using an amp with a AKGC1000

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cheesycombustabiles

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I'm trying to record into a digital 8 track, using a akgc1000. I'm trying to record picky quiet acoustic guitar and I dont seem to be getting a strong enough signal. I have used a fender twin as an amp to boost the signal(ie plug the mic into the front & DI it) on an old sure mic I had, but i was told i shouldnt need to do this with the akg. Am i doing something wrong or will this work?
 
You need a nice mike pre to boost the sound and preserve the hi-fi quality of the sound.The Fender amp route will get you loud but the sound quality goes down the drain as well.
The normal signal chain is Low Z mike > mixer (or dedicated preamp)with phantom power > recorder.
Tom
 
Thanks, I'm sure you been asked this a hundred times but what would be a good mic pre amp. I'm using an D8 which does have trim on it, is this enough?
 
Affordable preamps of choice around these parts are the ART Tube MP ($99, single channel) and the Presonus BlueTube ($149, dual channel)...from what I've heard around the board, the Presonus is a better product.
 
I may be asking a stupid or obvious question.. or maybe not.. did you make sure the AKG has a fresh 9V battery, or that it is powered by a phantom power supply? The reason I ask this, is that although you SHOULD have a pre-amp between any mic and any input, I've many times worked with the AKG without such a pre-amp with acceptable results.. The AKG's signal is somewhat higher than the average MIC..

But it does require power -- and really should be pre-amped.
 
ahhh...

"The AKG's signal is somewhat higher than the average MIC.."

Actually, the C1000s' signal is somewhat less than the average mic.
 
You're absolutely right.. I'm perhaps not being specific enough.. what I *meant* to say is that the C1000S's signal level is higher than the typical Dynamic mic that you would find in a home studio, however.. compared to other small condensers, it's level is still not bad.

The AKG C1000S clocks in at 6mV/pa (-45dB). I compared to a popular brand with these results:

Shure 849: 2.8mV/pa (-52dB) less than half the signal
Shure Beta 87 a: 2mV/pa (-54 dB) one third the signal
Shure BG4.1: 4mV/pa (-48dB) two thirds the signal

But then I checked out some of Senn's small condensers, and found their numbers would hit up to 15mV/pa.. but keep in mind that the average mic in the context of a home studio is a shure 57!

Naturally, large diaphram condensers are not a fair comparison in this context, with signal levels often hitting 25 or 30 mV/pa.
 
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