Newbie question about pre-amps

K

kid moses

New member
This is definitely a newbie question.. Even though I tried to read everything on the main pages, I'm still not sure about a few things.

I have a Sony ECM-909A microphone and I'm trying to record with it. When recording vocals, I just plug it into the soundcard's mic input, and it sounds fine.

Then when I try to mic my guitar amps, the problems begin. I've tried plugging it into my soundcard's (sblive platinum) mic 1 input and mic 2 input and line input. With mic 1 input, the result is really quiet. I have to normalize it and then, of course, all the background noise is multiplied too.

With mic 2 input (it's a 1/4" input) I can get it to be a little louder, but then I have to have the input level cranked and I don't think it's meant to be used that way.

So, stupid question, but when would I use a mic pre-amp?
Because recording vocals is no problem, I wouldn't need it for that, the volume level is fine. If I had a pre-amp I wouldn't plug the mic into the "mic 1", right? When is that basic computer mic input supposed to be used? My Sony mic clearly isn't meant to be plugged into the line-in without a pre-amp or something.
What happens if I plugged the pre-amp to "mic 1" and not line-in?

I'm not gonna buy a new soundcard, I'd just really appreciate it if you could explain in an easy way what is the right way to record with that kind of a mic.
 
I don't have an answer for you but I'm curious, I had a SB Live Value before buying a Darla24, and it had only an 1/8" jack.
I reduced the mic jack to 1/8" and recorded my amp directly into the card. Cheap mic, cheap card, but had no problems with levels.
What software are you using?
 
What do you mean directly? Without a pre-amp?
You're still micing the amp, right?

I don't know what I'm doing wrong then.. I thought a pre-amp would help with this. Did you plug it into the mic in jack or the line in jack?

Anyway, SBLive Platinum has that 1/4" jack on the front panel (the LiveDrive).

I'm using CoolEdit Pro.
 
pre amp

pre amps are used for lots of reasons. For pro setups they tend to have input level (gain), compression, phantom power etc, that we need for mics - especially for vocal work.

Im gathering your mic needs no phantom power and you are not concerned about compression for vocals. So therefore your only real need is for some type of input gain. I would suggest buying a mixer - just a little 4 channel mackie or whatever and then use the level on that. Most preamps at that price range are bad, and a mxier would fix yer problem with input level.

in saying that, a mixer is not the best choice, and neither is a SBLive with a "mic-input". for best results use a preamp like a focusrite and then a soundcard with analogue stereo ins or a digital in.
 
I plugged the mic I used at the amp into the mic jack of the SB. Sorry, what I meant by direct is that I didn't go thru a mixer, i.e., any kind of preamp.
This brings up a question in itself: I was running the same cheap mic (samson R11) without phantom power into the SB and it sounded as good as could be expected from this combination and worked fine when I bought the Darla and a Behringer 1604 with power (I hear it coming!). I just sold the Behringer to finance an upgrade to a Mackie so I tried running the mic thru the Darla with no power or preamp and it's producing the same muted signal you were talking about. Hmm, wonder what that's about?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top