What I should do next re: amps/usb devices?

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DavesGuitar

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Hi all, I purchased a mic that I thought would solve my noisy record quality. However it seems 6mm to 3mm jack adapters can't be used without quality reduction. Plus my sound card is a crap default laptop one. In short has anyone any suggestions as to a pre-amp or usb device that could handle the sound input from the mic without using the sound card? I have a very limited budget so if anyone can suggest any inexpensive solutions I would be very grateful.

Thanks
Dave
 
i'd recommend the mobilepre usb by m-audio, it's 150 (i also may be selling mine for a pci soundcard, but haven't decided fully yet, but i'd probably ask 120). it's essentially intended for laptop users or anyone who records in different places on pc's. it has 2 channels with both xlr and 1/4" instrument inputs. i'd also recommend getting an xlr mic if you can, you can get a decent starter mic called the shure pg57 for around $50 and it comes with a cable (which most mics don't). that's the setup i use and i'm happy with it. the only reason i want to part with it is to get a pci card, which would give me a little better performance on my pc. the neat thing about this device as well is that you can monitor the sound directly through the device (i keep headphones on it and can hear both the music that was recorded and what i'm playing over it). hope this has been helpful. let me know if you have any other questions. good luck.
 
DavesGuitar said:
Hi all, I purchased a mic that I thought would solve my noisy record quality. However it seems 6mm to 3mm jack adapters can't be used without quality reduction. Plus my sound card is a crap default laptop one. In short has anyone any suggestions as to a pre-amp or usb device that could handle the sound input from the mic without using the sound card? I have a very limited budget so if anyone can suggest any inexpensive solutions I would be very grateful.

Thanks
Dave

What mic?
What is your budget?
How many tracks do you want to record simultaneously?
 
Hi, I have a 'Skytronic Cardioid Microphone 173.801.' mic. I listened to the mic on both vocal and acoustic guitar in the music store, and the results were great. I therefore want to be able to reproduce that standard with my home equipment. I use Cool Edit/Adobe Audition multitrack at the moment, with no more than 4 tracks being used. My budget would be more around the $60 mark, is there anything I could purchase for this?

Thanks
Dave
 
Hi thanks for the help Scrubs. So just to confirm, If I purchased the M-Audio Fast track, I could plug my microphone directly in to the device and it would boost the mic and would it record onto the device itself? How would I interface it with software, line in? As the cheap soundcard generates a lot of noise even when recording silence, will it be able to bypass this altogether?

If i just purchased a cheap pre-amp, I assume It would still have the same noise just with a louder input.

So in short if I had the Fast Track USB, a good mic and my laptop (ignoring the onboard soundcard) would I have everything I need for noise free recording.

Thanks
Dave
 
the device will record into whatever software you use in the computer, not onto the usb device. in the software, you'd have to choose the usb device as the input and then choose either the usb device or your laptop's soundcard as the output (so you hear what is played). there may be some noise, since there are environmental sounds and electrical equipment that buzzes, but it'll be good and it's nothing that a good noise reduction plugin like the one in adobe audition/cool edit pro can't fix
 
Thanks Philpereira. So in short, even though its using the hard drive on the laptop its not running the sound through it at any point and as such will record only sounds in the room, ie pc fans in the background and not soundcard generated noise?

Thanks
Dave
 
that's correct, different sound cards have different noise levels (from my understanding). so your laptop soundcard will more likely have more noise than a higher quality recording soundcard. whatever the mic picks up will be recorded. it'll definitely be lightyears ahead of using the laptop's soundcard
 
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