Rode NTK with what Preamp? or without Preamp?

L

ll2Xistll

New member
Ok guys i know there are similar treads on here and i done research but still need help. I am going to start explaining my situation, bare with me =] also this is my first post so i may have a lot of questions. Sorry and Thanks in advance

I currently ordered (Don't have it yet) a Rode NTK mic which is going to go directly into a Presonus Firebox.
Right now I have the Behringer C-3 Mic and it doesn't seen to get enough gain through the Firebox

Now from what i heard, some people say a preamp is recommended (some people says also not enough gain), some people say it's not (for them, they say its perfect). And for the people that says a preamp is needed, they always suggest products that are waaayyyy out of my budget (8-ch). I am just doing simple VOCAL recordings at home for fun =]. And MAYBE sometimes have a friend over to play the guitar.

So for you people out there, what should I do? Just go without a preamp or
please suggest a $100~250 one that is good with the Rode NTK or even the Behringer lol.
 
Last edited:
Now from what i heard, some people say a preamp is recommended (some people says also not enough gain), some people say it's not (for them, they say its perfect). And for the people that says a preamp is needed, they always suggest products that are waaayyyy out of my budget (8-ch).
Click to expand...
There's not really a negotiable option here - A preamp is required, period. There is no exception. You need a mic preamp to bring a mic level signal to line level.

The Firebox has two... If they don't have enough gain, I'd submit that something is wrong somewhere. It doesn't take much gain to bring a typical condenser and a typical source to a reasonable level. The Firebox (say what you will about the quality of the preamp...) has 55dB of gain. That should be able to make angry mice clip the AD.

If you want a reasonably decent unit that's cheap as dirt, look at M-Audio's DMP3.
 
WOW not enough gain from the Firebox to drive the Behringer C3 condenser!?

Hmm something's wrong there! Are you using the 48v Phantom Power switch on your Firebox? If you are then one of your products has a fault!!
 
I have an NTK - and I love it.... Sounds like either your Firebox or your mic isn't working 100%. I've put my NTK through an old Alesis mixer then through a cheap USB converter (59$) and still get tons of signal. I've purchase a Lexicon U42S interface recently - it's a bit pricey but works okay too. Congrats on the NTK - I hope you like yours as much as I like mine.
 
Ditto all of the above. The firebox produces more than enough gain for that Behringer mic, and the NTK is very hot and should require a bit less. If you are not getting enough gain, either you have a problem with the firebox, the mic, the cable, or you are hooking something up wrong. I suspect a PBCAK error. (problem between chair and keyboard).-Richie
 
thanks for all the replies

mhh seems like i do have something wrong here? lol
well i have to have the gain all the way on my firebox (5 o'clock), and also the +12 db in the control panel.
and lets say i record in like mixcraft or something, the vocals are decent, so if i save it as mp3 or something, to listen to it i have to turn my speakers up just a little bit

@ Massive Master
sorry, i meant an external

@ Richard Monroe
what do you mean chair and keyboard lol
also i dont have my ntk yet, but i will try it with the firebox as soon as i get it. if its a good level then i suspect my behringer is defective, if it is still bad, then i guess my firebox is bad
 
Last edited:
Definately make sure the +48v is on, I think that might be the problem.
 
Well, it sounds like there's a definite problem, but the NTK may not diagnose it. If you have a problem with your phantom power, the NTK will work fine, because it provides it's own power. Just a hint on the NTK- it needs to warm up to sound right. If you put your hand on it, and it feels like cold metal, it's not ready. If it feels about the temperature of a warm body, it's good to go. On a hot summer day, that could be less than 2 minutes. In an unheated warehouse in December, it could be 45 minutes. At a regular room temperature, it's about 10 minutes. I just turn on the lava lamp, and when the lava is flowing, it's ready!-Richie
 
Signal level is relative to the source.

If you are recording whispers from across the room you may not have enough gain with the preamp set to maximum. On the other hand, if you put that same mic in front of a kick drum you may need to pad the mic down while the preamp is set to zero. It all depends on the level going into the mic. However with vocals, you should be in the middle there somewhere.

The tube mics that I own usually give a good strong signal to the preamp from most sources. They must already have a little preamp built-in or something. But I still always use an external preamp, even if it is not doing much.

Someone mentioned this earlier but it bares repeating...
You will not need phantom power turned on for tube mics. Due to the tube, they usually supply their own power for the mic to function.
 
Last edited:
ok, aight just got back from the music store. they tested all equipments out, firebox, mic, even cables. and they concluded that everything is working fine.
they said the reason is because i have a crappy mic, and that the Rode ntk when i get it would make a huge difference.

i just hope they are right

right now i figured out the amplify plugin in adobe audition, see if that works
 
Last edited:
ll2Xistll said:
ok, aight just got back from the music store. they tested all equipments out, firebox, mic, even cables. and they concluded that everything is working fine.
they said the reason is because i have a crappy mic, and that the Rode ntk when i get it would make a huge difference.

i just hope they are right

right now i figured out the amplify plugin in adobe audition, see if that works
Click to expand...

Well, I rarely take the word of a salesman in a music store. But if they had it working fine then so-be-it.

Like the Master said, the Firebox is a preamp and it should work okay with the NTK. If you still have low level using that combination then perhaps you have something accidentally turned down in the control software or the recording software. Those input settings should be at full up or near full at the unity mark. Turn the Firebox "Main Level" all the way up full also. Then control the overall recording volume using the mic gain knob 1 or 2.
 
Last edited:
hmmm strange. when i am test recording in audition, the db meter is surprisingly very good. average about 2/3 of the way with the gain not turned all the way up. but however the umm. (lol sorry i donno what to call it) i guess the scope? lol or the thing that goes up and down, the signal thing xD is not every strong (just almost a straight line). and afterward i would have to use the amplify effect to boost the volume up.

i was wondering whats up with that =S
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top