How do I use more than one mic in a recording?

[jawbone]

Hi everyone:

I just started doing a podcast last night and it was basically my wife and I sharing a mic. While that works for now, it would obvioulsy be better if we had more than one mic. I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on using more than one mic in a podcast. I set up my powerbook the way they told me to set it up on Engadget's website, but I can't get my second mic to work. I have the two mics going through a pre-amp that is routed into the line in on the back of my powerbook. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[PBCliberal]

I can't tell from your description what your setup actually is. Microphones present very low level outputs, and you need separate preamps for each of them, ideally in a mixer, which gives you individual control over each mike. There's a wide variety to choose from, from many manufacturers. Here's the The Samson Audio Mixpad 4. (http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=66&brandID=2)
http://www.samsontech.com/images/productimages/m4.gif
This device would give you two mike ins, and a stereo line in for, for instance, a ramplayer/ipod source deck to play promos, &c.

[jawbone]

Hey PCB:

I got my setup from this page:

http://www.engadget.com/entry/5843952395227141/

I have Soundflower, Soundbed and Line-In working and I have my mic in a preamp. I thought that Soundflower or Soundbed could handle the second mic somehow, but I guess not. :(

[jawbone]

Ok, so I picked up a Behringer $50 mixer. That solved my problem. Now, my next dilemma...how do I have 2 headphones so that we both can hear the recording at the same time. As it is now, I have a pair on and I can monitor levels into the show, but Nora can't. She just listens to me and can't hear if I'm playing music or anything else. Any suggestions?

[vikingyouth]

how do I have 2 headphones so that we both can hear the recording at the same time.

you can go to radio shack and get a head phone splitter for like $5 or you can spend a bit more money and get a box that will split the signal in to like 4, 8, + directions.

[jawbone]

Nice! Thanks for the tip. :D

[TexasMusicForge]

If the headphone splitter doesn't work for some reason, you can also take a headphone signal out of your Behri mixing board by plugging in one set to the "Phones" jack and plugging another set into the "Main" out.

Tio Ed

[jawbone]

The headphone splitter did work. The one problem with doing the headphones off the Behri is that the other announcer will miss anything that isn't being routed through the mixer.

No problems though. Everything works like a champ. :)