MobilePre issues

[kedhegard]

Hi, I am completely new here. I looked through the forum but didn't see this issue exactly, so I thought I'd ask for help, and I definitely appreciate any advice from you guys.

I have a MobilePre usb preamp that doesn't seem to do it's job. It just doesn't produce any volume! I have it hooked into my macbook pro, and have an MXL mic on the other end. At first, knowing the issues with mbp usb power, I thought maybe the MobilePre just wasn't drawing enough juice to phantom power the mic. So I got a Nady two channel dedicated phantom power box. Even with that in-line (mic-nady-mobilepre-macbook), the volume is extremely quiet. I am really at my wit's end here.

I'm just looking to do a little home recording and podcasting, nothing major, but there must be something simple I'm missing. I have a picture of my setup here (can't post pictures until I have 5 posts) picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cAgEsWmb3098aXuwaWZd0w6UQZVYXtb0kbbm1Q_PgSw?feat=directlink

Again, thanks for ANY suggestions.

Kim

 

[Shadow_7]

There are gain knobs on the front. There's also software mixer levels that need to be set. I'm generally 25% - 50% on the knob and 80% on the software. HTH. also with a mobile pre. If your mic has a pad switch, that could also account for -10dB at the source if it's ON, turn it OFF.

 

[kedhegard]

Even with the gain all the way up, and the software gain up as well, no sound.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Have you selected the appropriate channel of the MobilePre as the input in your recording software? Leave all the software level controls at their default positions (0dB).

By the way, that is a side address mic, not axial address. In your picture it's aimed 90° away from the pop filter.

 

[Shadow_7]

Heh. Didn't even see the pic reference. How is it plugged into the mobile pre? XLR or TRS. TRS for channel 1 is on the front of the mobile pre. Given that the channel 2 knob is all the way down in the picture. But you should be on the XLR connector if you want to run it through the mobile pre's preamps. If you're using the TRS one (1/4" stereo jack looking one), then you're bypassing the preamps as it expects LINE level, not mic level.

 

[Shadow_7]

On the software side of things, there are levels for playback, and then there are levels for recording. iirc, Windows by default only shows you the playback channels, you have to do some funky selection things to get to the recording settings. But I haven't really run windows since 2002. And I don't miss the nag screens one bit.

 

[kedhegard]

I'm using a Macbook Pro, so when I plug in the MobilePre, it recognizes it right away and switches the input in GarageBand automatically.

I'm running the microphone into the MobilePre using the channel 1 XLR input on the back, after running it through the Nady phantom power box.

Microphone - phantom power - MobilePre (XLR input 1) - Macbook Pro

 

[kedhegard]

Bouldersoundguy, how do you access that menu for the MobilePre on a Mac? That may be what's going wrong here, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Shadow_7]

Do you have the same volume issue without the nady phantom power, using the mobile pre's power?

When I got mine(used) it had a bum USB cable, not that that's your issue. But if things are weird, that's a possibility.

 

[kedhegard]

Got mine used too, but it didn't come with a usb cable. Mine works with other peripherals, and powers the mobilepre just fine. This thing just will not cooperate.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Bouldersoundguy, how do you access that menu for the MobilePre on a Mac? That may be what's going wrong here, thanks for the suggestion!

The manual for the original version is here. According to it the menu is found in the bottom row of the System Preferences panel.