SB Live Value mic preamp - not enough gain?

L

LaXu

New member
Since I'm a cheap bastard (or just plain broke) I plug my Sennheiser E609 mic into the mic in on my old SB Live Value. I just got the mic a few days ago and to my surprise it seems that the +32 db gain the soundcard's mic preamp provides is not enough for effectively micing a guitar cab. I always have to maximize/normalise the track after recording so that it isn't too quiet.

Does this sound right? Do you really need more than 32 db with a mic? Plugging a guitar into the mic input seems to work fine with no gain boost at all.
 
well, as long as your levels are ok with out noise you don't have a problem, but I would think you might have some noise in there since when you boost you'll be boosting everything. Mic levels are very low and need a preamp also, impedance is a factor and I don't know what the pc cards expect but I'd think the imp. on those little pc mics might be closer, but I don't know what they are exactly, maybe the specs on the card might say what it is on that jack.

Depending on how low on funds you are, you could get a preamp for even about $50. You could use it for guitars also and if it's tube, you might like some tube distortion on a guitar or bass so you could use the thing for more than just mic gain, also, it will be outputting line level signal so you wouldn't use the mic jack.

go used and it's less, i'd guess.
 
You might want to try going into the Recording Controls in the Windows Mixer. Select the Advanced Controls option which should cause an "advanced" button to appear on the microphone control. Click on that button and you will find a checkbox for 20 db attentuation on the microphone. It might be set in the wrong position. Changing it will give you 20db more gain.
 
Already tried the +20db boost. I'm using the KX Project drivers and those have them in the control panel right above the mic input level slider.

I think junplugged is right, the mic input on the soundcard is propably intended for headset mics and stuff like that. Others on another board verified that they have had the same issue, so I think I just have to grab a mic preamp.
 
uhh.... an SBLive does NOT have a preamp.

You must buy a real preamp to plug the mic into and then plug the preamp into the soundcard....

In any case, the SBLive is a really noisy card. Spend $150-200 - get a real recording soundcard (Audiophile etc.) and a preamp or mixer with preamps.
 
TimOBrien said:
uhh.... an SBLive does NOT have a preamp.
Click to expand...
uhhh... where does that information come from?

You might want to explain then the difference between the Line In and Mic In ports, and how you can get a 20db signal gain.
 
Sorry, forgot to add:

DONT use the "Mic In" port. It's crappy preamp is a 20-cent chip and NOT for musical recording. It's made for those $3 stick mics and games.

USE a real music pre-amp and plug it into the "Line-In" port....
 
TimOBrien said:
Sorry, forgot to add:

DONT use the "Mic In" port. It's crappy preamp is a 20-cent chip and NOT for musical recording. It's made for those $3 stick mics and games.

USE a real music pre-amp and plug it into the "Line-In" port....
Click to expand...
Agreed... but that is a little different than it "doesn't have a pre-amp."
 
Saved myself that money (at least for the time being). Installed the latest kX Project drivers (version 3558h) and got it working. Putting the mic levels all the way up, turning on the +20db boost and adjusting Analog Recording Gain a couple of notches gives decent results. For some reason that didn't work properly on v.3557 drivers.
 
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