Help With Recording

[mitosis]

Hi, I'm a guitarist in a band that wants to do recording. We mainly play ska/jazz songs with drums, guitar, bass, brass, and vocals. I have been recording periodically for a while using some not so good equipment.

For mics I have been using the following:
-one Shure SM57
-one Shure PG58
-two AKG D8000S
-four CAD drum mics (KM 212, SN 210, and two TM 211s)

From there I run the mics into a Yamaha EMX66M powered mixer (600 watts) and then run a cable with RCA plugs on one end and a 1/8'' plug on the other from the "REC OUT" output into my Creative SoundBlaster Audigy 2 sound card's "LINE IN."

I then run another same type of cable from my sound card's "LINE OUT" into a ONKYO stereo amplifier with Philips Aluminum Cone monitors attached.

I use KRISTAL audio engine to do recording with ASIO drivers from my sound card. (This program is shareware so this might be affecting something...I don't know)

My problem is that when recording, I can never get a truly quiet signal and there always seems to be a low buzz or hum. I think I have isolated this problem to my mixer and not my mics, sound card, or monitors. Is this becuase my powered mixer's preamps aren't good enough? Is it making too much electrical noise?

Also, what should I do (add or take away) to this set up to get better sound quality with out costing me a fortune? I really want to get a M-Audio 2496 once I get the money. Is there a inexpensive mixer (under $150) that will give me decent sound?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.

-Nick

 

[NYMorningstar]

The low buzz or hum could be electrical interference coming from the circuit you have everything plugged into. It could be from a bad ground in any of your appliances, could be from neon or florescent lighting or it could be from your computer monitor. Could be one of the guitar amps. It could be from something as simple as crossing an electrical cord at a 90 degree angle over one of your speaker wires(happens alot). I'd isolate that problem before buying anything. If it is the mixer, I'd get a good used one for now until I can afford a good new one.

 

[rayc]

Powered mixers often have associated noise. Fluro lights, appliances, plumbing, amp hum, monitor colouration, flatulance all ahve a part to play. I must admit taht a truly quiet signal is something I've not attempted so I can't offer any real direction. Sorry
Cheers
rayC