How do I connect a mic to a soundcard?

M

MusicMan27

New member
Hello,

I'm working on setting up a pretty simple PC home studio to record myself on the violin. I'm updating to a TerraTec DMX 6FIRE 24/96 soundcard, and I'm planning on getting 2 M-Audio Luna Mics (they're condenser mics with a single-pattern cardioid pattern, and the specs say they have 200 ohms output impedance, >1,000 ohms recommended load impedance, require 48-volt phantom power, and have a 3-pin male XLR connector).

Can I directly connect a mic to the soundcard? Plus, I want to do a stereo recording, and I think the soundcard only has one mic input. Does this mean I need a preamp? I don't have too big a budget, but M-Audio has a preamp called the Audio Buddy (with a freq. response of 5HZ - 50kHZ) for about $150. The signal from a condenser mic is analog, but the preamp specs shows it sends a digital signal to the soundcard. Does that mean preamps have codecs that convert analog to digital? If they do, since my soundcard will support 24/96, will a preamp like the Audio Buddy have a codec (if it even has a codec) supporting 24/96?

Also, I read online about impedence differences between mic/soundcard. Will that matter still if I use a preamp?

Thanks very much!
 
I'm probably not the best person to answer your questions, but I think I can answer some of your questions.

If your soundcard doesn't have a built-in preamp, then you would need an outboard preamp for your mic to connect to before it goes into your soundcard. Also, since your condenser mic need phanton power, you would definately need a preamp that provide phantom power.

Also, I own an Audio Buddy. It is a two channel preamps with phantom power. It doesn't support digital I/O though. You can get them on E-Bay at around $50, brand new is $80 (NOT $150!). I plan on putting them on e-bay soon. They are great for the price, IMO. They provide plenty of gain w/o adding too much noise. Great for the beginner home recordist (like myself), IMO.
 
Thanks for the reply.

So with something like the Audio Buddy preamp, it looks like from M-Audio's spec page that the preamp takes the analog signal from my mic, and passes it on to the soundcard in a digital format. That means there must be some sort of analog to digital codec in the preamp. But what resolution/sampling rates does the codec support? If I have a 24-bit/96kHZ soundcard, but the preamp only supports 16-bit/44.1kHZ, won't I lose a lot of quality? What can I do about that?

Do all preamps send a digital signal to the soundcard?

Thanks again.
 
MusicMan27 said:
Thanks for the reply.

So with something like the Audio Buddy preamp, it looks like from M-Audio's spec page that the preamp takes the analog signal from my mic, and passes it on to the soundcard in a digital format. That means there must be some sort of analog to digital codec in the preamp. But what resolution/sampling rates does the codec support? If I have a 24-bit/96kHZ soundcard, but the preamp only supports 16-bit/44.1kHZ, won't I lose a lot of quality? What can I do about that?

Do all preamps send a digital signal to the soundcard?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...
The audiobuddy has two channels - mic or line input, and analog output, line level, on each channel, to go to the line inputs of your soundcard. No digital.

Most preamps don't have digital out - you'll have to pay a little more for that, and then you get into ADC quality issues. M Audio makes a digital pre - also includes a compressor and variable input impedance. $400.

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.focus&ID=839d59f0b1d39a13f50efe8e92c25b76
 
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MusicMan27 said:
So with something like the Audio Buddy preamp, it looks like from M-Audio's spec page that the preamp takes the analog signal from my mic, and passes it on to the soundcard in a digital format.
Click to expand...
That is because your soundcard has a A/D converter, the Audio Buddy doesn't. I'm not familiar with your soundcard so I don't know what sampling rates it supports. In most home recordings, I think 16bit/44.1KHz would be fine.

Good luck!
 
Thanks. By the way, the terratec soundcard supports 24-bit resolution with 192kHZ sampling rates.

So basically, if I plug the two mics into the preamp, and connect it to the soundcard, I'm all set to record, and the recording quality will be at 24-bit/96kHZ quality? (the soundcard as 24/96 for both codec and audio controller). Nothing else I need to fiddle with or worry about?

Thanks again.
 
yes, the audiobuddy does not convert analog to digital. It boosts the mic signal to 'Line Level' which is a specification for the maximum voltage that a music signal can reach. All equipment, for its own protection or the protection of downstream equipment, will block any voltatge above that.

That's why those vu-meters or peak indicators are important.

If your soundcard had 'mic-in' inputs then those inputs used the soundcard's own preamp. Most soundcard preamps are lousy. Mostly for two reasons. First there is a lot of other electronic noise going around all around it. Second anybody who cares has a separate preamp so there is not much to be gained by spending money to put a good one on the card.
 
MusicMan27 said:
So basically, if I plug the two mics into the preamp, and connect it to the soundcard, I'm all set to record, and the recording quality will be at 24-bit/96kHZ quality? (the soundcard as 24/96 for both codec and audio controller). Nothing else I need to fiddle with or worry about?
Click to expand...

I checked out the card. Nice! Too bad there's only one mic input.

Your card supports 24/96 but may not operate in that mode by default. Check the settings. Also whatever recording software you are using might need to know as well. Check those settings too.

M-audio's DMP3 is probably a better match for the card but the audio buddy should work fine. Also the clip lights will serve you better than the VU meters when you are setting your peak levels. Niether of these preamps have digital output so you will need to connect it to the line-in jacks on the TerraTec box using a cable with an RCA on the TerraTec end and 1/4" jacks onthe preamp end.

Of course you will need a couple of decent quality XLR mic cables to join the mics to the preamps. And stands. There goes the budget.

If you are a very dynamic player you might want to consider a compressor.

There will be plenty to fiddle with (you started the pun) and if you use anything by Microsoft, lots to worry about.

Don't worry about impedance matching.
 
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