have fun. Be careful not to over use the compression.

Thanks LEVI

my sincere thanks to all guys spending your valuable time for people like me and advicing

THANKYOU VERY MUCH

No Prob, like the late great former member Tommy Willis used to say; post a link to some of your music when you get it completed. :agree:

Well, fixyjohn, I just looked at the Yamaha.
Why are you putting money into a mixer with effects? You can apply all the effects you want after the track is recorded, which means you can experiment and wouldn’t be stuck with what went in.

Remind me, what are you using for the audio interface?
I thought you were going to purchase one of the Tascam USB ones.
They already have preamps, don’t they?
So you wouldn’t need a mixer at all.

Yup!!! FJ! All the guys here are correct!
Do not get a mixer (yet)!
You have already said that you have played with the plug-ins
and n-Track can be filled with loads of great FX.
As Levi said; you can use n-Tracks mixer and FX.
The Tascam interface that Tom mentioned will be perfect.
Have fun. Save money:-)

dear guys,

with the tascam interface us 144 usb interface , will the problem of mine solve?

http://www.zzounds.com/item–TASUS144

or i have to buy yamaha mixer or any preamps?

i am confussed !

kindly help

Quote: (fixyjohn @ Nov. 21 2009, 12:30 AM)

with the tascam interface us 144 usb interface , will the problem of mine solve?

Yes (and a few other problems that you don't know that you have yet)

may i know what they are, please?