beginner need low price but quality preamp and mic

[hoeimabeast]

im new so im gonna trust the people on this board more than me when it comes to these two things...a preamp and mic. I plan to connect it to my laptop through usb. im looking at getting maybe M-Audio Mobilepre but i wanted to ask about that before buying. suggestions?

btw i sorta have a sharp/high voice so should I go with a colored/brighter mic?

 

[kojdogg]

i wouldn't get the mobile pre as it's limited to 16 bit 44.1khz recording. at around the same price and assuming that you're only going to need one mic, the centrance micport pro is a great sounding 1 channel usb interface that records up to 24 bit 96khz (iirc) and has a good clean preamp built in.
really both will depend on your budget.

 

[hoeimabeast]

that sounds like a good preamp but what about a good bright/color mic under $200?

 

[Robert D]

btw i sorta have a sharp/high voice so should I go with a colored/brighter mic?

Generally, no. A mic with hyped upper mids on a high voice with sharp qualities to it will usually yield uncomfortably bright vocals needing a lot of EQ and de-essing. IMO, you probably should be looking at more neutral mics, or even south of neutral. But it also depends on the kind of music you do and the sound you're after.

 

[cnix]

This link is a few years old, but can give you an idea of the character of some popular mics.

http://studioforums.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=1436041581&f=1526095781&m=6776029135

A lot of folks on this site love the CAD M179 for the budget you have.

Charlie

 

[dickiefunk]

For a good bright color mic look at the Rode NT-1a and Studio Projects B1.
http://www.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=NT1-A
http://www.studioprojects.com/b1.html

Do you have an audio interface and do you have a DAW?

These are also worth a look :-

EMU 0404 USB
http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?category=610&subcategory=611&product=15185
Line 6 Toneport UX1 or UX2
http://uk.line6.com/toneportux1/
http://uk.line6.com/toneportux2/
Presonus Audio Box USB
http://www.presonus.com/news/press/Detail.aspx?NewsID=39
M-Audio FastTrack Pro
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackPro-main.html
Lexicon Omega
http://www.lexiconpro.com/ProductIndex.aspx?ProductID=6

If you don't need an audio interface then the M-Audio DMP3 is the best budget pre.
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/DMP3-main.html

 

[dickiefunk]

Just saw the bit about your bright voice. Don't go for the Rode NT-1a or Studio Projects B1.

I'd look at these 3 :-

Oktava MK319
http://oktava.com/inc/sdetail/476
MXL V67g
http://www.mxlmics.com/condenser_mic/mxlv67g/mxlv67g.htm
CAD M177
http://www.cadmics.com/M177.htm

 

[hoeimabeast]

appreciate the help im gonna give it some thought

 

[Somnium7]

I really like the Oktava. I recently got a 219 and despite the poo pooing you read online, I'm very pleased with it.

 

[dgatwood]

There are a number of reports that the MobilePre doesn't provide a full 48V phantom power, which makes it a particularly bad choice.

Check out the group buy thread. We're doing a group buy on some custom pres that might turn out to be really good choices.

Failing that, if you just need a cheap preamp that's decent in a hurry, I'd recommend the Peavey PV6/8/10/14 mixers. They're pretty inexpensive, and the sound quality is really good as far as low cost devices go. They also provide enough phantom power for my Naiant tube condensers to work correctly (unlike some other gear I've worked with), so they're up to whatever you throw at them mic-wise.

 

[Ironklad Audio]

mackie onyx satellite + audio-technica 3035

cheap, reliable, and capable of giving usable results

 

[Paj]

satellite and M177 or 179

If you go for the (CAD M177 + MXL V67G = $200) or CAD M179 (=$200), research the Mackie Satellite. There are reports that the phantom power doesn't get into the 40V range. Contact Mackie or your vendor and get assurances.

Paj
8^)

 

[dgatwood]

If you go for the (CAD M177 + MXL V67G = $200) or CAD M179 (=$200), research the Mackie Satellite. There are reports that the phantom power doesn't get into the 40V range. Contact Mackie or your vendor and get assurances.

A lot of cheap hardware misses the mark, both in voltage and current, sadly... and as someone else already noted, if the current is low, you'll get a massive voltage drop from that, too.

Just for fun, I decided to test my Peavey PV8 unloaded and under load. Unloaded, my digital multimeter read 48.0---right on the dot. I plugged in all three of my MSH-4 phantom-powered tube mics (~10 mA apiece). The three of them combined pulled the 48V rail down to 43.9V. I'll let folks debate whether that's reasonable or not.

 

[ittam]

It should be 48v +/-4v

Matti