Do I need a mic pre-amp?

[stevethecarr]

I have an m-audio mobile pre right now and I'm recording right into that with my shure sm-57. Should I get a mic-preamp? Will it give me a better sound, or what exactly will it do? I'm pretty content with the sound now as I'm using it mostly for fun in my home, but occasionally I'd like to record my band to make demos. I have about 200 dollars to spend so what would be a good pre-amp to buy if I need one? The only one I have really looked into is the JoeMeek 3Q. Thanks in advance

[Farview]

A new mic pre will give you a different sound. Might be better, might be worse, depending on the application. If you are happy with the sound you are getting, don't spend the money. The main reason big studios have a lot of outboard mic pres is because they all sound different and they want to be able to make the right choice for the application. With your budget, you might want to pick up another mic, it will make a bigger difference than another cheap mic pre.

[xfinsterx]

if i had 200 bucks for a pre amp id got to e-bay and find some stuff in my price range and do some internet investigation on what you find. there are alota good deals out there...you just gotta find em'.

[fretmeister]

Your question "do I need a mic preamp" suggests that you don't now have a preamp, so just for clarification, your m-audio is a mic preamp. You would probably have to spend more than $200 for a mic preamp that would sound much better than what you now have. I agree that your money would be better spent on a condenser mic.