Microphone setup question

[mehron]

I'm trying to get a pretty DIY / low cost podcast setup going and I'm having a little trouble with my mic set up. This is a mac set up using Audacity, LineIn, and Soundflower / Soundbed with the USB iMic adapter.

I purchased this mic from Radio shack:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F007%5F002%5F007%5F001&product%5Fid=33%2D3018

Everything seems to be working fine except the mic input. Hardly anything is coming through the mic. I get faint sounds and some distortion noises on the recording, but that's it. Does the mic need some type of preamp? Otherwise, I'm inclined to think there is a problem with the iMic.

Any thoughts?

[Chip]

I use this same mic. But you may want to one, check your levels, two, try out the "line-in" port on your sound card...

I run mine into a microphone mixer and then into my line-in port on the soundcard.

[mehron]

Well, I'm using the iMic as a kind of external soundcard for my mac. This has no levels controls. The system preferences allow you to alter input levels, but I already have those at max.

[Craig]

There's a switch on the iMic that switches between line-in and mic-in. Switch it to the opposite setting to what it is now and see if that helps. Typically with that type of mic, however, you're going to need a preamp. Take a look at the Behringer mixers...they're not that expensive and they give you a lot of flexibility:

The UB802 is $50 and gives you the ability to upgrade to a condenser mic later by supplying phantom power: http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHUB802

If your budget is tight, you can make do for now with the UB502 for $35: http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHUB502

Craig

[mehron]

Hmm. Changing it to the other setting, I get nothing.

With the mic setting, I get barely audible sounds unless I really scream into the mic plus some distortion.

What is an example of a mic that I could use without a preamp?

Thanks for the help.

[Craig]

What is an example of a mic that I could use without a preamp?
What's the most you want to spend?

Craig

[mehron]

Probably no more than $60 right now. We just want to get something launched low cost and bare bones. If the quality isn't quite there in the beginning, that's no big deal.

However, since I already have the radio shack mic, I could go with the cheaper mixer you linked and I still be relatively in budget.

[Craig]

If you can't return the mic, go with the mixer. You can also get it here with free shipping (although I've never used this place):

http://store.yahoo.com/djtronix/beeuub.html

If you CAN return the mixer (and with Radio Shack it's always worth a try), the Sony ECM-MS907 is a stereo mic for $76 with free shipping from Amazon and is a great handheld mic with a lot of flexibility. It's the first mic I used for my own podcasts, plugged directly into my iMic. I still use it with my iRiver for portable podcasts and you can hear it (in mono) on my latest (3/10) "Behind the Scenes"

If cost is really more of a factor than quality then this one should work too based on the specs:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000246SKK/002-2174201-7062449

Craig

[mehron]

I'll check these out. Thanks for your help.

[Chip]

I have the Behringer Eurorack MX 802A mic mixer.... Can be had on ebay for about 50.00

Here's one that is just about over http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3278&item=7306886542&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW