I'm the New Guy

T

Take Two

New member
I used to be a radio guy back in the 70's and 80's. I spent a lot of time flying airplanes once I discovered that the days of actually picking my own music were over. We used 1/4 inch tape on 10 inch reels, and life was good. Now, I have to play catch-up with the new way of doing things.

Recently, I was laid off from my jet job (like thousands of other pilots, since September 11th) and I'm going to start doing voice overs again. I did a little of this a couple of years ago, but it interfered with my flying. Now, I'm working with a coach in NYC, and getting ready for recording a new demo, too.

Here's why I'm here. I just spent over eight hours on the net checking out home studio stuff. The idea is to get scripts from casting directors and record my audition at home, and make an MP3 copy to send back to the agency. An announcer friend told me to get Cool Edit Pro. Fine. I can handle the $250. I found an inexpensive condenser mic (Behringer B 1) and a preamp (ART tube type). Now, I have to get the output into the PC. It's a 700 Mhz Win 98 with 128 mb ram, and a standard SoundBlaster PCI 128 sound card. I somehow doubt that this funky card that came with my computer will do anything close to handle the new equipment that I am considering. The Sound Blaster website has some exotic card technology that I don't fully understand.

What is the best way to go about this? Am I on the right track? Is there a good cheap card to use to connect to the preamp?

Your comments are welcome. I don't need to be at the top of the recording wave here, I just need some decent voice recording/MP3 capability.

Thanks for reading.
 
An Audiophile 24/96 would do the trick. You can usually pick one up off ebay below retail.
Your system is a little on the slow side but for voice overs you should be fine. And Cool edit will work for your situation just fine as well. The Audiophile will out-perform the SB anyday with 24bit quality.
 
Thanks for the tip.

One thing I have noticed is that there is really no standard way of connecting things like mic preamps to soundcards.

For example: for my preamp, I'm looking at the ART line (I like the idea of having a nice warm tube in the circuit) and I see that it says in the specs that they use an XLR balanced output. Well, if I was going into a device that had XLR inputs, the I'd have no problem. Instead, the Audiophile 2496 has a MIDI adapter with some RCA female plugs (coax digital?) and some panel mount RCA jacks for balanced analog input.

Would I use a standard XLR mic cord from the preamp and adapt down to the RCA's for the soundcard? I never had to deal with such a different set of inputs in an older studio or radio station. Why is this considered "normal" now? Is there a reason that ART doesn't just provide RCA outs for a phono cord to the soundcard?

I have a similar situation if I choose a MIA MIDI card. In this case, I'm using 1/4 inch plugs. Do I simply buy a special cord with an XLR at one end and a 1/4 inch phone plug at the other, or go to radio shack and buy adapters again?

Once again, your comments are appreciated.
 
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You would need an XLR to RCA adapter.

Instead of the audiphile you might consider a M-Audio mobile pre, M-Audio duo, or an Edirol UA-5. That gets you a better soundcard and your preamps and just connects to the PC via the USB. Then if you really want a tube in the signal chain get a tube mic instead of that behringer.
 
Then if you really want a tube in the signal chain get a tube mic instead of that behringer.
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I'm not familiar with the term "tube mic". I recall from years ago that many engineers preferred the tube power supply used by the old Neumann mics. Is a tube mic something different?

I had been attracted to the Behringer because it is a condenser mic with a low price, and got some good user reviews. Can you suggest another $100 alternative?


M-Audio mobile pre, M-Audio duo, or an Edirol UA-5. That gets you a better soundcard
Click to expand...

Is there a good site where I can check out these pieces, and see how I would assemble them into a working system?

Thanks!!
 
Thanks.

It's taking a lot of work here for me to get caught up. I've spent several hours reading Harvey's mic lesson, the one that started three years ago? Wow.

I have also done some reading in other threads, and some posters are saying that the tube in the ART preamp is just there to distort the signal to give it "warmth" by using a starved plate circuit.

Is there an inexpensive preamp that gives me a cleaner, unaltered signal?
 
i work and audiotion vo artists every week

Hey - I do radio, sound for picture, design and mix here in the loop- -

Check out the Rode NT1 for a good value Condensor mic -

Definetly get a recording interface with XLR inputs and phantom power so you can use you mic and seriously if you get going and can afford it get an Ntelos Xepher box, which will allow you to do remote sessions with people like me from your home while in your bath robe (like a few "VO" stars do).

lD
 
Take Two said:

I had been attracted to the Behringer because it is a condenser mic with a low price, and got some good user reviews. Can you suggest another $100 alternative?
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Marshall V67g and Studioprojects B1 are popular choices. I don't know how they compare to the behringer though.
 
here in the loop
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Is that "loop" as in Chicago?

I expect to go ISDN with the zephyr box down the road a year or two, but that will be in a different home, and with pro tools on a Mac.

:D
 
Thats what makes Chicago great. Daley (as his pa did) makes great things that don't make immediate financial sense happen, but becasue of that we have some great s?it here.

It does suck - a friend was about to fly up here from VA. I live in walking distance to Meig's so it would have been great. but... hey now .. the man needs a park to name after his wife!



lD -
 
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