pre amp even needed??

[WEBCYAN]

I was about to go out and buy a pre amp, but i started thinking, why do i even need one?

Cant I just hook the mic right up to the sound card.?
Im not even sure what a preamp is used for...

 

[bizarre]

nope, anyway no soundcard that I know of
The preamp is for raising the level without noise. I've just bought one, if I raised the mic signal through my mackie mixer it was very noizy
bizz

 

[Track Rat]

Well, it depends. If your sound card has a built in mic pre you don't "need" another one but I'd venture a guess that if it does it ain't a great one. If the inputs are line level you definately need one. If you'd like decent quality recordings you need one. If you use condensor mics which require phantom power you need one. Half way decent mic pre's are getting so affordable, the reasons for not getting one are getting smaller and smaller.

 

[WEBCYAN]

well i might get one then.

bizzare, I CAN hook my mic to my sound card. I just use a jack adapter.

There is an option on my volume menu that lets me check a box for "microphone boost".
when i have it checked the sound is louder, but not too much.

how much does a *very* cheap but effective preamp cost?

 

[chessrock]

M-Audio DMP-2 for a couple hundred. Cheap, but surprizingly clean.

A.R.T. MPs can be had for a about $100.

 

[skaltpunk]

get a pre, it will help warm your sound as well as raise the gain.

 

[bizarre]

bizzare, I CAN hook my mic to my sound card. I just use a jack adapter.

well so can I, and my soundcard is one of the better ( at least in my opinion ) still I'm glad I bought a pre
bizz

 

[shackrock]

suer can

That's all i used to do - mics directly into the soundcard, with adapters as neccisary. Didn't come out too bad, even with a radioshack 30 dollar mic!

Now i got myself a 4-track, i use it as a mic preamp, and i can still tell the difference. so if you got the money to spare, i'd get one.