trying to record, im on a mac powerbook and i just don't know what to do

[FreeShyne]

So i've been recording with the internal mic in the laptop (just for fun, i know quality wise its a joke) but i want to get better quality. So i got a cheap mic ATR 30 for like 30 bucks and because powerbooks have this audio line-in, i just got a small 4 dollar converter to conver the mics 1/4 inch prong into a 1/16 in prong so it will fit in my laptop.

THe problem is, my recording level is very low and the quality isnt that good. I can barely hear the recording even when in the input volume is at max. And i know thres got to be a better way to record than this little 1/16 in prong... Is it even possible to make good recordings on a mac?!?!


thank you so much if you can help.

 

[manning1]

the problem is the mic you bought needs to be plugged into a mic preamp
to bump up its level eg....
mic>>mic pre>>>line in of powerbook.
there are lots of mic pre's on the market .

 

[FreeShyne]

thanks for the reply manning, but after getting the amp will my quality be decent? or do i need to invest in a mixer and all that stuff...



thanks

 

[manning1]

shyne - sound quality depends on many factors.
the quality of the mic, the preamp you select, and the ada convertors in your powerbook. also your recording environment plays a part.
eg...is it noisy ?

 

[FreeShyne]

k thanks manning

 

[melodiousmonk]

Is it even possible to make good recordings on a mac?!?!

That upsets me. I wouldn't use anything else. The audio in port will never give you very good quality because of the internal computer noise so eventually you will probably want an external device to convert the sound from analog to digital and go in through USB or Firewire. I'm using the M-Audio MobilePre USB for the time being which acts as a preamp and A/D converter for about $150. That should solve a lot of your problems. Good luck.