Confused with mg 10/2! PLEASE HELP!

[iceyflame]

Hello, I bought an MG 10/2 because I plan to do some cheap band recording.

Right now I only have this cheapie sony vocal mic, I will be getting an SM57 soon, but I thought since I have the money for the mixer now, I'll get it first...

Anyway to my problem, when I plug this mic (1/4" Phone Jack) into either the line inputs or the mono inputs on my mixer and turn it in, it detects no signal (the decible meter isnt doing anything)

can you please help me!!

(also if i am recording from the mixer straight to my PC sound card, it goes from the RCA 'Rec Out' to the PC's line in, right?)

thanks for the future,

Chris

 

[Anfontan]

Has the mic worked on other things-like can you get any signal out of it if you plug into a 1/4" input to a guitar amp? It sounds as if maybe the mic or the mic cord may be defective. It isn't a condensor type that requires a battery or phantom power?

 

[iceyflame]

nope its definitly a dynamic.

wait i just got it to work!! I had to turn up/switch the gain to -34,

does anyone know what this gain means? is it the same kind of gain as on guitar amps etc? I read about it in the manuel, something about stwitching bettween -10dB to +44dB or something

 

[cpl_crud]

The probelm is you're plugging a mic into a line input.
Compared to line level, a mic signal is very low (about 20dB down as a general rule).
Therefore, plugging a mic into a line input will yeild very, very low signal.
If you want ot use a microphone, you need to plug it into the XLR inputs on the mg10/2. Those inputs have a "preamp" that brings the mic signal up to line level.

You can use either the RCA record outs or the main outputs to go to the line in of your computer.
I'd take the RCA route- that way you can use the main outs (1/4" on hte MG10/2 i think) to run monitors or somethign similar.

 

[Joepie]

The probelm is you're plugging a mic into a line input.
Compared to line level, a mic signal is very low (about 20dB down as a general rule).
Therefore, plugging a mic into a line input will yeild very, very low signal.
If you want ot use a microphone, you need to plug it into the XLR inputs on the mg10/2. Those inputs have a "preamp" that brings the mic signal up to line level.

You can use either the RCA record outs or the main outputs to go to the line in of your computer.
I'd take the RCA route- that way you can use the main outs (1/4" on hte MG10/2 i think) to run monitors or somethign similar.

Nono, that's not right, the line inputs on channels 1-4 will work fine for your mic. The gain knob determines how much the signal gets amplified by the pre-amp. You want this knob turned as high as you can get it without clipping the signal (this is when the little red light marked 'peak' flickers).

The meters on the right will show you the output levels of the mixer. They have nothing to do with the input of your mic, but only show how your master level is set.

BTW, this is all explained very clearly in the manual.

 

[cpl_crud]

http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/products/mixers/mg10_2/pdf/block_mg102.pdf

That's the block diagram for the MG10/2
Whilst the Mic and line inputs feed into the same opamp, they are at different levels, as clearly noted on the diagram
(Personally, I think that's a pretty silly idea, you're effectively copmressing the dynamic range of your pre by forcing it to do that).

However, you have the metering issue correct- if the master faders is down, then you won't get anything showing on the meters.
Turn the level knobs on the channels that you're using and the ST knob to 12 oclock and see if you're getting anything then

 

[iceyflame]

OK I've got it working but I'm just wondering now if there's any difference from plugging my mic in the 'line in' or the mono input next to it? I did some tests but they seem to have the same levels.

 

[cpl_crud]

The inputs marked "mono" are line inputs, however those channels can be stereo channels is you need them to be.
If you're only using them as mono channels, then you plug your input into the mono jack.