Condensors , preamps , direct box.

[BandGeek]

Hi ,

sorry i have to ask very basic question again , just trying to learn more .

Could someone explain to me the use of a condensor ? please , in newbie language. Thanks


also , a direct box allows u to plug your mic ( guitar? ) direct , and it has a built-in pre-amp ? am i getting it correct ? sounds pretty much the same to me ? the difference between a direct box from a preamp would be ?

Thanks , i appreciate the help .

 

[Seanmorse79]

In simple terms, a condenser is a mic that needs power to make it work correctly. Some are permanently charged, some have batteries, but most need "phantom" power - usually supplied by a preamp or mixer.

Most direct boxes are not pre-amped. As I understand it, they're used mostly for converting unbalanced & balanced signals at the line level. There are many different flavors though, so I'll defer to someone with more experience with direct boxes for a better explanation.

 

[BandGeek]

Instead of being a nuisance and starting a new thread for this , i thought i add up to this one .

I found a somewhat temporary solution *waiting for my soundcard* Just tot i let those who are fresh like me (and broke like me too) in on how to record vocals with the very basic stuff at home . I have a Pioneer Cd Player which comes with the very helpful 2 mic inputs for Karaoke. So i tried plugging the mic into the players mic in , and from the players analog outs , i plugged it onto my soundcard . Viola ~! i get remarkably good quality sound , with very little background sound . I also can increase the output volume on the PLayer without worrying that the sound from my pc would be distorted. I guess inside the player has a better quality mic preamp than the ones we have in our soundcard , which explains the better and clearer sound .

It's not much of a pro's way of doing things , but just for the kicks, and for those who are saving up to buy better equipts , have a shot . Have fun.

 

[BandGeek]

Instead of being a nuisance and starting a new thread for this , i thought i add up to this one .

I found a somewhat temporary solution *waiting for my soundcard* Just tot i let those who are fresh like me (and broke like me too) in on how to record vocals with the very basic stuff at home . I have a Pioneer Cd Player which comes with the very helpful 2 mic inputs for Karaoke. So i tried plugging the mic into the players mic in , and from the players analog outs , i plugged it onto my soundcard . Viola ~! i get remarkably good quality sound , with very little background sound . I also can increase the output volume on the PLayer without worrying that the sound from my pc would be distorted. I guess inside the player has a better quality mic preamp than the ones we have in our soundcard , which explains the better and clearer sound .

It's not much of a pro's way of doing things , but just for the kicks, and for those who are saving up to buy better equipts , have a shot . Have fun.