Microphone volume when recording

[RogTaylor]

I have a Shure SM-58. When I record in pro tools the sound is always very low. Even when I increase the input button on my Mbox 2 to full its quite low. What am I doing wrong?

[Keybeeetsss]

Nothing actually.. Its an SM-58...

[TOM@METRO]

How does this compare to other mics on the system with the same sound source and settings?

[shtik]

Are you using the XLR input or the TRS (Line or DI) input? Silly question, I know, but one of my friends used to connect the mic into TRS input. When connected that way, you have to push the DI button for it to work, which results in very low level. Also when connecting to Line input. Technical reason aside, if you are connecting the mic to the TRS input (looks like a guitar connector) - get a simple XLR to XLR cable and connect it to the XLR input instead, release the DI button and you're set.

If connected to the XLR input already, something else is wrong..

[cwsand]

Originally Posted by shtik

Are you using the XLR input or the TRS (Line or DI) input? Silly question, I know, but one of my friends used to connect the mic into TRS input. When connected that way, you have to push the DI button for it to work, which results in very low level. Also when connecting to Line input. Technical reason aside, if you are connecting the mic to the TRS input (looks like a guitar connector) - get a simple XLR to XLR cable and connect it to the XLR input instead, release the DI button and you're set.

If connected to the XLR input already, something else is wrong..

Yep you gotta have the XLR connector to use the preamp - that's what it's designed for.

[spaw57]

i just hooked up a new Mbox 3 Pro. here is the mic signal chain;
TLM 49 into an Avalon M5 into mic input 3 on the back (XLR) of the Mbox. My vocalist was complaining that he need more of himself in the cans....I brought all the faders down on the mix and brought his all the way up. Still not happy. I increased the signal on the Avaol to the point where i could not give him anymore. SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!!! thanks, Steve

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by spaw57

i just hooked up a new Mbox 3 Pro. here is the mic signal chain;
TLM 49 into an Avalon M5 into mic input 3 on the back (XLR) of the Mbox. My vocalist was complaining that he need more of himself in the cans....I brought all the faders down on the mix and brought his all the way up. Still not happy. I increased the signal on the Avaol to the point where i could not give him anymore. SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!!! thanks, Steve

This is not the correct way to run this setup. The Avalon has a +4 output and should feed a LINE input on the Mbox(the TRS input). Right now you are feeding a mic preamp into another mic preamp. As for the headphones and singer, start with the phones. Are they good and loud? 600 ohm phones are a poor choice here, so maybe get some lower impedance phones like the Sennheiser HD280, Sony MDR-V600 or similar. Some musicians/singers just want volume enough to make their ears bleed. I usually find that pushing the vocal track's fader up to +9 is plenty of level here. You can also put an AUX track right beside your vocal audio track and set it for the same mic input so you can boost the level even more(don't use plugins on the track while recording, or match them on the AUX track to avoid any phasing issues from plugin latency). You might also check the monitoring software that goes with the Mbox3(I've never used one so I haven't seen the software interface). You might even grab a decent headphone amp, like the Behringer HA4700(its barely over $100 new).