microphone recording is noisy

[stef29]

I run PTfree 2nd edition on a p3 500,
256 ram with sound blaster live value card.
Editing waves files(so far!) is O.K It sounds very good. BUT... when I try to record some tracks with a microphone, it sounds absolutely disgusting. I know the card is nothing impressive but is there a way to improve without spending a fortune. Should I try to go through a mixer equipped with mic pre-amps, or would I be trowing my money by the windows. If the mixer seems to be THE solution what affordable model would be good for my needs? I only need to plug one good microphone like the Shure SM-58, maybe a tape deck... Should I precise that I read the infos: My buffer is set at 8,data rate is set at 48 000, and 85 %for the CPU usage...

Thanks for the help
S.

[bigfrog]

It sounds like you need a small mixer. Behringer do a nice one for around £70, the MX602A. It has two phantom powered mic channels (for when you get a condenser mic!)and two stereo channels.

The line inputs on the Live! are reasonable, so you could get OK results from using them with a mixer or mic pre. Keep the mixer and mic well away from any computers, VDUs or TV screens, and be careful where your input cables run.

Oh yeah, try to keep your levels into the Live! as high as possible without clipping.

Good luck!

BF

[stef29]

Thanks.

Stef

[editor]

You will be much more happy, with a small Mackie mixer. Do a serach on the Behringer mixers on the DUC.

Regards

e

[bigfrog]

stef,

editor is right - the mic stages of a Mackie will sound better, but Mackie desks cost a bit more, at least here in the UK. I use a Mackie 1202-VLZ, and it sounds fine.

Go shopping...

BF

[stef29]

Thank you, I will try to research it a little further since the Mackie you are refearing to is almost twice the price. But if I do get the Mackie do you think that the noisiness I was refering to will go away? What would be the smallest model Mackie would have for my needs: 1 or two Shure SM 58 + maybe a tape deck ? The work I want to do is mostly vocal(narration, voice-overs...)with ambience.

Thanks.

Stef

[QuikDraw]

Make sure that you select only the source that you are recording from, and NOT the selection for "What You Hear" in the Windows mixer applet. Make sure that you select "Microphone" if that's the input you're using, or "Line" if that's the input you're using.

The individual sound channels in the SB Live! such as "CD", "Line", "Aux", etc., are rather noisy. So don't allow more of them than you need to reach the record channel of Pro Tools Free.

You will still need a mic pre to use a SM58 or similar. A small Mackie is a good choice. I have a 1604-VLZ that sounds pretty good. My brother has a 1402 that sounds the same as mine. It follows that their 1202 would have the same sound quality as the others in the VLZ family.

Using an external mixer also allows you eliminate monitoring latency when recording. Almost a necessity with the high latency you get with 8k buffers in Pro Tools Free with a SB Live!

Good luck.

Mike