Mic cables...

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Member Since: Oct 22, 2005

Hey, I recently got a ART tube amp with phantom power for my AKG perception 200 condenser mic. I couldn't get any sound out of the mic through this tube amp except the sound of something scratching its surface. I asked someone how to get sound out of it when plugged into the 1/8" mic input on my laptop soundcard. He said I needed to get a 1/8" adapter with two black rings on the head instead of one. Does this mean I can have a XLR to 1/4" cable with only one black ring, and then put an 1/8" adapter on it, and it will work fine when plugged into my laptop from the tube amp? I found this 1/4" to 1/8" adapter with two rings on the net: www.musiciansfriend.com/p...bles?sku=335219

Another question I have about the tube amp is how to get it not to max out. I plugged a live mic into it and plugged it into my computer, and when I'd record it would get to certain level of volume and just max out and get that tube looking sound graph even though it wasn't clipping to red on the program. I fooled around with the input and output knobs but nothing seems to work.

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Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Mar 15, 2006 05:47 pm

First, I think you're meaning a 'preamp' instead of an 'amp'. Preamp is what the mic plugs into and provides phantom power. Amp is usually referred to as a loud, speaker driving device, like fender guitar amp, or dynaco stereo amp.

Anyway, you won't want to use the mic in on your laptop. That's for those cheesy little computer microphones that aren't good for much but talking to the cousins over web-chat. You'll want to use the line in (if it has one, my laptop doesn't). The mic in incorporates it's own preamp, and probably will sound like poo.

So mic is plugged into the preamp, phantom power is turned on, output of preamp is plugged into the line in on soundcard / laptop. You may need an adapter to go from the preamp output (maybe 1/4") down to the 1/8" input.

You won't need a stereo (two rings) 1/8" jack, as the signal coming out of the preamp is mono. The line in may be able to accept stereo (2 signals) but you wont be providing any in this setup, so don't worry about it.

Now, in the windows sound applet, you may have to enable (check) the line input. You may have to go to the recording section of the applet to show the line in fader, but it's in there. In my WinXP Pro box I can type sndvol32 in the 'run' box, and the volume control pops up. Click on options, then recording to see the recording (or input) section. Make sure the line in is checked and nothing else so you can receive input.

As far as the xlr to 1/4" to 1/8" part, XLR is mono only, so you'll not get stereo from it, no matter what type of cable you connect to it.

In regards to the clipping / not clipping part, I'm not sure of what's going on there. You may have to go into your computer recording software (please fill out profile) and turn down the gain coming in through your input. You can also go into the volume control (sndvol32.exe) and turn down the recording volume for the line in.

Hope that helps.

Member
Since: Oct 22, 2005


Mar 17, 2006 12:33 pm

I tried using the mic on a desktop that had a 1/8" line in jack. Still didn't get any sound except for sratching the surface of the mic and the clicks and pops of pushing buttons on the preamp. I had a 1/4" to 1/4" with a 1/8" adapter for the output from preamp to computer this time.

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Mar 17, 2006 12:49 pm

how 'bout tryin' the volume control, make sure you've got the 'line in' as the recording device (if you're using a stock soundcard)...should be in control panel > sounds...click the options menu and goto recording, make sure there's a check mark ONLY by the line in.

we'll get to the bottom of this

Member
Since: Oct 22, 2005


Mar 18, 2006 10:10 am

The desktop has a soundblaster audigy 2 ZS PCI soundcard so it is a better card, but still I should have gotten an external one. The first time I had tried the mic with the line in, I only checked it through the speakers, with line in's volume all the way up. This time I did as you said, except there was no line-in in the recording section, only analog mix which included it. i checked the recording menu and sure enough, everything was checked to be on the panel. I checked only analog mix and recorded at its full volume but no sound except what I've described before. Lots of hiss of course when I'd pump up the volume on the preamp.

Member
Since: Oct 22, 2005


Mar 18, 2006 10:15 pm

Ok this whole problem just got a lot stranger to me. This whole process has been difficult because I'm working with lots unbalanced connections and adapters and such. But the mic still didn't work when i tried it the way I knew was right. I connected an XLR to XLR cable to a XLR input labled balanced on a physical multi-track recorder. This was was located on line 1 of the recorder so I switched on line one. I connected a live mic to the cord first and could hear myself fine, I immediately replaced the live mic with the AKG mic and switched on the phantom power switch. Again, all I could hear was the sound of my nail scratching the cage. Yell into the dang thing and still no sound.

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