I think I just have a crappy sound card, i need a cheap pre-amp!

[signal2112]

I'm pissed off! i just bought an airhole pickup for my acoustic guitar at my local music shop, in hopes the pickup would have strong enough signal to be able to use my line-in on my isa soundbaster 16, to get rid of the picking and background noise.
I plugged it in and to my dismay, aaaagh! not strong enough!!!! yes, i guess i need a pre-amp of some kind.
maybe in the future i can get one of those mackie 1202's i see that are very popular,
but for now i don't have the almost $400 to spend.
can anyone recomend a pre-amp i can use to up the signal enough to use my stupid guitar and maybe a microphone in my line in? i don't imagine it would take that much of a divice to achive this? and if i had a good card like a delta44/gina would the line-in sensativity improove where i wouldn't need a pre-amp?

thank you

 

[nodark]

I came to the conclusion that I need a good preamp as well and am considering on getting either the mx602a($80) or mx802a($120)behringer mixer. They both have preamps(2 on the 602, 4 on the 802)built in plus you'll be able use it for more than just the preamps. The Delta cards don't have preamps built onto 'em so your signal shouldn't be improved any.

btw, the prices are from www.musiciansfriend.com

 

[AlChuck]

There's also the MX1604A (much like the 802A but with 4 more channels) for around $190. I have had mine for only a couple of weeks and have not had much chance to record much through it but a test of my mic through one of its preamps was very encouraging -- clear as a bell and quiet as the bottom of the sea.

Or you could go the preamp-only route with something like the ART TubeMP (around $100) or any of the many others in the sub-$200 range from JoeMeek, Presonus, Midiman, etc.

 

[signal2112]

wow, what would I do without this bb?
thanks for the replys.
you mentoned one thing i was wondering about.. preamps and mixers, the noise they can potentialy create in the recording.
are most of them generally quiet,
or are some worse than others?

is the mx1604a still available at musicians friend? i looked in a curent issue and diddn't see it. maybe i just missed it?

 

[James HE]

I have a Crate CA P1 that is a preamp for acoustic guitars and it also has a mic pre amp (1 rack space). The Mic pre is noisy noisy, the acoustic pre amp is quite good though. It has high, low, a notch fiter, and chorus. I used it with my old washburn, but now I have a Fender with a better pre amp and I don't use it anymore (plus I have a nice condensor mic ). They don't make it anymore, But on the off chance you wanna buy mine for $50 it's yours! It might help to bring out that transducer. There are probably some far better pre's for acoustics, you might get some use out of this one though.

-jhe

 

[T.J.Hooker]

Try for a tube preamp for that extra warmth that's lost in digital recording. Once you get your preamp.You might try using a mic such as an SM-57 or such too record the acoustic for a more ambient sound.Also,I don't know what style pick you have,but a thin pick gives alot of unwanted snappin'.That has been my experience anyway