Mic gain and MR-8

R

Rudy2

New member
Howdy all,

I have been doing some live recording of an acoustic folk group with my new MR-8. I am using two Nady SP-1 mics positioned about 7 feet away from the seven piece ensemble and arrayed about 60 degrees to one another.

What I have found is the mics are very detailed and pic up the entire group pretty well. What is lacking though is a strong record signal and I have to boost playback levels excessively to get any usable volume. I could place the mics closer to the players but then the recording would be too player specific and I know I would loose the instrumental balance of the ensemble as a whole.

So what do I do? Use different mics? Is it common to need a mic pre to get decent input levels? If so, what are some good but affordable options? Thanks.

Rudy2
 
Get a mic pre-amp

The Mic pres on the MR-8 are not very good and it's difficult to get a strong signal.

I use the M-audio DMP3. It's a decent, fairly clean pre-amp. It has phantom power for condensor mics and two channels for $160. That's $80 a channel. Not too bad.
 
Drummerdude1989 said:
On this subject, what would be wrong with just plugging in a Mic to a guitar amp and just using it for it's preamp?
Click to expand...

Well, for starters, not that many guitar amps come equipped with 48 V Phantom power as standard...

regards, Nils
 
You may want to record your group an instrument at a time and a track at a time. You have 4 mono tracks and 2 stereo tracks there to play with. That way you can move your mics in closer and get decent levels that way. Or, if that is not an option, go with buying a good mic pre....
 
Drummerdude1989 said:
On this subject, what would be wrong with just plugging in a Mic to a guitar amp and just using it for it's preamp?
Click to expand...

Well Drummerdude, not meaning to be an asshole at all, but that was not the question posted. Please be respectful of the posted question and start a new thread instead of tagging onto one already established. That is how it works, get it? New topic, new thread? Right? Peace.

Rudy2
 
J_Bursch said:
The Mic pres on the MR-8 are not very good and it's difficult to get a strong signal.

I use the M-audio DMP3. It's a decent, fairly clean pre-amp. It has phantom power for condensor mics and two channels for $160. That's $80 a channel. Not too bad.
Click to expand...

Hey J_Bursch!

At $160, wouldn't a used Yamaha or other mixer be a better investment? I have found Yamaha MX series mixers and Mackie 1202 mixers for just a bit more on eBay and they offer much, much more (of course) versatility for the money. I am just learning so don't mean to be stubborn but wouldn't a decent mixer with mic pre's be a better investment? I also am looking at an Alesis Studio 24 as a possibility. I want to go into computer recording too eventually and having a mixer for live sound etc. sort of makes it a Swiss Army Knife of recording gear, good for a bunch of stuff. Right??

Rudy2
 
Rudy2 said:
Well Drummerdude, not meaning to be an asshole at all, but that was not the question posted. Please be respectful of the posted question and start a new thread instead of tagging onto one already established. That is how it works, get it? New topic, new thread? Right? Peace.

Rudy2
Click to expand...

if it's a quick, related question, it shouldn't be a problem.
 
mr8 preamps

they are week, while many people use a preamp, for the money you are better off geting a small mixer, that way you will get some eq control also, which you do not get with a mic preamp. if you get one with more then a couple of channels, you can record your group with more mics around the group....

doesnt take much, a behringer 2 channel mixer for 59.00 will have phantom power, eq control and give you a much stronger signal...

use proper gain structure, get the input level as hot as it will go without any clipping (red on the meter) on the mixer, and run that into the mr8, and move the trim up until you are just below clipping on the mr8 and you will have the strongest, cleanest signal possible with your paticular setup

get the mixer that fits your budget, you can alwas upgrade, but if you can afford a better mixer then the behringer, then by all means get one....
 
Last edited:
eraos said:
if it's a quick, related question, it shouldn't be a problem.
Click to expand...
Yes, I suppose that is true. I get a little cranky about this as sometimes threads get side-tracked this way and then I have to re-post, which takes more time and often gets fewer replies.

Rudy2
 
Well I took my own advice and the advice of dave in toledo and ordered a Behringer UB1202 mixer today. Really, for the absurdly low price of $79.99 including phantom power and four mic pre's I don't see how I can go wrong. It even has consistently high reviews among users. I know it isn't a Mackie. :rolleyes:

This is exactly how GAS starts...

Rudy2
 
mixer

sounds like a deal, hey some people can afford to drive a bmw, some can afford to buy a used ford ranger, either way you are getting to work on time....

i have a 12 channel peavey i use, but it doesnt have phantom power, so i have a small behringer also , and it is quiet and i have had nothing but good experiences with mine....
 
Rudy2

It sounds like you already made your purchase and I can't argue with it. I almost went that same route. In the end I elected to spend more $ for the DMP3 for a little higher quality pres so that they would still be usable when I upgrade to a better DAW.

Someone once gave me the advice to spend money on good pres and good mics, because they will tend to last, whereas computers and multitrack recorders will come and go.
 
pres

that was good advise you got, but you can still spend only what you have, biggest point, you still have no eq control with a preamp, and the preamps in the behringer mixer (at least the one i have) are quiet and strong, better then my drummers 1000.00 mackie board, its noisey as hell.....
 
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