What is a Mixer or Preamp?

[Pixle]

Ok, so I got my shure sm microphone ($100) , E MU Pci card ($100) , now I have to get a mixer or preamp for it to work.

I just figured this out - what should I get in the morning? Something in the $100 range or so. I'll just be recording from a microphone and I dont know if their are quality differences between the two.

 

[misle]

A pre amp allows you to manipulate the microphone signal. If your mic requires phantom power, a pre amp generally powers that. Not all mics need phantom power and you can damage the pre amp if it is unneeded. Shure SM series is a dynamic mic and does not require phantom power. To clarify, there is a Phantom power on/off switch, use it when the mic requires it.

A mixer is multiple pre amps and has the ability to mix the signals together.

If you have one mic and want to record on your computer, then I would suggest buying an Audio Buddy Pre amp made by M-Audio. It is ~$80 and works very, very well. It was my first pre amp and I still use it a lot even though I have other pre's and a pretty decent mixing board.

Edit: Links:
Link to Musicians Friend
M-Audio's site

 

[coaster831]

Also check out the Studio Projects VTB-1 (single channel mic pre around $90) or a used M-Audio DMP3 (2 channel pre that is M-Audio's step up from the Audio Buddy) on ebay. The Audio Buddy is useable, but if you have $100 to spend I think you'll appreciate the sound quality improvement from these two.

Also- to clarify the above- a mic preamp brings a signal from microphone level (low level, around -60dbm) to line level (higher levelm, ranging from -10 to +4 dbm) with a variable gain. Phantom power, which is required for condenser mics, can damage ribbon mics (although that is rare with newer ribbon mics) but will never damage the preamp itself no matter what mic it is connected to. Your 58 will not care either way.

 

[Pixle]

I'm looking into getting the AudioBuddy but I don't know what connections i'm going to need.

I have the thick three pin one that connects to the back of the audiobuddy. I bought the E-Mu 0404 Pci Card http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/...ital-Audio-Recording-System?sku=240390

How will I connect the output to my card?

 

[Pixle]

Oh and what do you think of this pci card?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/...Digital-Audio-and-MIDI-Card?sku=247016 The Echo MIA MIDI

Do I need another preamp or mixer with this?

 

[CptObvious]

I've owned all of the preamps mentioned above (Audio Buddy, VTB-1, currently have the DMP3). To compare:

Audio Buddy
Pros: cheapest of the 3, has 2 channels, good clean sound, has DI inputs
Cons: phantom power doesn't put out a full 48V (might be an issue if you ever buy a condenser mic)

VTB-1
Pros: good clean sound, very useful tube blend feature, good DI
Cons: only one channel, no on/off switch, kind of ugly design

DMP3
Pros: good clean sound (excellent for acoustic guitar), 2 channels, 2 DI inputs, cool look
Cons: most expensive of the 3 (at $160, but still a good value compared to other preamps)

For your budget ($100) I would probably get the VTB-1, although if you can spring the extra $60, the DMP3 has two channels if you ever want to do stereo mic'ing. All of the 3 have a good clean sound and a DI though.

 

[coaster831]

Originally posted by: Pixle
Oh and what do you think of this pci card?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/...Digital-Audio-and-MIDI-Card?sku=247016 The Echo MIA MIDI

Do I need another preamp or mixer with this?

I'm confused- did you already by the 0404? If so, don't buy the Mia- there is no additional functionality there. On the back of the audio buddy, those "Thick three pin" connectors are XLR connectors. You connect the mic to the audio buddy with XRL cables Like this one . The 0404 doesn't have those connectors (those black barrel connectors in the 0404 picture are for MIDI).

To connect the output of the audio buddy to your computer, you need (2) 1/4" to RCA adapters
and a Stereo RCA cable

Plug the 1/4" adapters into the line outs of the audio buddy, then plug the stereo RCA cable into the adapters on one end and into your Emu card on the other (those red and white connectors in the picture).

Edit- I've also owned all the of those preamps and fully agree with CptObvious- spring for the DMP3 if you can.

 

[Pixle]

Originally posted by: coaster831

Originally posted by: Pixle
Oh and what do you think of this pci card?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/...Digital-Audio-and-MIDI-Card?sku=247016 The Echo MIA MIDI

Do I need another preamp or mixer with this?

I'm confused- did you already by the 0404?

I've already purchased the 0404 but I saw that the Echo Mia had a XLR connector on it. Would I still need a preamp or would the sound quality diminish without a preamp mixer?

 

[coaster831]

Originally posted by: Pixle

Originally posted by: coaster831

Originally posted by: Pixle
Oh and what do you think of this pci card?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/...Digital-Audio-and-MIDI-Card?sku=247016 The Echo MIA MIDI

Do I need another preamp or mixer with this?

I'm confused- did you already by the 0404?

I've already purchased the 0404 but I saw that the Echo Mia had a XLR connector on it. Would I still need a preamp or would the sound quality diminish without a preamp mixer?

Neither the 0404 nor Mia have XLR inputs or preamps on board. Those black connectors you see are for MIDI- so to use either of these cards you would still need an outboard mic preamp. Some interfaces do have preamps built in (and thus XLR connectors), like the Presonus Inspire or the M-Audio Fast Track Pro

Whether or not you want the preamps built into the interface itself is up to you... if you already have the 0404 and it is installed and working, I would spring for the DMP3.

 

[thomsbrain]

a mixer is a collection of pre-amps and some functions for mixing the sound of those preamps. so they are for more than one microphone, though you could use just one and let the other inputs sit idle. a pre-amp is generally just an input for one microphone. stand-alone pre-amps sound much better at your price-point, because all the money goes into the pre-amp, instead of into a bunch of other crap. you need to get into the million-dollar mixing boards to get built-in pre-amps that sound as good as good stand-alones. and that's because each input on the mixer IS a stand-alone (think blade servers!). i'm serious about the million bucks, by the way. so unless you need lots of inputs for not much money, always go with stand-alone pre-amps.

don't know if you can get it at your price range, but PreSonus makes excellent budget pre-amps. they are clean and clear, without much coloration.

 

[Pixle]

Ok, Thanks for all the input

I ended up going for the dmp3.

I have question about the connectors. Do gold plated 1/4 mono rca connector make much of a difference? The same for the stereo audio cable.

Oh I just thought of something else... I bought a 50 foot xlr cable and I'm wondering if this will slow down the recording time (because of the length) will it?

 

[coaster831]

Originally posted by: Pixle
Ok, Thanks for all the input

I ended up going for the dmp3.

I have question about the connectors. Do gold plated 1/4 mono rca connector make much of a difference? The same for the stereo audio cable.

Oh I just thought of something else... I bought a 50 foot xlr cable and I'm wondering if this will slow down the recording time (because of the length) will it?

50 ft XLR cables are fine. Keep other runs (unbalanced 1/4" and RCA) as short as you can. Since XLR cables are balanced, they can be run several hundred feet with no adverse effects (and no, it won't slow down the recording). Still, a good rule of thumb is to alway keep your cable runs short.

Don't bother with gold plated connectors, unless the price difference is negligible. You definitely won't hear a difference.