A question about Shure PG48 + BTS XLR to USB cable.

[Mor]

Hi everyone,
So, I've just bought a Shure PG48 which came with the normal XLR to XLR cable.
Thing is, I don't have an XLR input in my computer and I don't have a mixer or anything.
I've ordered an XLR to USB cable from BTS, this is how it looks like:



I've seen something about pre-amps that are needed when you plug your XLR mic into your computer.
Does anyone know anything about this? are pre-amps needed with USB aswell and does anyone have any clue if you need one with this cable.
(It has a big price next to normal adapters of what-soever and the cable looks wide, also the USB port seems big.
If anyone knows anything about this cable in particular, let me know aswell please.)
Sorry in advance for this mini-speech, I guess I'm kind of stressed out about this.

 

[Steenamaroo]

I don't know about this converter, but I'll tell you what I do know.

The output from a microphone is analog. It's measurable changes in voltage.
Even after this passes through a preamp, it's still analog voltages; just greater ones.

Normally the next step is conversion to digital which is handled by analog to digital converters.

After that, there's conversion into some kind of common data stream. That's where you see usb or firewire.

You would assume (hope), that this adapter cable does all of those things in one, kind like most other 'all in one' usb interfaces.
I can't imagine it's going to do it very well though. Does it even have a gain control?

That cable may well be designed to accept a line level signal (post preamp), which would make more sense, I suppose.

 

[Mor]

I really woulden't care if it would drop the volume of the microphone and / or the quality by abit.
I'm going to use it for karaoke which means after I plug it to my PC, I could control the volume with it.
I really hope that you're right and this cable does infact work as you've mentioned.

Thank you for your help.
I would be glad if anyone else who knows more details about this cable or this sort of cables and how do they act with mics and this one in particular.
Thanks

Oh, and I don't think it has a gain control.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Post a link, please.

It's not really a case of just 'dropping the volume' a bit.

If it has a built in preamp it's useful with a mic, and if it doesn't, it isn't.


It's never recommended on here (with good reason), but if you're literally just having some fun and don't care about the sound quality,
get an XLR to 3.5mm jack for a few bucks.

Any modern computer should have a 3.5mm mic input round the back.

 

[Mor]

Hmmm, thank you for your help!