Delta 44 card, recording help needed.
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Posted on Dec 15, 2004 10:34 pm
Jhendrix1217
Member Since: Dec 15, 2004
Hello.
I recently got a Delta 44 card and Nuendo 2. I would like to record electric guitar, acoustic guitar (from a mic) and vocals. I have a condenser microphone, a marshall amp, and the delta 44. I do not have a mixer. I was wondering a few things. First of all, I was having trouble getting my output from my guitar amp to play/record in nuendo 2. I have the 1/8 inch cable from the headphone jack on the amp to the input of the 44. It may also be a software problem. Also, I was wonering what else I should get to make this setup work better. I have been told that a mixer will help to handle all my signals, but I wouldnt mind recording each track seperately. I am more concerned with whether I will need condensers, pre-amps, etc. I am willing to spend some money, but obviously my budget is not limitless. If anyone has help about Nuendo 2, the delta 44, or any other equipment that might help me, please let me know. Thank you in advance
Luke
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pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Dec 16, 2004 12:03 pm theoretically, you should be able to connect from the headphone into the sound card input. I would keep my options open, as it's not the best place to pick up signal. If you're getting no signal in nuendo, then there may be a routing issue, or you may have to 'arm' the track to record between m-audio software and nuendo. I've not seen nuendo, only running on ideas here.
A external mixer would help, as you could monitor your recorded tracks along with your incoming signal at the mixer, not running through the computer, but this can be done without it.
If you have a condensor mic, then you'll need some sort of pre-amp and some sort of phantom power to run the mic. Most mixers now have both built in. I don't beleive the Delta 44 has pre-amps, though I could be wrong. Anyway, the 44 won't have phantom power so you'll need the power from somewhere. Which brings me to the next idea, if you want, you could pick up a external preamp. This will give you the pre-amp (duh) and phantom power. Usually this route will give you a better pre-amp than the ones built into a low cost mixer, but you'll not be able to do anything but pre-amp with it. The output of the pre-amp would then go into the line input on the sound card.
A lot of people here (me included) use a mixer to perform the monitoring, the preamping, and the phantom power all in one package.
As far as recording your amp sound, I think I'd pick up a cheap mixer (behringer's prices just dropped), and use the condensor mic to record your amp through the mixer and into your sound card. Then when recording the next thing, you can use the mixer to mix the incoming and playback signal together.
I'm thinking you were referring to the compressor in your post. You can get away without one for now, but a lot of people here won't record without it before the PC. I've been looking into one as well.
hth
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Dec 16, 2004 12:04 pm oh, and welcome to HRC
Dec 16, 2004 05:21 pm pjk, thanks a lot for your help.
first off, i have been considering buying a mixer, and with your advice i do think i will get one. on to more questions. haha.
firstly, would a low price mixer have the same pre-amp quality as say, the ART analog pre-amp that i have looked into?
i currently have a ROLLS mini pre-amp, but as far as im concerned, that is only for the phantom power.
would the amp recorded through the condenser really be better than a headphone-out setup? if so, how far would i position the condenser from the amp and how loud should i play? i worry about blowing the cardiod out of the mic, because i have heard that condensers are especially sensitive.
haha yes i was talkin about a compressor, and i was wondering how much a decent one would cost. i will look around, but if you find any you think are worth looking into, please let me know.
thanks again for responding so quickly and clearly.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Dec 16, 2004 05:42 pm I think that for the most part in the average consumer-grade equipment, stand-alone preamps will usually be a bit better than those that are integrated into a mixer. The ART preamps aren't too great (I use one, and it's OK but certainly not stellar), but I think that it might be better than the preamps on, say, a Behringer mixer. I think that they're at least a little quieter, and at most a bit more transparent.
As for recording out of your headphone-out of your amp, I think that micing it will always win out over this option. A condensor isn't the best tool for the job (a dynamic up against the grille cloth is industry standard practice), but it'll definitely give you better results than the headphone out. I think that (maybe depending on the mic itself) that you can put it about 3 feet away from the amp and crank the amp as loud as you like. It's not the volume, its the air displacement that can damage a condensor. at 3', there shouldn't be enough of a "breeze" coming off of your speaker cones to bottom out the diaphragm and damage your mic.
Dec 16, 2004 06:54 pm
Well, if the ART wont give me a really big difference, then its probably worth getting a bit better preamp. If you have any sugguestions, they would be welcome. Also, how much does a dynamic mic usually cost? more or less than a condenser?
thank you for the advice on the mic, that is important to know about the "breeze" and believe it or not i understand that- its a good way of explaining it.
thanks for your help
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Dec 16, 2004 09:16 pm For a home recordist, the ART will probably do an adequate job. Depending on what other gear you have, it probably won't be the weak link in your signal chain. Mine just sounds a little dead, but I'm just recording vocals with a dynamic mic right now. Maybe it'll be a bit more lively of a preamp with a condensor mic.
I think that to make a noticeable jump in quality, you'll have to make a noticeable jump in price as far as preamps go. But I think that for most of our purposes for recording in our homes, ART, PreSonous, Behringer and the like do an adequate job.
I have heard that the M-Audio DMP-3 is pretty transparent for the money, and it's a budget pre, like the ART.
The Joe Meek stuff gets great reviews, as do the higher-end brands like Focusrite. Those are too rich for my blood tho. Although I would like that little 1/2-rack preamp/compressor/EQ from Joe Meek.
Oh, and you can get one of the best dynamic mics on the planet (Shure SM-57 or SM-58) for about $80, or maybe $50 on ebay.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Dec 17, 2004 01:32 pm I concur with tadpui here, also, you can check people's profiles, as they can list what gear they use ( or at least own ).
You can also search the site here, there's been boatloads of threads and references to compressors, though I too am in deep want for the joe meek device tadpui mentioned.
