Help with audio needed!!!

[T]

Fantastic info Cribble!

This should go in the FAQ section, in my opinion. You've really spelled it out nicely (maybe remove the Kazaa reference LOL)

[tommyz28]

Wow, thanks to everyone for the input, we are now recoding all the audio and its sounding mighty descent and thanks for all the suggestions, they were very helpful, i will post the cartoon when we are complete
Thanks
Tommy

[jorgy]

Cribble, thanks for the wealth of information!

It comes at a good time, because I was window shopping at a music store yesterday. One of the questions that I had was how to go from the 3pin XLR cable from the mic to the sound card. They wanted me to go with an 8-track mixing console, which would power the mic too. This seemed to me to be overkill, since would I have all the tracks I needed on the computer?

Also, what exactly is "phantom power"? If you use an adapter to connect the mic directly to your computer's sound card, how does the mic get power?

Thanks again!

jorgy

[T]

I don't know why it's called "Phantom" power, but more expensive mics often require extra power to operate. Some come with their own power supply, and some require power supplied from the card or board they are using or powered via a pre-amplifier.

I've been really happy with a break-out box I got from Maudio (Delta series I think) that connects to their PCI card. For my phantom power mics, I use a small preamplifier called the "Audio Buddy" if I remember correctly. A rather silly name, I admit, but it's cheap and clean and does the job right nicely.

Check out M-Audio here if you like: http://www.m-audio.com/

Apparently they're making a lot more stuff since I shopped there (including mics, which I cannot review as I've never seen them before).

[Edit: I think I got the audio buddy 1/2 price on Ebay, but here's the link (look below it for related stuff including breakout boxes): http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/A ... -main.html ]

Hope this helps,

Toxey

[cribble]

Cribble, thanks for the wealth of information!

It comes at a good time, because I was window shopping at a music store yesterday. One of the questions that I had was how to go from the 3pin XLR cable from the mic to the sound card. They wanted me to go with an 8-track mixing console, which would power the mic too. This seemed to me to be overkill, since would I have all the tracks I needed on the computer?

Also, what exactly is "phantom power"? If you use an adapter to connect the mic directly to your computer's sound card, how does the mic get power?

Thanks again!

jorgy

It best just to buy a small mixer, thats cheap with a 2 mic (XLR) input lets say. Behringer(sp) does a few around the £40-70 area. These will have Phantom power. To hook these up to a computer use the AUX send or Group outputs.... you can use the tape out as well as long as you find an adapter that goes from RCA to headphone plug, which are easy to obtain anyway.
Right Phantom Power. Phantom power is used to power up Condenser and Tube Mics. These are quite expensive, but high quality mics. I'm not entirely sure why they need power, but a hunch says its something to do with the coils and diaphragm. Anyway Phantom power is 48V that will be sent up you XLR cable to power the mic. These only power Condensors an Tubes mics, as Dynamic microphones don't require power.

I don't know why it's called "Phantom" power, but more expensive mics often require extra power to operate. Some come with their own power supply, and some require power supplied from the card or board they are using or powered via a pre-amplifier.

I've been really happy with a break-out box I got from Maudio (Delta series I think) that connects to their PCI card. For my phantom power mics, I use a small preamplifier called the "Audio Buddy" if I remember correctly. A rather silly name, I admit, but it's cheap and clean and does the job right nicely.

Check out M-Audio here if you like: http://www.m-audio.com/

Apparently they're making a lot more stuff since I shopped there (including mics, which I cannot review as I've never seen them before).

[Edit: I think I got the audio buddy 1/2 price on Ebay, but here's the link (look below it for related stuff including breakout boxes): http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/A ... -main.html ]

Hope this helps,

Toxey

I have an M-Audio sound card and they don't have phantom power, though the audio buddy does. Although the audio buddy is good, i think a small mixer does the same job with probably a few more features and routing option.

Heres a mixer which could prove useful:
Behringer UB1002 - £38.00
Behringer UB502 - £25

Thanks for all the comments. Do you think i should post this in the FAQ? Do i have permission?

[Hiddicop]

Do you think i should post this in the FAQ? Do i have permission?

I can't see why not. If LM dosen't want it there I'm sure he'll simply delete it.

[Lost Marble]

Regular users don't have the ability to post in the FAQ forum. I can post if for you, though. Do you want to link to this entire thread, or do you want to summarize the main points in a single post?

[jorgy]

I have the opportunity to purchase a Crate CMX62. It normally lists for $299, and I can find it on the 'net for about $239-$249. However, a local music store has one left for $199. I'm the kind of person who likes to do research before a major purchase, so I thought I'd run this by the group here to see what people think. The manufacturer's website is here:




http://www.crateproaudio.com/products/s ... CMX62.html

I am looking mainly to do vocal recording - spoken and sung, as well as a chorus of singers.

[cribble]

Regular users don't have the ability to post in the FAQ forum. I can post if for you, though. Do you want to link to this entire thread, or do you want to summarize the main points in a single post?

Summarize the main points i think, a link to this thread could be confusing.

So do you want me to make a write up in a .txt document and i'll send it over, when i'm done, or is the infomation i've posted here good enough to be directly transferred?

I have the opportunity to purchase a Crate CMX62. It normally lists for $299, and I can find it on the 'net for about $239-$249. However, a local music store has one left for $199. I'm the kind of person who likes to do research before a major purchase, so I thought I'd run this by the group here to see what people think...... I am looking mainly to do vocal recording - spoken and sung, as well as a chorus of singers.

If you think it'll do the job, get it. You have to remember the whole point of multitracking. If you have a sequencer program, you can record parts one at time until you achieve what ever harmony/chorus part you want, so you could record a 10 part vocal harmonys if you want doing it one at at a time, plus you'll have more control over the volumes of the singers aswell as panning. The mixer you're looking at is good, but might be abit too big for the type of stuff you're doing, unless you plan to use it at gigs, shows whatever.
Also, having 8 channels doesn't mean it can record those 8 channels directly to your sound card as seperate tracks. You'll need to invest in a fancy sound card which can record 8 tracks at once.

[Lost Marble]

So do you want me to make a write up in a .txt document and i'll send it over, when i'm done, or is the infomation i've posted here good enough to be directly transferred?

If you feel like writing up a little document, yeah, that would be great. You can either post it here and I'll transfer it to the FAQ, or send it to support@lostmarble.com.

Thanks!

[cribble]

I'll do that over the weekend, cheers.