Sm58 help

Hi everyone!

For some reason in my head I am imagining USB adapters will lose quality, is this just my uninformed opinion?
I will have a look at mixers now, and probably come back with more questions!

The homemade option did sound fun though :P.

I did at one point know a lot more about sound cards, inputs and mixers (not so much about mixers). It's just I haven't looked at equipment, or recorded anything in so long.

Thanks for the help, I'll be back soon after looking at mixers :D
 
scope said:
Hi everyone!

For some reason in my head I am imagining USB adapters will lose quality, is this just my uninformed opinion?
I will have a look at mixers now, and probably come back with more questions!

The homemade option did sound fun though :P.

I did at one point know a lot more about sound cards, inputs and mixers (not so much about mixers). It's just I haven't looked at equipment, or recorded anything in so long.

Thanks for the help, I'll be back soon after looking at mixers :D
Click to expand...

If by USB "adapter" you mean a USB Audio Interface such as the Steinberg UR22, Focusrite 2i4 and others no! They would if anything possibly be better A/D,D/A converters than the venerable PCI card (tho I doubt anyone could prove that!) .

But, the word "mixer" is an unfortunate one in this and indeed most cases for home recording...Cos it don't mix! If for instance you plugged two mics into to 802 it would amplify them separately, giving you control of gain, level, pan and final send level to the 2496*. At no point are those mic signals "mixed".

Of course, if you had a further one or two LINE level sources, a drum machine say, THAT could also be panned and mixed into the stereo picture. (the mixer would also give you options to EQ the signal but don't! Well, maybe roll off some bass) .

If the Behringer name puts you off , look at Tascam, Yamaha...All good (but they all use the same chips!)

*Bit Grannies and eggs this but..Run the 2496 at -18dBFS on the software (24 bits 44.1kHz) For the 802 that corresponds handily with the neg 20 LED flashing.

Dave.
 
Steenamaroo said:
For vocals or harmonica using a 58?

I'd look here.
Click to expand...

Well, I have had a 122 and a 144 and found the mic amps to have even LESS gain than an M-A fast track pro which is another very stable USB interface but has weak mic amps.

Be ok for mush machine I guess but the guy will heed to belt it out a bit on songs. The 2496 is AT LEAST as good an interface as any of those old AIs mentioned and has far lower latency. All it needs is a decent front end. Why spend money to get worse?

Dave.
 
In spite of the usual "you don't need a mixer" advice that's the standard answer around here, I'll say that card is a good candidate for use with a small mixer, especially if you can arrange to do your input monitoring in analog through the mixer.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
In spite of the usual "you don't need a mixer" advice that's the standard answer around here, I'll say that card is a good candidate for use with a small mixer, especially if you can arrange to do your input monitoring in analog through the mixer.
Click to expand...

+1. The OP seems to have had some experience pf sound gear albeit some time ago so I dare say working out the routing for monitoring on a simple Berry mixer will come to him!

Btw Scope! The audio connections on a 2496 are called "RCA phonos" not "spdif". Ironically the ACTUAL S/PDIF connectors are also RCAs! But they are on the breakout cable with the MIDI DINS.

Tip to all 2496 users. Mark the DINS and S/PDIF connectors "in and "out". Bugger to tell in the dark behind the PC! I used a Brother label printer (crissy prezzie from daughter 2yrs ago).

Dave.
 
As to all the 'use a mixer' comments: I tried a Xenyx (with an SM57 at the time) and returned it the next day. The preamps were rubbish - had to crank them way up and then they got noisy. For $20 more I got a Mackie ProFX which is much better. For another $50, you can get the A+H.
 
mjbphotos said:
As to all the 'use a mixer' comments: I tried a Xenyx (with an SM57 at the time) and returned it the next day. The preamps were rubbish - had to crank them way up and then they got noisy. For $20 more I got a Mackie ProFX which is much better. For another $50, you can get the A+H.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can get a duffer. Bobbsy had a noisy ADA8000, essentially the same pre amp. But I have measured my 802 and it compared very well with my ZED10.

Dave.
 
jimmys69 said:
This is a forum meant for new members. If you think this is funny, it is not.

Please refrain from giving extremely poor advice (or what I hope was humor) in this forum.

Bad form again mark1971a. May be time to give you a different description....

BTW, you still haven't responded to my PM.....
Click to expand...

86445.jpg

It works for me. I could read no further in this thread. I don't have anything to say to you.
 
The Joemeek VC6 has an instrument level input which:
A: Isn't ideal for a microphone output
B: Doesn't appear to be available on the audiophile 2496.

I expect the signal will be audible into an inst. input, but it certainly won't be going into a line input.

Also, I'm intrigued to know what the MXL990 circuitry is contributing. Are you feeding it power?

If an unhoused dynamic capsule into unpowered capacitor mic circuitry into an instrument level input is standard practice, it would probably explain the sound quality issues you've been having.
 
mark1971a said:
It works for me. I could read no further in this thread. I don't have anything to say to you.
Click to expand...

The interface the OP is using has only Line Level inputs. While, he could 'fray' the wires and connect pins 2 and 3, it won't have enough gain unless he screams into the mic. and if that worked, it would sound pretty horrible.
 
moresound said:
Dang! I missed all of the fun ..... Again!
Click to expand...

It's a microphone thread henry.... what possible input could you provide? ;) :D

Do you swab your mics for the saliva borne DNA of all the famous people you do sound for? There'd be a market. Just sayin'... :thumbs up:
 
arcaxis said:
The Beri mixer I have with the Xenyx pres doesn't sound too bad, although I haven't tried it with mics that needed a bunch of gain. Either used dynamics with neodymium magnets or condensers. Supposedly the Xenyx pres are copied from the Mackie Onyx.
Click to expand...

And Mackie got the circuit from Soundcraft in all likelyhood! The "hybrid" discrete transistor+op-amp design dates back to at least 1978.

I think Mackie's biggest beef with Bery was that the latter pretty much copied the external appearance of a VLZ(?) mixer. That was of course very bad form and pretty stupid to boot!


Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
+1. The OP seems to have had some experience pf sound gear albeit some time ago so I dare say working out the routing for monitoring on a simple Berry mixer will come to him!

Btw Scope! The audio connections on a 2496 are called "RCA phonos" not "spdif". Ironically the ACTUAL S/PDIF connectors are also RCAs! But they are on the breakout cable with the MIDI DINS.

Tip to all 2496 users. Mark the DINS and S/PDIF connectors "in and "out". Bugger to tell in the dark behind the PC! I used a Brother label printer (crissy prezzie from daughter 2yrs ago).

Dave.
Click to expand...

It has been a long long time since I've done anything with audio gear.
Even then I didn't know much and a friend guided me through it.
I've looked and researched a few preamps and mixers. But, I've chatted to a someone about it, and they say i might be better off ditching the sm58 in favour of a condenser mic - is this true? Will I be able to use the sm58 as a good quality recording mic? I spent a bit of time looking at different mics, and theres a comparison video on youtube (if you're interested just youtube search "harmonica sm58" video title is: Dynamic Microphone Testing on Vocals and Harmonica (Acoustic). SM58, e835,SM57,565SD and 55SH)) For harmonica use, the sm58 sounded best to me on there. But he only tested dynamic mics - it also lists his preamp equipment

I'll link some of the equipment i've found if that's still the right route,

thanks again
 
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