cheap mic preamps VS cheap mixers...

[jameslucas]

What's the score? I'm running a Behringer UB1202 mixer into my soundcard. Would it improve my sound to get a cheap (art or whatever) preamp or does it not really matter at this level. I also have a mild hiss, could this be resolved by a dedicated preamp instead of the ones in the behringer?

 

[crazydoc]

...could this be resolved by a dedicated preamp instead of the ones in the behringer?

Yes. But what soundcard do you have? - it could be that also.

 

[chessrock]

Normally, I would say most of the budget pres are in the same general category and you won't hear a significant difference, etc.

With the notable exception of those using Behringer mixers. Just about any dedicated pre you can get your hands on . . . budget or otherwise, will likely be a noticeable step in the right direction.

 

[manning1]

advice

what soundcard do you have ?
i got off the pre merry go round and build my own.
lots of schematics on the net.
heres a test to see if you can tell an expensive pre from a cheap one. soundclick.com/bmanning are my songs.
can you tell which used expensive versus cheap home made pre's ? several of my songs have been in the top 5 in their genre and used diy pre's that cost me 10 bucks. see if you can spot which ones.
maybe your soundcard is hissy perhaps. post more info and i'll try and help. frankly i'm surprised ....because the new behringer ub pre's i hear from friends are pretty clean. are you going into the sound card line in ? mic in of sound cards , especially some cheaper consumer ones can be hissy.

 

[acorec]

What's the score? I'm running a Behringer UB1202 mixer into my soundcard. Would it improve my sound to get a cheap (art or whatever) preamp or does it not really matter at this level. I also have a mild hiss, could this be resolved by a dedicated preamp instead of the ones in the behringer?

The real problem is NOT thepre-amps in the Behringer. It is the Summing buss amplifiers. I have become aware of this by testing my Mackie and Behringer mixing boards (before I sold them).
I bought a new Allen and Heath GL2200 32 track board. The A&H arrived and I hooked it up last weekend. I played tracks that I had recorded with the Mackie (24 tr/8 buss) board. The tracks were totally different sounding. Very punchy and very detailed. I was floored at how great all the tracks sounded alone and together. I then realized the problem with both the Mackie and the Behringer mixers. The summing buss amplifiers suck ass on both. I recorded some quick tracks using the pre-amps only on both boards out the inserts to the multitrack recorder. I played them back one at a time through the Allen and Heath (as before) and viola!! The pre-amps in both boards are better than most people think. The harsh squashed sound of entire mixes have little to do with the pre-s and much more to do with the rest of the board(s). After 6 years with the Behringer and the Mackie boards, I now know the truth. You would do far better with a better mixer and using the stock pre-s in it for now. The Allen and Heath mixers have excellent summing amplifiers with lots of headroom. The whole mix (16 tracks) sounds really detailed and punchy. There is a 3D sound that makes my monitors seem 5 ft wider in every direction. I would not have believed it if I did not hear it for myself. [BTW, Recording Engineer has experienced exactly the same thing when he had to step down to a Mackie until his new high-end mixer arrives], so I am not alone in this finding.

So, to answer this question, I have Avalons, Focusrite, RNP and Joe Meek pres. A cheap pre will not even touch the stuff I am using. The board is the greatest limitation. A cheap pre is wasting $$$. You really need a better mixer .

 

[jameslucas]

I'm going from my SHS OM-500 dynamic mics to a behringer UB1202's tape out (RCA) to my SoundBlaster Audigy's tape in (Also RCA obviosely). I can't get enough volume (I record acoustic instuments, mandolin, guitar, drum, bass, vox), without turning the gain so high that I get a hiss. Does that help any. I don't have the $$ for a new mixer that would cost more than a few hundred.

 

[manning1]

james this might help

the ub has a direct out/insert on each input. i'm not saying you will get any better , but i'm surprised your getting hiss.
heres what i would do, get an inexpensive line mixer thats clean and gives you a gain boost. this is what i do with my diy mic pre's. so you go direct out of input channel to line mixer input then add additional gain on the line mixer and output to the soundcard. you might also try playing around with the windows line in control. maybe its a question of gain structure.
i dont know that shs mic. if you try other mics do you still get hiss ??

 

[manning1]

james, more info

i looked up your shs mic on google. from what i see its more of a mic for live PA use. i would suggest respectfully you try another microphone. if the hiss goes away then you know where the problem is. ive tried pa mics in the past in recording and some can be a bit a bit hissy. others not as much.
i would suggest you get a proper recording mic. also be carefull if you are recording near your computer , fans can cause noise to be picked up. if this is the case read up on the net about relocating your pc or making your computer quiter.
hope this helps.