SM - 57 without an interface
- Thread starter sudhingr8
- Start date
MrWrenchey
New member
I suppose it MAY be possible... It depends on how nice your laptop is. It may actually have a preamp built in, but it's going to suck.
An interface is suggested.
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
Possible but it'll be very very noisy and quite possibly very quiet even when the gain is cranked up.
Laptop sound cards...all the normal ones...are extremely poor quality designed more for playback duties than recording. The mic input, such as it is, is only really meant for a cheap mic used on Skype phone calls or similar. The SM57 has a relatively low sensitivity and output so, by the time you crank up the gain, you'll be hearing all the sound card noise/hiss and also suffering from the other problem: a lack of headroom.
Laptop sound cards...all the normal ones...are extremely poor quality designed more for playback duties than recording. The mic input, such as it is, is only really meant for a cheap mic used on Skype phone calls or similar. The SM57 has a relatively low sensitivity and output so, by the time you crank up the gain, you'll be hearing all the sound card noise/hiss and also suffering from the other problem: a lack of headroom.
Yup, get yourself an interface.
There are some fairly affordable options out there. A good number of them even come with their own DAW (digital audio workstation)software.
Obviously there is some great info to be had here, but here is an article that I've spread to all my friends that are looking at getting into recording. It is about 2 years old or so, but it's still relevent. The $300 studio.
Two Singer-Songwriter Studios For Under $300 » The Recording Revolution
Here are a few interface with DAW softare options for under $200 to get you started.
Presonus AudioBox22 with Studio 1
PreSonus AudioBox USB | Sweetwater.com
Avid Fast track solo with Pro Tools Express
Avid Fast Track Solo | Sweetwater.com
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 with Abelton Live Lite 8
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 | Sweetwater.com
Steinberg UR22 with Cubase AI
Steinberg UR22 | Sweetwater.com
I hope this helps!
There are some fairly affordable options out there. A good number of them even come with their own DAW (digital audio workstation)software.
Obviously there is some great info to be had here, but here is an article that I've spread to all my friends that are looking at getting into recording. It is about 2 years old or so, but it's still relevent. The $300 studio.
Two Singer-Songwriter Studios For Under $300 » The Recording Revolution
Here are a few interface with DAW softare options for under $200 to get you started.
Presonus AudioBox22 with Studio 1
PreSonus AudioBox USB | Sweetwater.com
Avid Fast track solo with Pro Tools Express
Avid Fast Track Solo | Sweetwater.com
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 with Abelton Live Lite 8
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 | Sweetwater.com
Steinberg UR22 with Cubase AI
Steinberg UR22 | Sweetwater.com
I hope this helps!
Last edited:
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
Alas for the OP, the "get an interface" advice is the only honest answer--but he's in India and we've been down this road before. Selection is limited and prices high there. I suspect it'll be a case of what he can get and what he can afford rather than getting down to the nitty gritty of favourites.