Whats the difference????

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Whats the difference between PHANTOM POWER and a MIC PRE_AMP?
 
Condenser Mics need phantom power to operate. Phantom power is usually provided by the mixer and is usually 48Volts.

Mic Preamp comes in mixers or in standalone units. These are used to amplify the mic-signal to around line-level. A Mic Preamp does often also provide phantom power.
 
Well then....

Are condensor mikes the ONLY mikes that need phantom power, and if not, are there any clues to tell you if the mic does? Because sure as heck, the vendor sites that I hit (zzounds, musicians friend) don't always tell you.
Also, a lot of the equipment seems to overlap. For example, I read somewhere that for vocals going to a PC I ABSOLUTLELY need a condensor, but here I am looking at a Roland VM-3100Pro (as part of a package deal http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ex/shop/011022104254204031203254633321?pid=241052) that seems to have everything... phantom power, compression, etc., but not a mic pre-amp... a least it does not specifically appear in the PDf document I found (www.rolandus.com/PRODUCTS/INFO/PDF/VM3100FX.PDF). So, even with this bad boy, would I still need a pre-amp?

Appreciate the help!
 
Last edited:
wheelema,

The Roland VM-3100Pro is a mixing board. It has mic inputs. Mic inputs would be useless on a mixer unless there was a preamp in the circuit. I didn't see the word "mic preamp" either, but they must think it goes without saying. Kind of like car ads never mentioning that tires are part of the car...

The PDF does say, "Channel inputs include two balanced Mic/Line inputs with phantom-powered XLR or standard TRS jacks, six
unbalanced Mic/Line..."

For a mixer to be a mixer it must be able to take disparate inputs and bring them up to working levels (if they are not there already) so you can control the relative volume of each part of the mix. There'll be a "trim" or "gain" knob that will allow you to raise the level of the mic signal into the ballpark with a line level signal from a synth, or from a track that's already been recorded. That's the preamp.

Whether or not the preamp sounds good is another story. $699 is pretty cheap for a mixer plus a soundcard... you might want to find out from others that use this combo whether they like it or not before you spring for it.
 
It has Phantom power and preamps 8 of them but Ive been told that roland mic pres arent the best in the world so you may want to get a tube pre for vocals
 
Regarding Roland VM-3100Pro and RPC-1

The VM-3100Pro/RPC-1/Emagic Logic Audio package seems to my juvenille newbie view to be one of those 'mutant' components that crosses over to include the functionality of other components...

... it has two stereo multi-effects processors that do 'stuff' that I do not completely understand...

(by the way, I am not trying to push this thing, just understand how it all fits together)

...it includes a compressor... (I trust that a compressor is a compressor is a compressor... am I being naive?)

...and of course it has input and outputs up the yazoo including the aforementioned bone-of-contention mic phantom power and pre-amps.

So if I had this (and the reviews seem to be pretty glowing) then I don't need the digital pre-amp (might be nice to have and make things sound better but I don't NEED it), and I could record to my PC.

By the time I put together all of the components that I need (two mics, incl. pre-amps, etc., a mixer, a compressor, a PCI interface and software) the cost is greater than this thing. Of course, the individual components might give me a better sound, but it is always a trade off, isn't it. Keep within the budget or enjoy great sound until the bankruptcy court auctions the stuff off.

...uh... let me think...
 
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