I just bought an MXL 990

[derekcnelson]

...and I need help troubleshooting by some people who know more than me.

Out of the box, I plugged it in through a mic cable and got an adapter so that it would plug directly into my microphone input on my computer. I do the whole "test hardware" thing and the computer barely recognizes the sounds produced from the microphone, even when I turn it all the way up. I go into a program like sonar or acid and if you turn everything all the way up, you can faintly hear the track.

Does anyone know what I am doing wrong? Could the mic possibly be defective? Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I just threw down $100 on this and I'm a starving college student.

 

[chessrock]

You need a mic preamp or a mixer.

 

[Tadpui]

Yeah, you're going to need a preamp and a phantom power supply. Both are usually housed in the average standalone preamp or the average mixer.

Just out of curiosity, where did you buy your MXL 990 from? $100 is pretty steep for one of those. Musician's Friend sells them (exclusively, I thought) for like $60 or $70. If you want to go through the hassle, I'd return it and buy it from MF.com and save yourself $30 or $40. I know that money would be good stuff for a poor college student Put it towards a mixer or preamp!

 

[distortedrumble]

your computer mic input produces 2 volts of power....the mxl 990 takes 48v better known as phantom power

 

[elementary]

they're unpopular around here, but you can pick up small behringer mixers with mic preamps and phantom power for aout £40 UK which is about $80 US. They would do the job. try the UB802.

 

[distortedrumble]

the behringer is $49 here..maybe less

 

[derekcnelson]

i did buy from musicians friend for around 60$. but factor in cables and a stand and the adapter and such, and it was around 100$.

 

[distortedrumble]

well i mean this in the nicest possible sense....how much more are you willing to spend? your going to need a phantom power supply whether it be on a standalone preamp or a mixer. on a brighter note, once you get that then you can run it into the direct in on your computer. and that would work. its what i did

 

[distortedrumble]

this will work (its what i have)
http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-BEH-UB802.html $49.99
this is better
http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-YAM-MG102.html $99.99
another possibility
http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-MII-ABO.html $79.99

and another thing...sign up for ascap. its free and you get a 5% discount at www.musiciansfriend.com

 

[derekcnelson]

for the first one, is there anything else i would need to buy? power supplies or anything?

 

[distortedrumble]

no it comes with its own power supply...you might want to get an xlr instead of a 1/4 cable though

 

[elementary]

you'll need a cable to plug the mixer into the computer. a phone to 3.5mm jack should work i think.

 

[cellardweller]

and another thing...sign up for ascap. its free and you get a 5% discount at www.musiciansfriend.com

Am I correct, in that all I need do to qualify to register with ascap is post a song in the MP3 clinic? Would that be considered a "public" performance? Internet is listed!

 

[scrubs]

Am I correct, in that all I need do to qualify to register with ascap is post a song in the MP3 clinic? Would that be considered a "public" performance? Internet is listed!

I think so. BMI let me join and I have no musical ability, whatsoever!

 

[Ritual]

I think so. BMI let me join and I have no musical ability, whatsoever!

What are ascap and BMI? What is this registration you are talking about and what benefits does it have?


As per OP - I bought the Behringer UB802 ($50) and am kicking myself in the butt for not going for the Yamaha MG10/2 ($100.) The ub802 has 2 xlr inputs (w/ phantom/preamp) while the MG10/2 has four. I now want to mic a drum kit and am sort of screwed because I only have 2 inputs. But the behringer purchase was originally made because I was trying to do exactly what the OP is trying to do and the cost of the mixer was only slightly more for what I would have paid for adapters/cables to run a mic into the line-in on the soundcard. To go from the mixer to the computer I used an adapter that connected the RCA jacks on the tape out of the mixer to 1/8" stereo miniplug line in on the computer. Kinda cheesy but hey.... I'm financially strapped.

 

[Mustafa Salaam]

Go to www.ascap.com infidel.