newbie with new equipment that isn't working

[neminem]

It lives! (i.e. I figured it out. I now hear the input loud and clear, and am going to start recording.)

Hopefully my room back home is less noisy than my room in the dorm, though... cause I've got access to a soundproofed practice room here, but not when I go back home for break.

 

[jkokura]

You should go into your line in on your soundcard first of all, and are you sure you're using the right cords? you can't use a TS 1/4" to a TRS 1/8" and expect it will work perfectly, or vice versa (it might, but it might not). First make sure your pre's getting the sound right (use headphones to make sure your signal path works). If it doesn't, follow the signal path...change each peace one at a time - you mic, your cords, your pre, yoru cords, your card, your drivers, your program, your output, your speakers. If it all works individually but doesn't work together, you're trying to do something your computer won't let you - and in that case you might be in some trouble!

Jacob

 

[seryozha]

I would def. make sure that in Cakewalk it is set to WDM and that the correct input is selected.

I havent used Cakewalk i a while but at least in cubase, you have to select the inputs you want to use. I think there is a "Autosetup" thinga-majig in cakewalk to test your recording capabilities...see if you can find that.


Okay...well i realize the above is practically of no use since i could iterate what was in my mind...but i hope it helps.

 

[gordone]

Are you using a cable with XLR plugs on BOTH ends for the microphone? You're not using an XLR->1/4" from the mic to the mixer?

I was Computer Science too! I graduated in 1999. Good luck!

 

[neminem]

Are you using a cable with XLR plugs on BOTH ends for the microphone? You're not using an XLR->1/4" from the mic to the mixer?

Correct. The Eurorack has two XLR ports, those being the ones phantom power can be supplied to.

Oh, and Jacob: any way to test the components independently, given that I only have the one condenser mic, the one preamp, the one each of XLR and TS cables, etc.?

And it's not just Cakewalk - I did a quick test just using the built-in windows sound recorder. Still no input. In fact, I'm guessing that it's not even a problem with anything beyond the mixer, as there's a little clump of leds on the mixer that seems like it should light up when it's being given a signal, and no such signal is being given. Could it just be a problem with the mic cable? If so, is there any way to test that short of going and buying another mic cable?

 

[altitude909]

Drop a c note on a real soundcard since you are venturing into "stock/soundblaster" recording problem territory. You should be going record out (that is unbalanced RCA) to Stereo 1/8" - the kind u use for connecting a CD player to a component system. The main outs on that mixer are most likely balanced TRS which is a no-no for plugging into a stereo input

 

[neminem]

It works! Thanks for the attempts at helping, anyway, but turns out the reason was because my mic input on the computer end needed to be turned up all the way. Don't know why - the same sound card, on the output side of things, needs to be turned almost to 0, or you risk getting your eardrums blown out... but whatever. It works now, and sounds awesome! I officially love MXL, now, for making a mic that sounds fairly professional for... I think I got it for like 50 bucks?

So yeah. This thread no longer serves any purpose.

 

[TimOBrien]

Step 1:

Immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...ce&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance

 

[jkokura]

Correct. Oh, and Jacob: any way to test the components independently, given that I only have the one condenser mic, the one preamp, the one each of XLR and TS cables, etc.?

It would be a good idea to borrow somebody else's if you can, or see if you can test the cable using a cable tester...

jacob