I can ask anything?

[robjh22]

They said I could ask anything here, so here goes:

1. This SM-57 I bought, at the recommendation of everyone in the world, is not very sensitive. I sing, albeit quietly, and I play acoustic (steel string) into it and go DIRECTLY into the input of my Fostex. The tone is okay, but the product just seems too weak. )My little Akai AMC-10 mike, given away free with the Fostex, is much brighter and louder. The question is, am I supposed to go get a mike pre-amp for the SM 57 before going into the Fostex? Presumably this boosts the signal before it goes into the recorder, but there have to be little amplifiers in the Fostex already, so what does the mike pre-amp really accomplish? (P.S. -- I go out of the Fostex and into my very powerful stereo receiver to hear the result.)

2. The Fostex has a S/PDIF out, presumably to connect to a
computer sound card or CD burner with a S/PDIF input. In the first place, few sound cards except the very expensive ones have this input. That's okay, I'll get one if necessary, but what's the point? Is a pure digital signal coming out really advantageous? The point may be that that's the only way to get the signal to the computer, but I think you can go out of the headphone and/or the stereo out jacks if you really want. The S/PIDF out is there and I want to use it. Forget about looking in the manual, it does more than suck -- it blows. And sucks.

3. Is there a primer somewhere to explain how you send signals to the computer and save them? If not, tell me here. I can hook up the card and connect the wire S/PIDF out to S/PIDF in, but then what? I just want to save the audio file, somewhere on the computer, be able to convert it from WAV to mp3, and be able to send it to a friend or two. I don't want to buy cakewalk or some additional mixer software -- I got problems enough trying to make the product and mix it on the Fostex, though I will buy a cheap WAV to mp3 converter if that's what's in order.

4. Please answer the mike pre-amp question as it relates to acoustic guitar and voice ; I don't have or want a pickup on the guitar, but I'll do it if it's really necessary.

Thanks. I know these are ignorant questions. I am a quick study,
and I'll get smarter. Now I gotta go and try to find the on/off switch on my Fostex.

 

[Doug Quance]

My guess is that you need a preamp.

Others more familiar with your equipment may have a different solution.

 

[tomleblanc]

Yeah, you really need a decent pre-amp to get the really good stuff out of an SM-57 or 58. I noticed a HUGE difference when I added an M-Audio DMP3 to my signal chain...it made my SM-58 sound so much better! Check out the threads in the "Rack" forum about getting a DMP-3 at Guitar Center for $119. At that price it's a steal! It's an unbelievable pre-amp, even at it's typical price of $199.

By the way, what Fostex recorder do you have??? If it's the MR-8, transferring to computer is easy, using the USB output! If you have a VF80 or something like that, it's tougher, if at all possible, unfortunately.

 

[robjh22]

preamps and VF80

Thanks, Tom, I'll check them out. I read a little treatise
on mikes and preamps after I posted, and I'm a little smarter now. I notice you say "to get the good stuff out of 57's and 58's."
Do you mean that condenserrs, or more pricey dynamics, do not need or benefit as much from mike preamps?

Incidentally, I just did an experiment with my Martin and mike placements using the Akai and a flatpick (as opposed to the 57 and fingerstyle). What a difference! Every little thing helps, it seems.

Fostex model: sore point, man, sore point. I got the VF-80,
and for 2 reasons: built in CD burner and higher, much higher storage capacity. I just couldn't see the point of storing anything on those little flash cards. Now I am wondering if the MR 8 isn't the better machine, since it has the USB port and we all end up putting the product on the computer anyway. My S/PIDF port lets me export pure digital, but they don't tell you how to do it! It's like having a Ferrari but no keys. Well, that's a little dramatic, but I am quite frustrated at the momento. Presumably it'll all come together when I get a sound card with a S/PIDF input, and most of the better ones I'm pricing do have it.

P.S. Are you a Cajun? If so, we're probably related (Guidry's and Moreaus on both sides of my "tree." Thanks again.

 

[billisa]

VF80

Because the sm57 has a low output, you should get a preamp... As to the VF80, I can't imagine having an MR8 in its place. To me, the MR8's forte is extreme portability. But after that, I believe the VF80 is in a whole other class. The feel of each machine is totally different, but that's just my view.

The beauty of the VF80 is you can master great songs and put them on disk without ever leaving the machine. Plus, you can store song after song, while they are still being worked on, and still have plenty of room. I wonder if using the VF80's ability to backup to a wav file would help in transferring to a PC...

 

[Innovations]

well if your fostex has a built in CD burner that might be the most sensible way to get everything to the PC and have a backup of the original tracks at the same time. CDR media is dirt cheap.

 

[duck]

Musicmatch to convert Mp3s. Its free.
http://download.com.com/3000-2167-10020670.html?legacy=cnet

the VF80's ability to backup to a wav file would help in transferring to a PC

Only as a 2 track stereo. If you burned a Cd its already a 2 track stereo of all tracks. Of course you could burn a track at a time and Insert them into your recording software one at a time. If your mixing and Mastering on your Vf and dont plan on using software for mixing or effects, just copy the Cd to your hard drive then convert to Mp3.. If you want to mix or edit tracks on the computer then go spdif.

 

[Richard Monroe]

My man, you need a preamp. The SM57, and most other dynamic mics, don't produce a particularly hot signal. In order to get a hot enough signal into your Fostex with a dynamic, you have to crank it's cruddy pres, which does not sound good. Don't get me wrong I'm not down on your machine. Almost all standalones, including ones much more expensive than your VF-80 have cruddy pres. That also goes for my VS1824CD. If you sing quietly and use acoustic instruments, you will need condednser mics or an outboard pre. Personally, I would just buy a Studio Projects B-1 for about $80. It'll be good on guitar and at least usable on vocals. The SM57 will work with a cheap pre like a DMP3, but to make it sound like the amazing mic it is takes an amazing preamp, which does not come cheap. Good luck-Richie

 

[Innovations]

Musicmatch to convert Mp3s. Its free.
http://download.com.com/3000-2167-10020670.html?legacy=cnet


Only as a 2 track stereo. If you burned a Cd its already a 2 track stereo of all tracks. Of course you could burn a track at a time and Insert them into your recording software one at a time. If your mixing and Mastering on your Vf and dont plan on using software for mixing or effects, just copy the Cd to your hard drive then convert to Mp3.. If you want to mix or edit tracks on the computer then go spdif.

Yes, but only if his soundcard has a spdif input, which is hardly standard.

The fact is, right after making the tracks is a darn good time to make a backup. I don't think anybody is going to dispute that! So by dumping his raw tracks to the CD he is making a backup and having a way to transfer it to any PC for editing.

 

[billisa]

Yes, and I had thought...

Yes, but only if his soundcard has a spdif input, which is hardly standard.

The fact is, right after making the tracks is a darn good time to make a backup. I don't think anybody is going to dispute that! So by dumping his raw tracks to the CD he is making a backup and having a way to transfer it to any PC for editing.

I had thought the VF80, in making a wav. backup would be doing all tracks. I've never used this feature, so I'll have to recheck my manual. The FDMS3 backup on the Fostex definitely backs up all tracks, but is proprietary to Fostex.

 

[duck]

but is proprietary to Fostex.

Thats a fact. Only the Vf will be able to read the backup. You would have to convert to a Wave file in order for the computer to read it.
The Spdif out into your computer will end up a wave file. You have to match the computer format to the Vf format. In other words if it was recorded at 44.1Khz then the computer setting has to match it in your recording software.
A burned Cd on these Vf units will be a normal wave file at 44.1khz at 16bit.
You could burn a track at a time then copy it to the computer, but it would be a waste of time. If you want to Mix, edit or whatever on the computer you really need a spdif card or interface. They are a standardized soundcard without a snyth chip.
You will still only be able to transfer 2 tracks at a time with Spdif.

 

[billisa]

Why not just make a finished product on the VF80?

Having re-read the above posts, then the original, I'm wondering... After getting a preamp and setting yourself up mike wise, why not just do the whole rest of the shooting match on the VF80? It is capable of making phenomenal recordings without ever leaving the machine until you burn the CD. The VF80 has enormous capability, with the primary limitation being the user's desire to unpack all the possibilities. Just a thought.

 

[duck]

Why not just make a finished product on the VF80?

Good point! Unless you think you can make it better on a computer why leave the Vf. Other than more tracks or software effects.

 

[robjh22]

why leave the VF?

The last two posts are directed at me I think -- I agree there's no reason to leave the VF to make the final mix -- I just wanted to get the final product somehow on the computer for purpose of posting mp3's for friends and my adoring public. I now understand that the easiest way, for now, is to make the CD on the VF, then load the CD on the computer. I appreciate everyone getting me to that point.

That said . . . I don't think any of us has yet articulated why Fostex put the S/pidf port on the machine in the first place. Certainly technical service does not know. I asked them. I am trying to contact engineering to see what they had in mind. Or in the pipe they were smoking. Okay, I didn't say that. But none of us seems to be using the S/pidf port for anything. Ah -- a thought: I just realized that not all VF 80's have CD burners. They may have intended the port to be used to export to a digital recorder for backup. Still doesn't answer the question of how you actually do that, or why they didn't put USB ports instead.

Thanks again. You guys are literally helping me sleep better.

 

[billisa]

Re: why leave the VF?

Ah -- a thought: I just realized that not all VF 80's have CD burners. They may have intended the port to be used to export to a digital recorder for backup. Still doesn't answer the question of how you actually do that, or why they didn't put USB ports instead.

Thanks again. You guys are literally helping me sleep better.

Yes, in the manual it speaks about mastering to a separate digital recorder, using the spdif... that's probably the reason it was included.