Check your firebox manual.
It may be expecting a HiZ input on the 1/4" jack of the combo connector but the xlr connector will be lowZ...
If that is the case using a xlr to xlr cable might give you a stronger signal
Cheap Condenser - Behringer C1
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- KVRist
- 237 posts since 12 Jan, 2005 from Sydney - Australia
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 297 posts since 15 Jun, 2007
Wow - I just read the manual...
"INSTRUMENT INPUTS (Channels 1 and 2): The ¼" TS connector on channels 1
and 2 are for use with an instrument (guitar, bass, and etc.). When an instrument is plugged into the instrument input, the microphone preamplifier is BYPASSED and the FIREBOX becomes an active instrument preamplifier."
So I guess i've been plugging my mic in with a 1/4 inch cable - and thus a bypassed mic preamp!
Ok I will get this cable tomorrow morning!! I knew it couldn't be this bad!
"INSTRUMENT INPUTS (Channels 1 and 2): The ¼" TS connector on channels 1
and 2 are for use with an instrument (guitar, bass, and etc.). When an instrument is plugged into the instrument input, the microphone preamplifier is BYPASSED and the FIREBOX becomes an active instrument preamplifier."
So I guess i've been plugging my mic in with a 1/4 inch cable - and thus a bypassed mic preamp!
Ok I will get this cable tomorrow morning!! I knew it couldn't be this bad!
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- Banned
- 338 posts since 4 Dec, 2007
OP you seem to have continued your discussion from this post
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... sc&start=0
As noted, you need to connect microphones to the XLR input, not the 1/4" instrument input.
Target your nominal record and mix levels to -20dbfs, which is the Firebox's 0dbu reference.
Stay away from the Behringer mics, save your money for something better.
Check your local AU Craigslist.com listings for locals selling good used mics. You can check them out in person and not worry about shipping.
The SP B1 is an excellent mic, and I've heard great things of the Samson LDC a swell. The Samson CO2's are amazing, I use them all the time on strings and acoustic guitars with great success, and I have many, far more expensive mics in my arsenal. They hold their own against mics consting 5-10x their cost.
Definitely check into Rode mics, since they are made in AU. The NTK is fantastic, although above your pricerange, worth saving for. Retube it (for $30-40 DIY in 5 mnutes) with an EH Gold 6922 and they really sound incredible.
Also the NT1A and K2 are great.
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... sc&start=0
As noted, you need to connect microphones to the XLR input, not the 1/4" instrument input.
Target your nominal record and mix levels to -20dbfs, which is the Firebox's 0dbu reference.
Stay away from the Behringer mics, save your money for something better.
Check your local AU Craigslist.com listings for locals selling good used mics. You can check them out in person and not worry about shipping.
The SP B1 is an excellent mic, and I've heard great things of the Samson LDC a swell. The Samson CO2's are amazing, I use them all the time on strings and acoustic guitars with great success, and I have many, far more expensive mics in my arsenal. They hold their own against mics consting 5-10x their cost.
Definitely check into Rode mics, since they are made in AU. The NTK is fantastic, although above your pricerange, worth saving for. Retube it (for $30-40 DIY in 5 mnutes) with an EH Gold 6922 and they really sound incredible.
Also the NT1A and K2 are great.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 297 posts since 15 Jun, 2007
Thanks amarule - i'll get to the music store just after the gym this morning and grab the correct cable.
I had posted in the other thread a while ago.. .and the forum stopped emailing me about the 10 or so replies which I saw sometime yesterday - so I sorta started posting in two threads at once.
Seriously though - I can't say thanks enough to all you guys - you've helped out very non judgementally with all my stupid questions! I'm very grateful!
I had posted in the other thread a while ago.. .and the forum stopped emailing me about the 10 or so replies which I saw sometime yesterday - so I sorta started posting in two threads at once.
Seriously though - I can't say thanks enough to all you guys - you've helped out very non judgementally with all my stupid questions! I'm very grateful!
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 297 posts since 15 Jun, 2007
Woohoo! Worked like a charm!
Let this be a lesson to anyone else with a Firebox who is using a 1/4inch lead for their microphone! The guy at the shop told me he had 4 customers who had done the same thing!
In any case this will do me for vocals for a while - at least until these singing lessons of mine really start to kick in.
I'll grab a condenser (probably just the SP B1) when I can afford some decent monitors too!
Thanks again!
Vinay
Let this be a lesson to anyone else with a Firebox who is using a 1/4inch lead for their microphone! The guy at the shop told me he had 4 customers who had done the same thing!
In any case this will do me for vocals for a while - at least until these singing lessons of mine really start to kick in.
I'll grab a condenser (probably just the SP B1) when I can afford some decent monitors too!
Thanks again!
Vinay
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- KVRist
- 237 posts since 12 Jan, 2005 from Sydney - Australia
Glad to hear you got it sorted.
The SM58 is a decent mic - especially if you are jus recording in your bedroom (ie. you are going to have other things impacting the quality of the recordings than the type of mic)
If you can't get a decent recording using the SM58, then getting a condenser isn't going to suddenly make your recordings better.
But still it is fun buying new toys and playing with them
The SM58 is a decent mic - especially if you are jus recording in your bedroom (ie. you are going to have other things impacting the quality of the recordings than the type of mic)
If you can't get a decent recording using the SM58, then getting a condenser isn't going to suddenly make your recordings better.
But still it is fun buying new toys and playing with them
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 297 posts since 15 Jun, 2007
Ok in regards to the dbfs - where did you find out about the firebox's reference?? I couldn't see it in the manual?
I'm using Reaper to do my audio recording - so I assume that I just target the peak of my recording level to -20 on the channel/master meter
http://www.reaper.fm/feat-ss.php (for a pic of the meter)
Buying new things is amazingly fun! That said i'm pretty much at the end of things i'm going to buy for a long time! I was lucky enough to get a very good graduation present from my aunt and uncle - which will more than cover the cost of a Studio Projects b1! Then there are just monitors left - but my Hifi speakers/headphones will do for now... and at some stage i'll get a mac but thats separate because it will be a work expense (which can coincidentally be used for my hobby!)
I'm using Reaper to do my audio recording - so I assume that I just target the peak of my recording level to -20 on the channel/master meter
http://www.reaper.fm/feat-ss.php (for a pic of the meter)
Buying new things is amazingly fun! That said i'm pretty much at the end of things i'm going to buy for a long time! I was lucky enough to get a very good graduation present from my aunt and uncle - which will more than cover the cost of a Studio Projects b1! Then there are just monitors left - but my Hifi speakers/headphones will do for now... and at some stage i'll get a mac but thats separate because it will be a work expense (which can coincidentally be used for my hobby!)
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 297 posts since 15 Jun, 2007
Ok to take this one step further - RichLum you may make a good point - I have a maybe 3 x 3.5m room - wooden floors, gyprocked walls, which is reasonably cluttered due to the electronic drums and digital piano on different walls/corners. BUT my computer is quite loud in any case - I can hear the fan quite nice and loud as I sit here(it's not as bad as previous fans but still).
My drums/keys/electric guitars and basses are generally recorded via direct input or by triggering samples - so the noise isn't an issue there. It's just for the vocals really.
I'm assuming that a condenser Mic will pick up the computer noise quite easily? The SM58 doesn't really do so. I can "just" get the microphone cable out of this room (and I could go and swap it for a longer one) - but whether that helps or not I don't know.
In fact I don't know wheter or not the room would be nice sounding othrwise? I quite like the sound that I get out of the room when I sing/play guitar in it (not recording)... I don't know if that matters?
SOO much to learn!
My drums/keys/electric guitars and basses are generally recorded via direct input or by triggering samples - so the noise isn't an issue there. It's just for the vocals really.
I'm assuming that a condenser Mic will pick up the computer noise quite easily? The SM58 doesn't really do so. I can "just" get the microphone cable out of this room (and I could go and swap it for a longer one) - but whether that helps or not I don't know.
In fact I don't know wheter or not the room would be nice sounding othrwise? I quite like the sound that I get out of the room when I sing/play guitar in it (not recording)... I don't know if that matters?
SOO much to learn!