Newbie questions on Porta02 MKII

[TradCountry]

Just received from MF;it is my first 4 tracker.I was surprised to see it lacks XLR inputs.(Bummer!)I assumed XLR's would be a standard feature on any recorder above the very cheapest,portable kind.
Do I need to run my cheapie,Chinese (SM58 wannabes)low impedance dynamic mics through a mixer or preamp first and then run an XLR to 1/4" TRS cable from the mixer/preamp to the Porta02?
I tried taping electric guitar from an amp by setting the mic in front of the guitar amp and connecting the mic directly to the porta 02 via an XLR to 1/4" TRS cable(no transformer or anything just the cable)but I am forced (lack of sensitivity somewhere along the line)to raise the amp volume way too high and I am recording too much hiss from the amp.Is this likely at leastly partly an impedance mis-match problem?
Thanks,
Malcolm

 

[sloom]

That little machine has mic/line inputs, which means you can plug a dynamic mic right into it. You don't need another mixer (the Porta 02 is a mixer!), just sliide the switch to "Mic" on the input there. If you run a guitar, keyboard, etc into it, slide the switch to "Line".

Mic goes in> "Mic".
Line level in (not a mic)> "Line".

Done deal! And yes it's obvious, but that's what you go through when you're learning this stuff. Now you should be able to play your guitar at a reasonable volume.

You can get an adapter to go from xlr to 1/4" plugs at Radio Shack.

 

[Rimshot]

Another idea

I keep a whole lot of the very short (24") XLR to 1/4" cables around for just those instances. I have been to clubs where I had to run through the DJ's board and he only had RCA or 1/4" inputs. (I play for belly dancers and I have a small ATM headset mic permanently afixed to my doumbek). Those shorter cables are sometimes very useful in the studio to input to some of the peripherals.
I had the little portastudio and then I stepped up to the 424 mkII which had 4 XLR inputs on it. Then I stepped up to a digital DAW and also PowerMac based recording. You will learn a lot about recording if you start with something simple like that and gradually step up.
You'll never want to get rid of it, but you will outgrow it.