Mic preamp question (Muvo Micro)

[texafornia]

I'm using a Creative Muvo Micro, which has a built in mic. There's also a port for connecting to any device's audio output and recording that as MP3. When I plug in a home stereo or cd player, the recorded volume is fine. But when I plug in a simple microphone, even one that's "powered" (cheap one from radio shack powered only by a small watch battery), I get no sound or very, very faint sound only from that powered mic.

I'm guessing that I need an amplified mic. Based on the above, does it sound like buying a preamp would work? What should I get? Where can I find it?

[audiocollective]

This would work for what you want it to do:
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-PREAMP-8
but it costs more money than you may want to pay. i had the same problem with my minidisk player. I decided it was cheeper to buy an iRiver.
good luck,
-dave

[texafornia]

I keep hearing all about this iRiver. So, the iRiver will record using just a regular old mic? Even an unpowered one? How come it does that but my Muvo won't?

[audiocollective]

the Muvo dosent have a microphone preamp built in.
some high end minidisk players do and the iriver does but a lot of mp3 players dont have that option. that is why the iriver is so popular. yes, it will record with an unpowered mic.

[texafornia]

Thanks! You've given me simple answers for exactly what I need. Much appreciated!

[Dreadful Snake Guy]

So I am looking at a Sony ECM 719 stereo mike to go with my delightful iRiver ifp-795. Will it work? the 719 has a watch type battery so it is a powered mike - but some posts I have seen say that many players need a seperate pre-amp anyway. One of the preceding posts said that the iRiver has a pre-amp built in implying this sony mic into the iRiver will work just fine. . . .HELP - anybody tell me for sure? I am SO ready to drop the bucks for the mike - but I dont want to get post-purchase gadget disappointment. . . . help??!! and thanks from the Dreadful Snake Guy.

[RevTim]

So I am looking at a Sony ECM 719 stereo mike to go with my delightful iRiver ifp-795.

I have the Sony Mike that is a precurser to the ECM 719. I used it on two recent podcasts. A Soundseeing tour where I buy tickets at an Oakland A's game and on my just released Mother's Day Special.

Here's the link to the Mother's Day Special podcast if you want to sample what the mic sounds like. Also if you are in a quieter setting, it sounds very nice as well and certainly is much better than the iRiver's built in mic, however it still is inferior to a hand held mic.

http://escschool.com/Media/rtp-33-20050507.mp3

[audiocollective]

So I am looking at a Sony ECM 719 stereo mike to go with my delightful iRiver ifp-795. Will it work? the 719 has a watch type battery so it is a powered mike - but some posts I have seen say that many players need a seperate pre-amp anyway. One of the preceding posts said that the iRiver has a pre-amp built in implying this sony mic into the iRiver will work just fine. . . .HELP - anybody tell me for sure? I am SO ready to drop the bucks for the mike - but I dont want to get post-purchase gadget disappointment. . . . help??!! and thanks from the Dreadful Snake Guy.

yes, it will work and it will work very well!
have fun.
if you have any questions just ask. make sure you switch the line-in to mic.-in.

[SFEley]

I keep hearing all about this iRiver. So, the iRiver will record using just a regular old mic? Even an unpowered one? How come it does that but my Muvo won't?

The deal is this: that jack on your Muvo is what's known as a "line in" jack. This means it records the signal exactly as it comes in. There's no amplification. The iRiver has a jack made explicitly for microphones, with a small amplifier built in. That's the difference.

Your "powered" microphone is a condenser microphone, which relies on a small electric current to keep the diaphragm -- really a couple of capacitor plates -- active. The watch battery is needed for the microphone to work, but all it does is keep it alive. It doesn't amplify the signal. Pretty much any other battery-powered microphone, including the Sony that was mentioned, will work the same way. The battery's there to run the mic, not to amplify, and none of them will sound good in a line in jack. (If you've ever heard of more expensive condenser mics that require "phantom power," it's the exact same thing.)

You'll either need a dedicated preamp or a recorder with a microphone jack. If this is for portable recording, a new recorder like the iRiver would probably be cheaper and less hassle, and might sound better too. (If it's for recording at home, the cheapest solution would probably be a Griffin iMic and recording straight into your computer.)

That's the best answer I can think of, short of getting real studio mics and a studio toolchain. (Which would be a little more expensive and a lot more complicated, and would certainly be hard to keep portable.) Good luck!

[Dreadful Snake Guy]

So I am looking at a Sony ECM 719 stereo mike to go with my delightful iRiver ifp-795.
however it still is inferior to a hand held mic.

So RevT - btw - i have a few great vocal mikes from my band days - SM57 types. Will they work on the iRiver if I just use an adapter on the xlr to 1/8 inch plug and put in the iRiver, then set iriver Line in control to 'external mike'? Inquiring minds want to know. And does the church ever use a 20 yr tawny port?

[gozar]

So RevT - btw - i have a few great vocal mikes from my band days - SM57 types. Will they work on the iRiver if I just use an adapter on the xlr to 1/8 inch plug and put in the iRiver, then set iriver Line in control to 'external mike'? Inquiring minds want to know. And does the church ever use a 20 yr tawny port?

We used two cheap Nady mics, XLR-> 1/8 convertors, and a splitter plugged into my iRiver 795. One mic went into the left, and the other mic went into the right. We used it for some man-in-the street interviews. You can hear it here (http://bitsmack.com/dl/BSPC-050429.mp3).

[fonze74]

I use a Sony ECM-CS10 Stereo Lapel Mic with my iriver 795. Works great!

[RevTim]

I actually tried this just the other day. It DOES work. I haven't really recorded anything with it to test the sound quality, though. I did get a fair volume back through the headphones.


[quote=RevTim]
So RevT - btw - i have a few great vocal mikes from my band days - SM57 types. Will they work on the iRiver if I just use an adapter on the xlr to 1/8 inch plug and put in the iRiver, then set iriver Line in control to 'external mike'? Inquiring minds want to know. And does the church ever use a 20 yr tawny port?

Sorry, we sure don't. I had to look that one up! :)


Source: http://www.epicurious.com/drinking/wine_dictionary/entry?id=7570

considered the best). Wines from years that aren't declared go into other types of port wine. The very best vintage ports can age 50 years or more. Ruby ports are made from lower-quality batches of wine, which are aged in wood for about 2 years. The wine is bottled while it still exhibits youth, fruitiness, and a bright red color. Ruby ports are generally the least expensive. Tawny ports are made from a blend of grapes from several different years; they can be aged in wood for as long as 40 years. They're tawny in color and ready to drink when bottled. The labels on the best tawny ports stipulate the time that they've matured-10, 20, 30, or 40 years. Inexpensive tawny ports are created by blending white port and ruby port. Ruby and tawny ports are sometimes called wood ports or wood-aged ports. There are many grapes that can be used for red (vintage, ruby, and tawny) ports, but the main ones are Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz (TEMPRANILLO), TOURIGA FRANCESA, and TOURIGA NACIONAL.

[Dreadful Snake Guy]

So I am looking at a Sony ECM 719 stereo mike to go with my delightful iRiver ifp-795. Will it work?

So OK I bought the Sony ECM 719 i asked about in this earlier post. . . it is too soft!!! Here is what i am doing: Mike has new battery in it, mike power switch on and plugged into line in jack on iRiv 795. Iriv set up is for external mike, volume up 90% of the way (like 50). If i have this mike like 3 inches from my mouth - it is ok but it is supposed to record speeches and live performances - it should be driving much hotter. No I do not have it on line in mode - it is set on external mike mode. Help!