Author Topic: Simplest setup required for mic'ing amp for recording? (Read 13261 times)

Dakine · « **Reply #30 on:** October 20, 2006, 03:24:18 PM »

_tom_
I used my US contact (missus LOL) to have Blue Ball sent to and bought it over net so not seen it yet :)
I decided to buy shure and Blue Ball for tonal difference (as in response/sound received) from speaker.
FWIW for the price I would go Shure for now.
Problem is with mic - pc (I have laptop myself, albeit in Texas still) and it does not have good enough soundcard for this idea.
IMO, get a shure and an interface and play with that setup till ya want better results or whatever. Heck mic placement,clipping etc. is gonna keep ya uber busy for awhile anyway :)
Was not trying to mislead with the Phantom Power references, just easy to explain why (IMO) you need an interface rather than somthing else that way (mentally slapping my hand for you). I have read a little on the v-amp for ya now and cannot see a 'good' or even do-able way to use it in the chain (not easilly anyway). And am sure your laptop will not be great either.
A standalone interface (like those M-Audio ones) will stand you in good stead for now and future, that and a shure and then HAVE FUN and PLAY! :)
And to be honest, if trying to save money, the diff. in shure/blueball will almost cover an interface (I think). Although all have read/heard about Blue Ball makes it an amazing mic. Just costly in UK (mine cost $80 summit new).

Nick

_tom_ · « **Reply #31 on:** October 20, 2006, 03:28:37 PM »

$80 is only around £45 ish though, actually cheaper than I've seen SM57s advertised for. Then again the SM57 is "tried and tested" or whatever.

I remember I had a link to where you could get an SM57 for around £35 but I tried it earlier and it no longer works :(

deg0ey · « **Reply #32 on:** October 20, 2006, 03:42:29 PM »

Tom, What I'm gonna be getting for christmas is a different solution to those mentioned...Technically there's less you can do with it than some of the other methods, but it wins for me due to portability.

The solution is this: A Tascam Digital Portastudio. It's basically like the old school tape 8-Track recorders, except it records to an inbuilt 40GB harddrive.

My setup will consist of SM57 --> Tascam, nice and simple. The downsides are that it can only record 8 tracks in one song, can only use 2 inputs at a time (wouldn't work for drums for example), and probably doesn't record to the same quality as direct to PC.

The positive elements, however, are that it can export individual tracks to PC (effectively overcoming the 8 track problem) which I believe could then be run through PC editing software (although I could be wrong). It also eliminates the need of your amp to be near the PC (which isn't possible in my house - key reason I chose this option). It also has Phantom power and TRS (guitar jack) inputs, so it can be used for mic or direct recording.

So yeah, that's what I'm gonna get, as it can be taken with me to uni when I go and it's just so much easier to my mind :drink:

_tom_ · « **Reply #33 on:** October 20, 2006, 04:14:10 PM »

Was gonna get one of those ages ago, way too expensive for me though. To be honest I thought just a mic and interface would be much more simple. Though I have a laptop so can easily move it near to the amp, obviously different for you..

deg0ey · « **Reply #34 on:** October 20, 2006, 04:19:25 PM »

Yeah, that's fair enough - I have a laptop, but it's old and would never cope with recording so this was my best option really :drink:

Dakine · « **Reply #35 on:** October 20, 2006, 04:32:31 PM »

or a Zoom MRS8 ;)

_tom_ · « **Reply #36 on:** October 20, 2006, 10:20:19 PM »

Ok. When I get the SM57, what kinda cabling will I need? XLR of some sort, but what exactly? Theres male and female from what I can see. Just need a cable to go from mic to interface really..

Oh and theres this cable, thought until I get an interface I could just use this to run the mic straight into soundcard or V-amp, just to tide me over

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/4551

On the Shure site I see it says the SM57 has a male connector. So does that mean it needs a female one to plug into that? Guessing so, just want to be sure before I order cables willy nilly :lol:

Edit again! Just read through one of Bainzys threads which he says he uses this Behringer mic pre, and it sounded fine to me, well his tone was good anyway ;)

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/1937

Johnny Mac · « **Reply #37 on:** October 21, 2006, 06:44:17 AM »

Hello! Sorry to chip in but I got that laptop in vegas with a slot for the cards on the side so i can use a card on the go, so to speak. The E-mu system plugs straight into that and it's got two XLR Mic sockets both with phantom power should you need it. A virtual mixer which is the bollocks, a cu-base software bundle with guitar amp sims too. It's a fair old thing dude!

Dawsons in Reading had loads of different firewire interfaces that will take a SM-57. Your soundcard won't be able to handle lots of tracks though i would have thought using a firewire intereface, that's where the E-MU will out gun the others. It's a monster for the dosh and would make an ideal pressy for all those carwashes and lawn mowing!! :lol:

Johnny Mac · « **Reply #38 on:** October 21, 2006, 06:48:45 AM »

Quote from: _tom_

Ok. When I get the SM57, what kinda cabling will I need? XLR of some sort, but what exactly? Theres male and female from what I can see. Just need a cable to go from mic to interface really..

Oh and theres this cable, thought until I get an interface I could just use this to run the mic straight into soundcard or V-amp, just to tide me over

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/4551

On the Shure site I see it says the SM57 has a male connector. So does that mean it needs a female one to plug into that? Guessing so, just want to be sure before I order cables willy nilly :lol:

Edit again! Just read through one of Bainzys threads which he says he uses this Behringer mic pre, and it sounded fine to me, well his tone was good anyway ;)

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/1937

The XLR Mic cable have a male and female at either end as standard. The male end plugs into the mic and has a little clip to hold it in. The other goes to what ever you need, mixers ect. The quality of the cable is subjected to how much do you want to spend on it as a guitar cable is.

_tom_ · « **Reply #39 on:** October 21, 2006, 10:17:40 AM »

I saw those E-Mu cards but theyre just way too expensive for me (even after doing all my chores :P ). So when Shure say the SM57 has a male connector, it means they need a male plug? Makes more sense for em to call it a female connector, its just confusing :lol:

Johnny Mac · « **Reply #40 on:** October 21, 2006, 11:23:44 AM »

Tom there's an old saying, 'You have to spend money to save money'!!

gingataff · « **Reply #41 on:** October 21, 2006, 12:06:40 PM »

If its got a male connector it should need a female plug, ie the mic has the 3 prongs sticking out and you need a cable with the 3 holes to shove 'em in.

Johnny Mac · « **Reply #42 on:** October 21, 2006, 05:33:33 PM »

Quote from: gingataff

If its got a male connector it should need a female plug, ie the mic has the 3 prongs sticking out and you need a cable with the 3 holes to shove 'em in.

all 3 of em'! :lol:

_tom_ · « **Reply #43 on:** October 21, 2006, 05:36:13 PM »

hahah lovely. Guess I'll get the mic first then see what connectors I'll need.

plastercaster · « **Reply #44 on:** October 21, 2006, 06:32:04 PM »

with a line6 toneport, do you have to use their amp models? I'd use them at first, but when i get a decent amp id want to just record that with a Mic.