Need help on right stereo mic for EMU 0404 please

J

Jahn

New member
Hello all, I have this soundcard on my computer-

http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--EMU8803

In the past, my crappier soundcards all had a "mic" input where I would just stick a random mic terminating in a stereo mini plug, and bingo I could record on my computer in stereo. But the 0404 has dual mono 1/4 analog input plugs and it's totally messing me up.

Do I need a powered mic with this now? And no mic out there i could find terminates in a dual 1/4 config - do I need to buy a Shure SM58 and a XLR-to-dual 1/4 plugs, if they even make that kind of cable? But isn't that mic Mono anyhow? Or even worse, do I have to buy a mic preamp? My old ART MP mic preamp doesn't work here, because it has a mono output, so i lose the stereo recording i'm used to.

As you can imagine I don't want to break the bank since before i was using a crappy soundcard and an old sony stereo miniplug mic. the 0404 cost me 100 bucks, so if i could just get a mic to work with it for under 100, or a mic/mic preamp combo under 150 tops, that would make me happy, thanks!
 
Jahn said:
Hello all, I have this soundcard on my computer-

http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--EMU8803

In the past, my crappier soundcards all had a "mic" input where I would just stick a random mic terminating in a stereo mini plug, and bingo I could record on my computer in stereo. But the 0404 has dual mono 1/4 analog input plugs and it's totally messing me up.

Do I need a powered mic with this now? And no mic out there i could find terminates in a dual 1/4 config - do I need to buy a Shure SM58 and a XLR-to-dual 1/4 plugs, if they even make that kind of cable? But isn't that mic Mono anyhow? Or even worse, do I have to buy a mic preamp? My old ART MP mic preamp doesn't work here, because it has a mono output, so i lose the stereo recording i'm used to.

As you can imagine I don't want to break the bank since before i was using a crappy soundcard and an old sony stereo miniplug mic. the 0404 cost me 100 bucks, so if i could just get a mic to work with it for under 100, or a mic/mic preamp combo under 150 tops, that would make me happy, thanks!
Click to expand...

First of all, you don't need to record in stereo. Most microphones are mono, even the computer mics you were using - they just sent the same signal to both the left and right sides.

Second, you will need a microphone preamp, regardless of mic. The cheapo computer mics were running off the built-in preamp of your old soundcard, but those preamps aren't designed for "real" microphones.

Finally, on such a tight budget, your options are really limited. You can definitely get an SM57/58 and a cheap preamp (Art Tube MP, Audio Buddy), which will work. If you're recording vocals and/or acoustic instruments, you might want to look into a condenser mic, instead. Something like the Studio Projects B1 or MXL V67g cost about the same as the Shures, but will get you a more detailed sound. The Studio Projects VTB-1 is a solid, sub $100, preamp.
 
Argh I knew I should have kept my Tube MP! Thanks for the heads up on the Studio Projects gear, since the mic and preamp cost $280 list for both, I'll root around for some used options that might help bring the price down. Sorry if I'm sounding so chintzy, it's just that I'm more of a listener than a player, and far more a player than a recorder! But every once in a while I'd like to put an idea down or two but my recording walkman finally busted, and...well you know how it goes.

edit- things are looking up, found a place to get one for $99 shipped, that's not so bad...

http://shop.vendio.com/progearwarehouse/item/766730011/?s=1148292004

Definitely getting excited, just picked up a Shure SM57 for $70 on craigslist, meeting the guy after work today. So it's just a preamp, then I'm set!
 
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Hmm, has anyone tried a SM57 with a M-Audio DMP3? Relatively same price used for this or the Studio Projects VTB-1.

oh hold on, according to this,

http://www.tweakheadz.com/review_of_the_sm57.htm

the SM57 is dynamic and doesn't need phantom power. does that mean the tiny preamp in the 0404 can do the trick without a beefy deal like the M-Audio DMP3 or Studio Projects VTB-1? If I run into horrible distortion and crappy dynamics i could always get a preamp later, especially if i get more serious about recording, but the 0404 will do for now, right? I guess I'd just get a xlr-to-1/4 cable, plug the 1/4 end to the 0404's left mono channel, and use the 0404 software to dial that mono channel over so it will record onto both L and R...

hmm read some more and even my old cheap art tube MP woulda done the trick with this mic. note to self - never sell anything again.

edit again - hmm the audio buddy looks good actually, the right price too. even list, it keeps me under $150 for mic and preamp. Thanks again for the suggestions!

edit- and wow i scraped up an old Q of mine - looks like my Tube MP and my 0404 were just ships passing in the night that could have worked together...

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=125397

2 years and counting, but I'm finally going to make this computer recording thing work with a "real" mic!
 
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I just wanted to thank the boards (and the search function too!) for the wealth of knowlege here - in a day I just upgraded to a SM57 (70 bucks used, pickup local!) and a M-Audio DMP3 (99 shipped used via ebay!) which is only a little over my budget of 150 for a mic/mic preamp. I look forward to putting everything together with my EMU and reporting back about the results, thanks!
 
SRR said:
$99 for a DMP3 is a excellant price.
Click to expand...
whew thanks for saying so! he said he only used it for 4 hours, so i'm guessing it's still in working order.

well i got home and scrounged for some cables to hook everything up, and wasn't happy. i found an old crusty XLR mic cable that will do the trick, but it's like 30 feet long! I only need a meter, tops! anyone have suggestions to go tween the SM57 to the preamp?

also, the preamp uses a balanced out to go to the 0404, which takes a 1/4 plug (balanced or unbalanced i have no idea - it has L/R plugs, but going mono i'll just use the L female jack of the 0404). I'm guessing I can't just use a guitar instrument cable (unbalanced) or convert an rca/rca interconnect using radio shack rca-to-1/4 adapters (still will be unbalanced). according to this article,

http://remixmag.com/mag/remix_analog/index.html

I need a TRS cable, which by nature is balanced. the good news is i guess i only need one. anyone have a suggestion on a good one? or even better an online store where i can get both this cable and the mic cable and save on shipping? thanks!
 
Does this sound good, from Event Horizon and Services store?

Mogami 2549 Top grade Mic cable 2 ft
- Connectors Gold
- Length Label No
- Shrink Color Label No
$16.48

Mogami 2549 Top grade balanced line cable 1/4" TRS 6 ft
- Length Label No
- Shrink Color Label No
$18.53


Sub-Total: $35.01
---------
or hmm, since the preamp is balanced out and the 0404 is dual mono unbalanced in, do i need something like this instead?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr8_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT

trs balanced on one side, dual ts unbalanced on the other. it's canare, not mogami, but what the heck. i guess it comes down to S&H!
--------
edit- lol i feel like i'm talking to myself. but i'm learning. i think this is what i need-

Mogami 2549 Top grade Mic cable 2 ft
- Connectors Gold
- Length Label No
- Shrink Color Label No
$16.48

(This goes from the mic to the preamp)

Mogami 2319 Insert Cable
- Length 06 ft
$26.10

(This goes from the balanced out of the preamp to the dual mono unbalanced inputs of the EMU 0404. which really doesn't matter since it's all going to end up unbalanced eventually but oh well.)

Sub-Total: $42.58
--------
Can you think of a cheaper solution, with an upgrade in SQ? Maybe I should even get one really nice unbalanced TS cable and just attach it to one channel, then pan it over in my computer since it will be a mono signal from the mic anyhow...ah i think i'm getting closer, something like this...

Mogami 2549 Specialty Cable XLR, 1/4" TRS, 1/4" TS, RCA
- Connector A TRS 1/4"
- Connector B TS 1/4"
- Length 06 ft
- Length Label No
- Shrink Color Label No
$18.23

(This goes from the balanced out of the preamp to one of the channels of the dual mono unbalanced inputs of the EMU 0404, and I can pan it in the computer to cross both channels.)

Mogami 2549 Specialty Cable XLR, 1/4" TRS, 1/4" TS, RCA
- Connector A XLR Male
- Connector B XLR Female
- Length 02 ft
- Length Label No
- Shrink Color Label No
$13.06
(This goes from the mic to the preamp)

Sub-Total: $31.29
 
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If the Inputs on your EMU-0404 are Ballanced then when you record in Mono you should get the same signal comeing out of Both Speakers but if you try to record it in Stereo it will only come out of One speaker...

So if you record in Mono with your 0404 you should get the same thing as when you were recording in Stereo with your old Card, That is if it is a Ballanced Mono input....

Cheers
 
well i pulled the trigger.

1 x Mogami 2319 Insert Cable (MB-I-MU-M2319-LLL) = $26.10
Length 06 ft
1 x Mogami 2549 Top grade Mic cable 2 ft (MX-FX-M2549-002) = $16.48
Shrink Color Label No
Length Label No
Connectors Gold
1 x Mogami 2524 Top grade Unbalanced cable 1/4&#34 TS 10 ft (MU-MU-M2524-010) = $19.05
Shrink Color Label No
Length Label No
------------------------------------------------------
Sub-Total: $61.63
United Parcel Service (1 x 2.8lbs) (Ground): $6.13
Total: $67.76

Please don't tell me paying almost as much for cables as I did for the mic was a bad idea. BTW I threw in the unbalanced cable to be my new guitar cable - my old one was getting rusty and buzzy.
 
i went the short mogami route because i'm probably going to spend most of my time just playing right into the mic with the mic not too far from the preamp, both on my desk (i have a short mic stand on my desk now) - the trs cable is 6 ft, about long enough to reach down to my desktop. i admit that this might be short sighted, but those are the distances i have to work with in my tiny apt right now, oh well!

Edit - thanks again all for the links and advice, they really helped me get going! I'll report back once everything is here and set up. if you ever need any headphone advice, feel free to PM me or hunt me down at head-fi.org. I may not know much about headphones for studio monitoring, but I should be able to suggest some nice consumer and audiophile cans for your musical preferences!
 
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Separate problem - tons of packaged programs with my card,

http://www.emu.com/products/product...category=491&product=10447&nav=softwareBundle

Which makes my head spin. Maybe I'll just stick with Audacity for now, which I've been using just to tweak my tunes (no multrack or anything, at least not the way I've been using it). Since that doesn't have much to do with mics, I'll start up a thread on this elsewhere if the need arises after I hit the search function!
 
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