How to make my microphone even louder?

[panda67]

I have a Sure 8900 microphone connected to my X-fi extreme music soundcard. The microphone is great as it wont pick up background noise. However i have the microphone volume up at 100% at +20db gain activated, but it isn't loud enough yet. Anyone have any suggestions on how i can go about fixing this?

 

[error401]

You probably need a proper mic preamp for this. Depending on what you're doing with it, it might be worth checking out a cheap channel mixer, like the Behringer UB802 Eurorack. For 50 bucks you get a 4 channel mixer (2x stereo channels, 2x mic channels) with phantom power. Seems like a pretty sweet deal to me, and if you're doing anything more than voice chat in your favourite game, the mixer would probably be handy.

Edit: Or the even cheaper UB502 for $30 and a single mic input might suit your needs as well.

 

[panda67]

Is the one for $30 enough? Im only using it for talking over games and ventrilo.

 

[error401]

I don't think the mic you have is really designed for that sort of use, which is probably why you're having trouble with it. Soundcard mic inputs are really made for cheap electret microphones, and IME fare poorly with real dynamic mics. If you do want to use this mic, the $30 mixer should amp it up to line level easily (and then you'd use the line input instead of mic input).

I'd probably recommend buying a better computer-oriented mic (or a headset) as opposed to doing that though, but if you're making podcasts or some such you'll probably get much better quality out of the Shure.

 

[labrat]

Deleted.

 

[panda67]

Ok, just need some verification. I can also use this to amp my Audiotechnica a900's correct?

Im going to get the ub502, connect my Mic to it. Connect my Stereo out(from soundcard) to the mixer via RCA, plug headphones directly into the mixer and plug the mixer into my Line in on my soundcard.

Will this work?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Yep, sounds good.

 

[panda67]

Is the ub502 powerfull enough?

Do i need something with more power?

 

[infinitesymphony]

The UB502 has 60 dB of gain just like most other microphone preamps, though it doesn't have phantom power (which you don't need with a dynamic microphone like the one you own). It should be more than enough, unless you want to totally overload your sound card.

 

[panda67]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif The UB502 has 60 dB of gain just like most other microphone preamps, though it doesn't have phantom power (which you don't need with a dynamic microphone like the one you own). It should be more than enough, unless you want to totally overload your sound card.

I mean enough power for the Headphones

.

And thanks for your help.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Oh... You didn't mention that.

Different headphones have different power requirements. What kind of headphones do you have and what have you been powering them with until now?

In any case, my guess is that the headphone amp will be powerful enough, though it might not sound amazing; it's $30, after all.

 

[panda67]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh... You didn't mention that. Different headphones have different power requirements. What kind of headphones do you have and what have you been powering them with until now? In any case, my guess is that the headphone amp will be powerful enough, though it might not sound amazing; it's $30, after all.

I thought i posted that ;/. Sorry, im running a set of Audiotechnica A900s. And they are running right to my sound card.

 

[tbonner1]

Can you tell us how it sounds? How bad is the hiss?

 

[panda67]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbonner1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can you tell us how it sounds? How bad is the hiss?

Hiss? i dont get any hiss that i know of. Even with volume at 100%.

 

[panda67]

just a bump.