newbie asking for vocal recording help

[crucial]

Ok, guys I wanna thank you for opening the thread first off. Here's what I have:
An MXL condenser mic my girlfriend bought me
Type: Cardioid condenser mic
Frequency Range: 30Hz-20kHz
Polar Pattern: Cardioid
Sensitivity: 10mV/Pa
Impedance: 200W
S/N Ratio: 80dB
Equivalent Noise: 18dB
Max SPL for: 134dBs

I put the specs in to help me in my next quest:
To find the cheapest and effective way to fully bring out the sound of this mic (it doesn't look like much i don't think).

I like to produce music as a hobby and now I want to record some hiphop/semi-melodic vocals that are AT LEAST "good-podcast-quality". I'm a newbie to audio, and would like to learn more.

I've been peeking at the M-Audio Audiophile 2496, looks like a solid choice I can keep around for a bit. But how in the heck do I plug this mic in with either XLR or a 3.5mm plug (adapted through the xlr)?

Thanks in advance. All help is appreciated.

[crucial]

to help anyone that might help:

this microphone is powered by a 9V battery and wired with XLR. if it's powered, then is my mic considered "pre-amp"ed?

[wheelema]

I could tell you a lot more if I knew the model number of the mic, but then I would just google it, which you can do too.

Check out the Alesis IO|2.

[Cosmic]

crucial,

Mic power and pre-amping have nothing to do with each other in terms of the functions they fulfill.

48V power, called Phantom Power (in your case, as supplied by the battery) powers the mic up so it works.

A pre-amp brings the audio level of the mic up to where you can send it on into a recorder or other device at a usable level.

You should always use XLR connectors unless it is completely unavoidable to use something else.
In addition to maintaining what's called a 'balanced' signal (helps eliminate outside interference to mic signal), XLRs are just so much more solid and reliable than tiny mini-plugs.

Very commonly on pre-amps, when the mic is hooked to the pre-amp using XLR connectors, the pre-amp can also supply Phantom Power through the XLR cable to the mic.
That way you don't have to keep using 9V batteries when in the studio. Just something to remember.

Good luck,

Cosmic.

[crucial]

This is what I have:
MXL Desktop Recording Kit

Now I'm looking at the Behringer U-CONTROL UCA202 USB-Audio Interface on amazon and wouldn't mind going a cheap route just to get the job done. But then I look at this and being the audio newbie that I am, don't know how I'll be able to plug in my mic into analog inputs.

[pandamonk]

What's your budget? Do you just want one input? With that kit, doesn't it allow you just to plug straight into the mic input of your soundcard? This will get you recording, but won't be very good quality. For better quality you could get a small mixer and connect the RCA(phono) tape outs to the line in of your pc, or for better results get the Behringer UCA202 and connect the same way.

The signal from the mic needs to be boosted by a preamp before it gets to the pc, this is why i suggested the mixer, as it has preamps built in.

[crucial]

the lowest budget that will get me by with the stuff i already have. my onboard sound used to work with recording during playback. now whenever i monitor the input it sounds terrible (i must've made a booboo in the software/drivers). it'd be nice to find something that will give me zero delay while monitoring, but it's not necessary.

a single input is all i need. but if i want playback during recording, don't i need 2 channels?

thanks everyone for your help, i'm understanding this a little better.

P.S... how do I connect the mic via analog inputs if i go with the UCA202?

[Mindset]

Originally Posted by crucial

the lowest budget that will get me by with the stuff i already have. my onboard sound used to work with recording during playback. now whenever i monitor the input it sounds terrible (i must've made a booboo in the software/drivers). it'd be nice to find something that will give me zero delay while monitoring, but it's not necessary.

a single input is all i need. but if i want playback during recording, don't i need 2 channels?

thanks everyone for your help, i'm understanding this a little better.

P.S... how do I connect the mic via analog inputs if i go with the UCA202?

You don't. Like said, you'll need a preamp, and power (phantom or 9v) There's only a few options for you that would sound practical.
1 - get a interface with phantom power - which would give you zero latency, and better quality. Cost: $149 http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ace?sku=701368
Cheapest interface w/ phantom power I could find.
Or the fasttrack for I believe around $100. ebaying it will turn up cheaper.

[Mindset]

Originally Posted by crucial

the lowest budget that will get me by with the stuff i already have. my onboard sound used to work with recording during playback. now whenever i monitor the input it sounds terrible (i must've made a booboo in the software/drivers). it'd be nice to find something that will give me zero delay while monitoring, but it's not necessary.

a single input is all i need. but if i want playback during recording, don't i need 2 channels?

thanks everyone for your help, i'm understanding this a little better.

P.S... how do I connect the mic via analog inputs if i go with the UCA202?

I think he was referring that instead of going from mixer directly into line in of your sound card, to go tape out from mixer to in of that berry device.

[wheelema]

Originally Posted by crucial

Ok, guys I wanna thank you for opening the thread first off. Here's what I have:
An MXL condenser mic my girlfriend bought me...

Crucial,

You can pretty much flush all of the advice that everyone has given you in this thread... notably mindset's... down the you-know-what. You apparently have a USB mic.

USB mics are bastard devices... genealogically speaking... that plug directly into a USB port on your PC. You do not need a preamp, or A/D/A conversion, or anything other than software, most likely software provided or recommended by the manufacturer of your mic.

On the offhand chance you do NOT have a USB mic than mindset is dead on.

Luck. Hope it sounds okay.

[crucial]

I don't have a USB mic. I have a half-decent condenser (w/ XLR plugs (it also came with a male-XLR to 3.5mm mini-plug)

I somehow used to plug it directly to the line-in on my onboard nvidia sound with slight delay, but now I ran some tests and it won't record+playback simultaneously anymore.

So, I'm asking this community of experienced/intermediate audiophiles of how to go about recording with my all-i-need xlr mic outside the option of going directly line-in with the mini-plug. I would love it if I could find a cheap route to plug the XLR directly to my computer somehow. I'm willing to spend a bit if it's the only way of getting this to work. What I would've done by now is just buy another generic soundcard and see if my line-in hookup would record+playback but instead of taking the risk, I wanna see what you guys think. what would i need to plug it into the berry, and will that device work without the berry whatever mentioned previously.

[Mindset]

Originally Posted by crucial

I don't have a USB mic. I have a half-decent condenser (w/ XLR plugs (it also came with a male-XLR to 3.5mm mini-plug)

I somehow used to plug it directly to the line-in on my onboard nvidia sound with slight delay, but now I ran some tests and it won't record+playback simultaneously anymore.

So, I'm asking this community of experienced/intermediate audiophiles of how to go about recording with my all-i-need xlr mic outside the option of going directly line-in with the mini-plug. I would love it if I could find a cheap route to plug the XLR directly to my computer somehow. I'm willing to spend a bit if it's the only way of getting this to work. What I would've done by now is just buy another generic soundcard and see if my line-in hookup would record+playback but instead of taking the risk, I wanna see what you guys think. what would i need to plug it into the berry, and will that device work without the berry whatever mentioned previously.

Well, your trying to plug something up that is at mic signal, into your line in of your computer. Anyways, with quality aside, try plugging your powered condenser into the mic in of your built on sound card (assuming it's built on), and open up volume control, hit record, and select mic, mix.

I'm not sure what is your question - "how to plug the mic into the computer" = been answered - for that Berry, you can't plug the mic directly into that, I would tell you to scratch the idea of getting that, actually yes. Scratch the idea of getting that berry. It really wouldn't do you any good unless you were to get a mixer, and wanted to connect it to the computer, than, that would be a cheap device to allow signal from the mixer to enter your system. BUT, you don't really NEED that, UNLESS you CHOOSE to use a mixer. OR choose to connect any other devices like a tape player, cd player, w/ the rca's. If you want any quality remotely better than what your getting now, you'll need a recording interface. The M-Audio Fast Track, would allow you to plug the mic directly into the interface via XLR. Which is connected to your computer via USB. BUT with the expense of Price, it does not come with phantom power. So you would use your batteries to power the mic.

"won't record & playback simultaneously?"
You won't get zero latency monitoring outputs through the interface/sound card regardless of what sound card you have (meaning mic to sound card through the computer, back out your sound card)

Then again, you being a newbie, your problem might arise that on your recording/tracking software, you simply have the second track you want to play back (beat) not routed/outputted correctly. However again, you still won't get good quality or be able to get zero latency monitoring (while you rap) without an interface. That would be your best place to start.

See my confusion of this all is that.
1 you said that you cannot connect the mic? or don't know where to connect the mic.
2. you said it won't record & playback at the same time.

ok. Is it......

- It won't record & playback at the same time BECAUSE the mic is not plugged in??

[crucial]

the connection questions were in reference to whatever device/s were brought up.

i figured something out. there's no interference going with the line-in. but something's configured wrong that when i record something during playback, it is ALSO recording the playback into my vocal, thus doubling the beat if i don't mute the original beat.

any ideas as to where i can configure this? i'm using REAPER

[Mindset]

We may be getting somewhere. I'm thinking that Reaper or your windows Volume Control, is setup to record whatever is coming out of the outputs, which would be beat, and you. Like on this computer at work, if I wanted to record whatever was playing, I would select "Wave Out Mix" (Volume Control on built on sound card) which would be. Anything playing will be sent back through to be recorded.

like this pic i just took - http://www.mindsetentertainmentinc.net/example.jpg

[pandamonk]

Originally Posted by Mindset

Well, your trying to plug something up that is at mic signal, into your line in of your computer. Anyways, with quality aside, try plugging your powered condenser into the mic in of your built on sound card (assuming it's built on), and open up volume control, hit record, and select mic, mix.

I'm not sure what is your question - "how to plug the mic into the computer" = been answered - for that Berry, you can't plug the mic directly into that, I would tell you to scratch the idea of getting that, actually yes. Scratch the idea of getting that berry. It really wouldn't do you any good unless you were to get a mixer, and wanted to connect it to the computer, than, that would be a cheap device to allow signal from the mixer to enter your system. BUT, you don't really NEED that, UNLESS you CHOOSE to use a mixer. OR choose to connect any other devices like a tape player, cd player, w/ the rca's. If you want any quality remotely better than what your getting now, you'll need a recording interface. The M-Audio Fast Track, would allow you to plug the mic directly into the interface via XLR. Which is connected to your computer via USB. BUT with the expense of Price, it does not come with phantom power. So you would use your batteries to power the mic.

"won't record & playback simultaneously?"
You won't get zero latency monitoring outputs through the interface/sound card regardless of what sound card you have (meaning mic to sound card through the computer, back out your sound card)

Then again, you being a newbie, your problem might arise that on your recording/tracking software, you simply have the second track you want to play back (beat) not routed/outputted correctly. However again, you still won't get good quality or be able to get zero latency monitoring (while you rap) without an interface. That would be your best place to start.

See my confusion of this all is that.
1 you said that you cannot connect the mic? or don't know where to connect the mic.
2. you said it won't record & playback at the same time.

ok. Is it......

- It won't record & playback at the same time BECAUSE the mic is not plugged in??

A mixer plugged into the behri will give you decent quality, with low latency. I'd say that it'd give you the same quality as the cheapest interfaces, which have been recommended.

[Mindset]

Originally Posted by pandamonk

A mixer plugged into the behri will give you decent quality, with low latency. I'd say that it'd give you the same quality as the cheapest interfaces, which have been recommended.

agreed, sort of...... I doubt if he had say a m-audio 24/96, that the berry & mixer would rival it though... I would be inclined to trust M-Audio 24/96 converters more than berry's 48khz 16 bit converters.

but

it seemed like he stated that he was on a low budget, so a mixer & the berry would be more $$ than if he would to get just an interface and be done with it. For beginners, the mobile pre or fast track would sound better than if he sent it through like that. Then, you got to look at any other problems he might have. and I would think he'll have more latency than if he used a recording card/interface. even more headaches than a quick inexpensive, better fix.

Cheapest mixer I found is this
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...802?sku=631263
Berry Xenyx.

SO if you went that route, you would spend the same amount as an interface basically, but you would have 2 berry pieces of gear, in your 3 part signal chain. That's 66% behringer

[pandamonk]

Originally Posted by Mindset

agreed, sort of...... I doubt if he had say a m-audio 24/96, that the berry & mixer would rival it though... I would be inclined to trust M-Audio 24/96 converters more than berry's 48khz 16 bit converters.

but

it seemed like he stated that he was on a low budget, so a mixer & the berry would be more $$ than if he would to get just an interface and be done with it. For beginners, the mobile pre or fast track would sound better than if he sent it through like that. Then, you got to look at any other problems he might have. and I would think he'll have more latency than if he used a recording card/interface. even more headaches than a quick inexpensive, better fix.

Cheapest mixer I found is this
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...802?sku=631263
Berry Xenyx.

SO if you went that route, you would spend the same amount as an interface basically, but you would have 2 berry pieces of gear, in your 3 part signal chain. That's 66% behringer

This is cheaper, but yeah, i get what you mean. I thought the behri route would be the cheapest, but searching the m-audio fasttrack i see that it's not(it is here in the UK, as far as i know). So yeah, get yourself a cheap interface.

[groovyisland]

i use a tascam us-122 interface with my mxl v63m mic. the mic goes into a rane ms 1b preamp to a behringer composer pro compressor to the interface and into the computer via usb. the sound quality amazes me. i also have an mxl v69 mic which sounds a lot fizzier and i might use it if it sounds better in mixes. all i have to do is try to record something so i will have an actual mix...