Sony cassette recorder and microphone attachment with out pre amp

  • Thread starter Thread starter Geno
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Geno

New member
I was wondering if anyone might know this please.
I have a Sony TC-FX707R
And I want to buy a used SHURE pg58 microphone

Can I pug it straight into the deck for recording my acoustic guitar practice?
Or do I need to get a pre amp?

Thank you very much
Best regards
Geno
 
You can plug the PG58 into the Sony but you will need to have an XLR to 1/4" adapter or cable. The PG58-QTR comes with the proper cable. It should be wired Pin 2 of the XLR to tip, and Pin 3 to the sleeve.

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The mic inputs of the Sony are low Impedance with a sensitivity of .25mV. The PG58 is low impedance, and 2.2mV, so you should be able to get a decent level. The PG58 works because it's a dynamic mic, not a condenser, which would need 48V phantom power.
 
Thank you very much
Really appreciate it

Wish you the best

Gp
 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soundlab-G132C-Microphone-Matching-Transformer/dp/B000KH7RQ8

Better in my HO to go for one of the above (the one with the plug on a cable) for a couple of reasons,
It does a 'proper job' of unbalancing the mic very close to the input jack thus allowing any sensible mic cable length (100mtrs nay bother)
Then it give a few, about 12-15dB, voltage gain and will improve the noise performance of the deck.

Do be aware that one mi c will only give you ONE track! Left or right. You might like to investigate small mixers?

Dave.
 
If he's just recording his guitar practices, I think he'll be fine with just the mic and cable. I doubt that he'll be practicing more than a few feet away from the deck. Certainly not a football field away!

Once he figures out that it would be cool to add multiple parts, then he can look at either getting an interface to use with his computer, or one of the many handy recorders. Then he can get a couple of more mics (4 or 5 more is about right), some stands, a pair of monitors, another guitar or 3 (because they all sound different), and some treatment for the room sound.

That's how this all starts out.... 😜
 
TalismanRich said:
If he's just recording his guitar practices, I think he'll be fine with just the mic and cable. I doubt that he'll be practicing more than a few feet away from the deck. Certainly not a football field away!

Once he figures out that it would be cool to add multiple parts, then he can look at either getting an interface to use with his computer, or one of the many handy recorders. Then he can get a couple of more mics (4 or 5 more is about right), some stands, a pair of monitors, another guitar or 3 (because they all sound different), and some treatment for the room sound.

That's how this all starts out.... 😜
Click to expand...
Sorry Rich but I can't agree. Running a dynamic mic into even a pretty good, modern interface is very challenging with acoustic guitar. A hissy old Sony cassette pre? No chance! I have been there with dymos into a Teac A3440, why I bought a couple of those traff...

Even a cheap Behrry mixer will be a revelation. Balanced mic inputs with decent gain and low noise plus PAN! So he will get two tracks. Most lil' mixers have RCA in and out for the Sony.

I DO agree an interface is far and away the best solution (still going to struggle for gain) and the deck can be used to add "mojo" should the fancy take him.

Dave.
 
Thanks a lot Dave and Rich
You guys are great
Take care
Gp
 
Geno said:
Thanks a lot Dave and Rich
You guys are great
Take care
Gp
Click to expand...
You are very welcome Geno and I hope I did not cause you any confusion? (I have been known to go on a bit!)
Do keep us informed of your progress and post a clip of your recording as soon as you can. 20-30 seconds MP3 (at 320k if you can) attached is the most useful format for me.

Don't be shy! Nobody expects you to be Eric Clapton!

Dave.
 
Loads of us started with a cassette recorder and one mic - I remember my first Sony and Shure microphone - a 545 in my case. I got some cracking recordings and surprised myself. You learn loads by just trying things.
 
rob aylestone said:
Loads of us started with a cassette recorder and one mic - I remember my first Sony and Shure microphone - a 545 in my case. I got some cracking recordings and surprised myself. You learn loads by just trying things.
Click to expand...
Oh! I totally agree Rob, son started with a cassette* then the A3440. But that was then and I grew up with AM radio and Dansette record players. FM radio was a revelation as was BBC2 sound and later NICAM.

Now we have CD quality and I just want our OP to be aware of the limitations of his gear and the, not so expensive, alternatives.

*I did rather better earlier on as I had access to Brenell and Ferrograph HS machines and built a 4 channel mic pre amp...Radio spares input transformers!

Just FYI. I was lucky to be interested in electronics from about 14 and built my first 30W bass amp (2xKT66) at age about 16. The mixer used ECC83s and the valve heaters strung in series and fed from a 50V DC supply IIRC. Low voltage regulated supplies were yet to become an economically viable solution!

Dave.
 
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I'm going to make an assumption here (maybe totally off base), but if the OP is getting a used PG58 then this is probably his first foray into recording and the cassette deck is already in the picture. Recording practice sessions could be for submission to a music teacher, or just to gauge ability and progress, not for public posting.

I started out much the same with a Shure Unidyne B 515 and a cheap Ross cassette. The 515 was the vocal mic I used in the band, but I found out that I could make those typical dreadful recordings with it by soldering together an adapter. There was no 3340 or mixer in the picture then as it was back in 68-69.

Were I to start out today, I would most likely look at something like a Tascam DR05x or Zoom H1 Essential for a minimum starting point. $100 and you're in with stereo and 32bit recording. Find a used H4n or DR40X for $100-120 and you've got 4 channel multitracking, and worlds better quality that what I had for $1000 in 1974. Of the money is there, then a basic interface and good mic is the ticket. Heck, one of those Chinese KETS 103 clones into a Berry U202HD would work nicely.

But we learn on what we have. I'm not spending the money after all! :giggle:
 
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