Alesis Multimix 8 USB / SM58 - Distortion problem

[AlanB]

I'm trying to help a friend a few thousand miles away get a good vocal sound using a SM58 mic with an Alesis Multimix 8 USB mixer plugged into her PC. The sound is then mixed with mp3 backing tracks playing from the PC hardrive, and the sound streamed to the internet.

Sometimes the sound heard through the PC is distorted. Also she has complained about having to raise the mixer settings otherwise she is not heard. I am trying to make sure the mixer settings are right before then checking the Windows audio settings.

If she sets the mic channel level as high as possible without the PEAK light coming on, should it then be possible to set the Master level at 0db (12:00) position? Or will it need to be higher? (The max is +10db).

Any help appreciated as I've not used this mixer myself.

AlanB

[joshhunsaker]

I have this mixer...I wouldn't especially use it for the usb option. I experienced the same thing. Having the gain that high is going to provide too much noise - she will get better quality by getting a dual 1/4th to stereo 3.5 mm plug (I assume she is using a card without 1/4th ins) and recording the input to the line level on her card.

[AlanB]

Thanks joshhunsaker!

What I'm trying to get at though, is with the Master level set at 0db, should the signal be strong enough if the Windows audio mixer settings are OK?

AlanB

[joshhunsaker]

uh...yeah it should be fine - just have her do a test of it and adjust accordingly -

That is have her plug her phones in and turn on the monitor function for the microphone on her sound card, or (if her card dosn't have an input monitor for her mic) have her download Reaper and monitor the input through the db meters, ensuring that it never clips. Always adjust the mic gain before you tweak track level itself. If there is too much noise then have her cut the treble eq down halfway and turn on the high pass filter. If there is still too much noise then have her turn all the eqs, mic gains, aux returns, and volume controls for all the tracks except the active one all the way down.