I'm recording with an sm57 but it isn't very sensitive

  • Thread starter Thread starter myhatbroke
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What are you recording into?

Have you considered that your problem might be caused by the demise of metal?

Seriously, if the pre's on the interface are not your problem (and they should not be as everyone has been saying, i intuit, is that you are recording to the PC and you have something set up wrong with your interface's control panel or recording software. Look for a +4/-10 setting somewhere, or high/lo gain button, or a mic/line swiotch or somehting similiar.

Daav
 
TravisinFlorida said:
I remember some Presonus Firebox or Inspire owners complaining about not having enough gain when using an sm57.
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Interesting. I would be surprised of any FW/USB interfaces today not being able to put out enough gain for any mic, but I've only encountered a handful of them. (not the Lexicon) I suppose it could be the case that they're just low quality mic-pres that can't put out enough gain.

However, before you spend money on a new interface/mixer/mic-pre, I would do some cable/mic trouble shooting. It can't hurt, and it's always better to zone in on exactly where the problem is.
 
daav said:
Have you considered that your problem might be caused by the demise of metal?
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:D :D :D .......................10 character requirement
 
Lexicon sometimes incorporate an input level switch at the back +4db or -10db for balanced or unbalanced connections.
 
orson198305 said:
Lexicon sometimes incorporate an input level switch at the back +4db or -10db for balanced or unbalanced connections.
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He is using the mic input and that interface has the converter in it. There won't be any -10/+4 switch.
 
The Lexican Lamda Preamps only have +40 dB of gain; the Shure SM57 requires about +55dB of gain. Simple solution; run the two Lexicon preamps in series. Take the output of Preamp One and run it into the input of Preamp Two.
 
orson198305 said:
Lexicon sometimes incorporate an input level switch at the back +4db or -10db for balanced or unbalanced connections.
Click to expand...

+4dBu and -10dBu are two different line level references. That shouldn't affect a mic level signal. Now if you're plugging in your mic to an XLR line level source, that could be your problem. I suppose there could be an input switch on the Lexicon where you have to designate mic level.

Also, balanced/unbalanced is a seperate issue from +4dBu/-10dBu
 
Harvey Gerst said:
The Lexican Lamda Preamps only have +40 dB of gain; the Shure SM57 requires about +55dB of gain. Simple solution; run the two Lexicon preamps in series. Take the output of Preamp One and run it into the input of Preamp Two.
Click to expand...

If he takes a line out from preamp one, and then routes that line level signal into the mic input of preamp two, he'll be seriously over driving the signal. I think that would be overcompensating a lot. It's usually not a good idea to run a line level signal into a mic pre.


Also, I didn't see Farview's post until after I responded regarding the +4/-10 issue. Didn't mean to step on your toes buddy.
 
timboZ, just read your signature, nice. Made me laugh.
 
RAK said:
If he takes a line out from preamp one, and then routes that line level signal into the mic input of preamp two, he'll be seriously over driving the signal. I think that would be overcompensating a lot. It's usually not a good idea to run a line level signal into a mic pre.
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I agree with this. It might not work out so well.


Is there a PAD on your Lexicon interface? I have a Lexicon Omega sitting here, and I see a 20 dB pad on the back. I am wondering if that is the problem. The sm57 should be fine through that interface.
 
jimmy2sticks said:
I agree with this. It might not work out so well.


Is there a PAD on your Lexicon interface? I have a Lexicon Omega sitting here, and I see a 20 dB pad on the back. I am wondering if that is the problem. The sm57 should be fine through that interface.
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You go out of the line out of the first channel into the line in of the second. That will give you the added 15db of gain to make the 57 work.
 
Farview said:
You go out of the line out of the first channel into the line in of the second. That will give you the added 15db of gain to make the 57 work.
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That would add another gain stage, but depending on the routing in the software, you could potentially create some funky signal paths. Basically you'd need to have 1 track in your software set to Mic 1 input and Line 1 output, connect a cable from Line 1 out to Line 2 In, and then create a second track set to Line 2 In that you actually record to. Unless the Lexicon has it's own software routing, then you can do it through that, rather than the recording software.
 
RAK said:
If he takes a line out from preamp one, and then routes that line level signal into the mic input of preamp two, he'll be seriously over driving the signal. I think that would be overcompensating a lot. It's usually not a good idea to run a line level signal into a mic pre.
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Run the SM57 into Channel 1 mic input. Take Channel 1 Line Out, and run it into Channel 2 Line In. That's good for another 12 dB of gain, without overload. Line Out of Channel 2 gets recorded, total gain = +52 dB.

Where's the problem?
 
Harvey Gerst said:
The Lexican Lamda Preamps only have +40 dB of gain; the Shure SM57 requires about +55dB of gain. Simple solution; run the two Lexicon preamps in series. Take the output of Preamp One and run it into the input of Preamp Two.
Click to expand...

Originally, you said to run Line out of Preamp one into the input of preamp two. I think RAK and I understood it this way. Preamp means Mic input or Mic level. Line levels don't need preamps.

You are correct Harvey, running line out of input one to line in of input two will not cause the problem we were talking about.
 
RAK said:
That would add another gain stage, but depending on the routing in the software, you could potentially create some funky signal paths.
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Uh, the Lexicon pre only has +40 dB of gain - so, he needs another stage of amplification to hit 0 with a Shure 57. And from what I've seen of the PDF on the Lexicon, it's a stand-alone, dual channel mic/line preamp. A simple TRS line out to line in cable should do it.
 
Okay Harvey, what I meant by "this would add another gain stage" is that this would add another gain stage, as in, this is a good thing, as in he needs more gain, and what you suggested would do this, so it was a good idea, I was agreeing with you. All I meant was you have to make sure you're routing correctly in the software.
 
jimmy2sticks said:
Line levels don't need preamps.
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Then why does the Lexicon "Line In" have a gain control that can give you an additional +12 dB of gain? If that ain't a preamp, what is? :confused:

But, yes, I'm sorry about the confusion, due to my poor wording; cascading pres is an old studio trick, going back to the days of ribbon mics in the 40's. :D
 
Harvey Gerst said:
Then why does the Lexicon "Line In" have a gain control that can give you an additional +12 dB of gain? If that ain't a preamp, what is? :confused:
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I always think of the Preamp as Mic level. But you are right, adding +12 dB of gain on the Line In makes it a Preamp...I stand corrected. haha.

Something funny too - on the PDF for the Omega, it doesn't show a 20 dB Pad, however, I have one right here and there is one for both mic inputs 1 and 2...hmmm?? :confused:
 
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