Condenser Preamp connecting to PC?

**Sarithus** · 2013-01-21, 05:19 PM

Hello, I'm in need of some help here.

I'm planning to buy a condenser mic, and with it XLR cables. The cables connect the mic to the preamp, but how does the preamp connect to the PC? Does a preamp come with cables? That's the back of my PC in the picture. Thanks for any help.

**Cyanotical** · 2013-01-21, 05:26 PM

typically through something like this

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta1010LT.html

**Sarithus** · 2013-01-21, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Cyanotical

typically through something like this

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta1010LT.html

So I do need a soundcard for it to connect? Excuse me, I'm a layman when it comes to sound technology. Could you point out where the soundcard would show at the back of my pc when installed? Thanks.

**Yohassakura** · 2013-01-21, 05:31 PM

That Audio buddy looks like it has 1/4" outputs, so you'd need 1/4" to 3.5mm jack adapters...

Though I'm not sure of what the quality would be like with that setup, I did a little google searching and it seems to be the same quality.

**Cyanotical** · 2013-01-21, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Sarithus

So I do need a soundcard for it to connect? Excuse me, I'm a layman when it comes to sound technology. Could you point out where the soundcard would show at the back of my pc when installed? Thanks.

the product i linked is a studio sound card, it plugs into a PCI slot inside your computer,

**Sarithus** · 2013-01-21, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Yohassakura

That Audio buddy looks like it has 1/4" outputs, so you'd need 1/4" to 3.5mm jack adapters...

Though I'm not sure of what the quality would be like with that setup, I did a little google searching and it seems to be the same quality.

Well this was the preamp I was planning to get. I'm clueless as to how it would connect to my pc and if I even have the correct slots.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

**Sarithus** · 2013-01-21, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by Cyanotical

the product i linked is a studio sound card, it plugs into a PCI slot inside your computer,

Yes, but how do you connect the preamp to it?

**Cyanotical** · 2013-01-21, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by Yohassakura

That Audio buddy looks like it has 1/4" outputs, so you'd need 1/4" to 3.5mm jack adapters...

Though I'm not sure of what the quality would be like with that setup, I did a little google searching and it seems to be the same quality.

the diagram shows digital signal from the audiobuddy to the pc though, so im not sure that anything besides USB would work, most consumer soundcards are digital out, not in

**melodramocracy** · 2013-01-21, 05:35 PM

Mic pre's are generally analog, you need to convert that signal to digital, which is generally done through an audio interface. These have analog i/o, and will connect to the computer via USB or Firewire. There are many to choose from, at many price points. Most will also have midi i/o capabilities to use keyboards and other instruments, and most will have mic pre-amps built into them.

A list of examples:

http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/compu...io_interfaces/

**Cyanotical** · 2013-01-21, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by Sarithus

Yes, but how do you connect the preamp to it?

no clue, im not a musician, but i would assume RCA digital or S/PDIF

**melodramocracy** · 2013-01-21, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Sarithus

Well this was the preamp I was planning to get. I'm clueless as to how it would connect to my pc and if I even have the correct slots.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

That isn't what you want, that's not even a mic pre really. That merely supplies phantom power for mics that need it, if the source doesn't supply it.

**Sarithus** · 2013-01-21, 05:42 PM

So right now my PC has integrated sound. I have no soundcard.

- Mic
-XLR Cables (mic to preamp)
- Preamp (Not sure how it connects and what it'd be connecting to on the back of the PC)
- PC with no soundcard. (With the slots you see on the back of the PC in the image)

How do I get this to work?

**Yohassakura** · 2013-01-21, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Cyanotical

the diagram shows digital signal from the audiobuddy to the pc though, so im not sure that anything besides USB would work, most consumer soundcards are digital out, not in

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/AudioBuddy.html

XLR mic ins; 1/4” instrument ins; balanced 1/4” outs

1/4" to 3.5mm adapter

----

It looks like you can get XLR3 to USB or XLR3 to 3.5mm

**Cyanotical** · 2013-01-21, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by Yohassakura

1/4" to 3.5mm adapter

how well would that work though going from balanced to unbalanced?

**melodramocracy** · 2013-01-21, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Sarithus

So right now my PC has integrated sound. I have no soundcard.

- Mic
-XLR Cables (mic to preamp)
- Preamp (Not sure how it connects and what it'd be connecting to on the back of the PC)
- PC with no soundcard. (With the slots you see on the back of the PC in the image)

How do I get this to work?

Mics --> Input of the mic pre
Output of the mic pre --> input of whatever interface you like (this will typically be xlr / xlr). Or you can skip the outboard mic pre entirely and just plug the mic into the interface.
usb or firewire out of the interface ---> PC

**Yohassakura** · 2013-01-21, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Cyanotical

how well would that work though going from balanced to unbalanced?

I think this article explains it quite well: http://www.blitzfamily.eclipse.co.uk...chtip/art6.htm

**Sarithus** · 2013-01-21, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by melodramocracy

Mics --> Input of the mic pre
Output of the mic pre --> input of whatever interface you like (this will typically be xlr / xlr). Or you can skip the outboard mic pre entirely and just plug the mic into the interface.
usb or firewire out of the interface ---> PC

That just explains what I already know.

I still don't understand how the preamp connects to the pc and if I am capable of even connecting it with my pc and the items I have on my buy list.

**melodramocracy** · 2013-01-21, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by Sarithus

That just explains what I already know.

I still don't understand how the preamp connects to the pc and if I am capable of even connecting it with my pc and the items I have on my buy list.

You don't need a preamp, you need an interface (which will have a mic preamp built in). The piece of Behringer gear you posted earlier isn't what you want at all.

**Sarithus** · 2013-01-21, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by melodramocracy

You don't need a preamp, you need an interface (which will have a mic preamp built in). The piece of Behringer gear you posted earlier isn't what you want at all.

Sorry, if you're reffering to the audio buddy picture, that's my fault. I should have cropped that. I was just using that picture as an example, with the thing between the mic and the PC being a preamp.

Can you recommend me an 'interface' that won't destroy my wallet? Thanks.

**melodramocracy** · 2013-01-21, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by Sarithus

Can you recommend me an 'interface' that won't destroy my wallet? Thanks.

It's easier for you to let us know what your budget is specifically, as well as what it is you're trying accomplish from an audio perspective. (and what mic you have right now)

This is a decent bare-bones interface; http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/USBDualPrePS/

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