Another beginner question from me:

Is it possible to get a Mixer with a built in Mic Preamp that has a phantom
power?
So that I don't have to get a mixer and a mic preamp.

Do I even need a mixer when I'm always going to be alone?
I'm just recording my self playing a classical guitar.

I have been recording directly into my computer so far, just having fun with
the mic that came with the computer.

Should I not be recording into my computer if I want good results?

Thanks.

IS

"IS" laid this on me:

Another beginner question from me:

Is it possible to get a Mixer with a built in Mic Preamp that has a
phantom power?
So that I don't have to get a mixer and a mic preamp.

Actually, there's been many a thread here with people upset that
they don't sell any mixers WITHOUT mic preamps....so yes, it is
possible.

Do I even need a mixer when I'm always going to be alone?
I'm just recording my self playing a classical guitar.

Probably don't need one for recording. If you like having one,
or need a mixer for live use, or just flat out like thThey do sell
stand alone mic preamps in a wide range of price ranges, that may be a
betetr choice if table space/

I have been recording directly into my computer so far, just having
fun with the mic that came with the computer.

Should I not be recording into my computer if I want good results?

Thanks.

IS

This is a great advise Sean.
Thank you.

IS.

IS wrote:

Is it possible to get a Mixer with a built in Mic Preamp that has a phantom
power?
So that I don't have to get a mixer and a mic preamp.

Do I even need a mixer when I'm always going to be alone?
I'm just recording my self playing a classical guitar.

I have been recording directly into my computer so far, just having fun with
the mic that came with the computer.

Should I not be recording into my computer if I want good results?


There is just about every imaginable combination of features available
in some product or other, at various price points and quality levels.
First you should decide what you need, what you want, and how those
might change in the future. Are you interested in recording in
general, want to be someone who makes recordings and knows the
technical details of doing so in a high quality manner? Or are you
more interested in just playing your guitar and singing, and getting
reasonably enjoyable results making a casual recording of yourself?
Are you independently wealthy and able to spend a few thousand dollars
on a casual hobby, or are you on a budget? Are you a technophobe or do
you enjoy learning how to use new technology for its own sake?

You don't need a mixer if you just want to record one or two
microphones into a stereo input on your computer. You can buy a
2-channel (or one-channel) microphone preamplifier that provides
phantom power to microphones that require it. If you did so, you'd of
course want to use a different microphone (or pair of microphones) than
the toy that came with your computer. At that point you'd have spent
between $100 and $10,000 and you'd perhaps start to notice the
limitations of your computer's native sound input and output hardware.
You'd maybe start thinking about buying some other computer-interface
hardware (PCI soundcard or USB/Firewire interface) and maybe some fancy
analog-digital and digital-analog converters. There's another $100 to
$10,000, depending on your preferences. Then you'd look into some more
useful software to run on this computer and of course you'd want some
speakers that sound better than the plastic ones that came with your
computer. Another $100-$10,000. THEN you start to realize what you
could do if you could get more than 2 microphones into the computer at
a time, and the cycle starts all over again...
At some point you might forget about playing the guitar and singing,
which was the original intention.

You could buy a Digidesign Mbox which has two mic preamps on the end of
a USB interface and includes software for $400. You could buy two $75
microphones and a pair of $100 headphones and you'd have a fairly
simple system that sounds remarkably good considering the cost. The
software is essentially identical to what many professionals use (it's
the most popular audio program there is) so it's easy to get help with
it. It includes some effects plug-ins and since it's microphone-to-USB
it eliminates a lot of interface issues. It's not the best-sounding
audio hardware there is, but it's cheap and it works and the fidelity
beats 95% of what was available 10 years ago. There are plenty of
choices for entry-level microphones that you can read about by doing a
Google search, but I'll give you the cheat-sheet: Shure SM57, Oktava
MC012, AKG 535, MXL V57 or V67...

Oh, sorry. What was the question?

ulysses

In article writes:

Is it possible to get a Mixer with a built in Mic Preamp that has a phantom
power?

Yes, just about every mixer today has phantom power on the microphone
inputs.

Do I even need a mixer when I'm always going to be alone?
I'm just recording my self playing a classical guitar.

Really no, but a mixer is a handy way to buy a few mic preamps (some
day you'll need more than one) and get some useful functions. But if
you wish, you can get a decent mic preamp with phantom power for as
little as $100, or upwards of a few thousand bucks.

Should I not be recording into my computer if I want good results?

This is a very open ended question, but suffice it to say that the
majority of recordings today are made with a computer, though all the
good ones are made with the augmentation of external equipment, not
the sound card that's built into the computer.



--
I'm really Mike Rivers - )