Newbie S.O.S

[paries]

I'm extremely new to this area and am i having some problems. I am currently using Eurorack UB1202 mixing board attached to my computer. I am using a Shure PG48 mic and a shareware version of Record Producer computer mixing software to record. I'm having a real problem with clarity, is it the mic, mixer, software, or all of the above? Any help would be excellent.

[DJL]

Originally Posted by paries

I'm extremely new to this area and am i having some problems. I am currently using Eurorack UB1202 mixing board attached to my computer. I am using a Shure PG48 mic and a shareware version of Record Producer computer mixing software to record. I'm having a real problem with clarity, is it the mic, mixer, software, or all of the above? Any help would be excellent.

All of the above... what instruments are you trying to record? Also, make sure your plugging your mixer into the "Line" input and not the "Mic" input on your computer.

[paries]

I'm recording acoustic guitar and vocals. Yeah i plugged into line.

[DJL]

The first thing I'd do is... dump the Shure PG48 and Eurorack... and replace them with better equipment because IMO the PG48 isn't a good mic and the Eurorack is noisey... If your on a tight budget I recommend the Marshall Electronics MXL603 mic for the acoustic guitar and either a nice LDC or dynamic mic for your vocals... unless you like recording while playing and singing at the same time... then maybe just one mic. Are you a solo act?

[Han]

Well, although the Behringer ain't a high quality board and the mic is probably an inexpensive dynamic one, you must be able to make some decent sounding recordings with them.

You say you record guitar an vocals, is it acoustic guitar and vocals together?
What kind of placement do you use?

[artCROSS]

If you're just starting out, i say stick with the behringer. It's fine for what you're doing now. If you find the preamps are noisy, as some people do, try turning the effects way down...that's what most people confuse the noisy preamps with. I will say that you should ditch your mic and go for something better, maybe a SP B1 or an MXL603. Again, not the best mics in the world, but if you're not going to start a studio, you should be okay.

[paries]

I record the vocals and guitar seperate.

[paries]

Oh and if it's necessary to dump the Eurorack what would be a reasonable alternative?

[noisedude]

Ha well, that's the big question ... depends how big a step up you want. But let's look at what you have first. I'd dump the mic before the mixer, simply because I know you can get an OK recording from a Behri UB (I say OK, I mean, crap but not in a way most listeners would pick out). You need to look at your 'gain staging'. Here's the best short article on the relationship between your mixer and soundcard that you'll ever read:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct0.../soundcard.htm

That will help you to get the best you can out of your mixer pres and mic ... I'd buy an SP B1 or similar next and then a new soundcard before I dumped the mixer.

[DJL]

Originally Posted by paries

Oh and if it's necessary to dump the Eurorack what would be a reasonable alternative?

For example... the DMP3 and VTB-1 are both better than the Eurorack IMO, and are (reasonable) inexpensive preamps.

[still4given]

I agree with most of what has been said here. Without a doubt the weakest link in your chain is that mic. I too would recomend a SP B1. Great for the price and they now come with a shock mount.

Those two preamps that DJL mentioned are great bang for the buck units and IMO are a step up from the Behringer, but the Berry should work OK for you with a better mic.

Blessings, Terry

[paries]

Thanks, you've been extremely helpful.

[DJL]

Your welcome.

[earworm]

OH, very interesting,

well, i recorded ENTIRE cds for lill bands with my cheapass eurorack and a bunch of $20 mics !

it ALLL depends on the engineer man !!
i truly had nice results with shitty equipment, it just takes expierience,

butok, you're a newbie,

stick with the behringer....i still got it, i use it for monitoring the headphones right now,

from the moment i bought my STUDIOMASTER sessionmix,
man, i just turned away from behringer...jezus...What a HUGE difference in sound! but i mean ,, A HUGE difference...

but hell...you got your little mixer, keep it, its not bad, its definately better than all them j&b DJ mixers....(my opinion)


so.....i'd spend some more money on a nice mic,
from the first moment i used my first SHURE SM 57 i fell in love with it !!!
you can use this mic for ANYTHING!!

vocals, drums, electric guitars, dude, i even record my kick with it, with the mic next to the beater.... its not a condenser mic, but you DO NOT NEED A condenser to record vocals,

yeah, that Marshall Electronics MXL603 might do a better job,
i worked with it, but was not impressed because there were much better mics available at the same moment, its a nice nice starter yes

but hell....the SHURE SM 57, you just won't regret if you get one of them.
check ebay...they go for about $60 second hand (more or less)

and if you're an amateur, then don't mind some noise and hissing !!
you should hear my first recordings...jezus....but im' proud of them,
right now i'm doing a much better job, but you just need YEARS of training,
and then you'll be recording christal clear stuff

don't stress, take your time, and mhhhh....before you buy anything....
test it.....or if you're very impatient.....put your tent next to your pc and haunt ebay for great deals !



is that SICK commercial still playing on TV, in the states ?
about ebay ?

jezus....just too funny......

[tomleblanc]

As a newbie I'd say there's nothing wrong with your mixer...the Behringer's are great when you're just starting out, and despite what people might say about their pre-amps they're MUCH better than the one built into your computer's soundcard! And the mic isn't a horrible choice either...I wouldn't run out to buy something new just yet.

So I'm wondering, what do you mean by "problem with clarity?" Do you hear static? Do things sound far away? Are they flat? There could be lots of potential problems here, beginning with mic placement, vocal technique, gain/levels, etc.

If anything I'd say your sound card would be the weakest link, but I don't know anything about PC-based recording. I'd just figure the analog to digital converter on your standard PC sound card wouldn't be particularly great, although I don't know that it would make a huge difference either. Can anyone answer that question?

[Han]

You may have a valid point here, the DA converting is as important as the AD converting and a bad soundcard will sound er..............bad.

[noisedude]

I agree -- Audiophile's are only £106 here now, so there's no excuse not to have one.

[paries]

I have a Santa Cruz/Turtle beach. I thought that was a pretty decent sound card. Any idea how it compares to the Audiophile?

[noisedude]

It may be good for games but it's a 'consumer' card ... basically, hardly any money was spent on the AD/DA converters in it so your analogue sounds aren't tracked very accurately. That might not bother you when playing back a CD, but when you stack up 8 or 10 tracks of slightly hissy, slightly toneless recordings you really start to appreciate a card like the Audiophile. Honest!

[tubesrawsom]

i think u should get rid of the mixer and get a good sound card with good pre's and converters cuz tht will shorten the signal chain
i used to use a pg 48 and surprisingly it sounds good but if u can upgrade the mic to a 57 or 58 or possibly a condenser you'd b pretty happy with the results
good luck

[Han]

Guys, I still think a Behringer desk, a PG48 karaoke mic and a decent souncard can give you a reasonable soundquality, if you know how to use the gear and know about mic placement.

If you have no idea, you'll be surprised how bad a $10K mic can sound when used in the wrong way.

[noisedude]

I agree ... and still think that Sound on Sound article is the best place to start!

[noiseportrait]

If I had to target one thing in that chain that was hurting the recordings the most I would definitely say it was the soundcard. You guys are WAY too hung up on mics. The shure pg series are not very good mics and behringer mixers are kinda noisy, but at least they are meant to be useable for recording. The consumer soundcards you buy at best buy like the turtle beach are NOT made for recording. They are made to play video game music and sound absolutley horrible for anything else. why would you plug a $100 mic and a $150 pre into a $30 computing soundcard. As fletcher would say, your A/D converters are the last thing on your chain and everything passses through them. If your A/D converters suck, everything will suck. I've heard plenty of decent recordings done on a behringer mixer with a bunch of cheap dynamic mics. Get a new soundcard, then when you save up some more money you should replace that crappy mic.

[Freudian Slip]

I vote sound card.. If your plugging into a 1/8 inch jack you have issues

F.S.

[noisedude]

Originally Posted by noiseportrait

You guys are WAY too hung up on mics.

Welcome to the Microhpone Forum.