Karaoke Forums

Bought an Aspire DVD player with CDG capability for home karaoke. We tried it out but the microphone is barely audible compared to the music. Volume on the mic on the DVD player is maxed. Is there an inexpensive way to boost a mic signal like this? I'm going from a Audio Technica mic to a 1/4 input on the player.

Get a small mixer!

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So I would run the dvd/cd+g sound into a mixer with inputs for the music (and the microphone into the mixer as well). Does this then cut the music level and boost the mic level to the appropriate levels before reaching my stereo? Does it actively boost the mic signal or just cut the music? Also, do you recommend any inexpensive models (less than $100). THANKS!

Boof,

Your mixer has adjustable levels.

The reason you can't hear the mic very well is you have a simple system. MOST people don't even use the mic parts of a karaoke player. If you had the player hooked up thru some kind of amplifier, you might be able to adjust it that way, but it would sound awful!!

The best way is what Lonnie said. For your home usage, get a cheap mixer, say a two or four channel one from radio shack. You would put the player output into channel one, and the microphone could be in channel two. Ask the Radio Shack guy for details.

Most of us here are "professional" karaoke people, and have much more complex systems.

Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier.

Matt

Boof,

A long, and/or cheap mic cord will diminish the signal being sent from your mic to your player. This will be more noticable at low volumes.
Using a mixer and a mic cord with XLR connectors on both ends should take care of the problem and allow you to use a longer cord.
When you shop for a mixer make sure that it has effects or you won't have any echo or reverb since your echo will no longer be supplied by the player.
I like the "looks" of the Alesis 8FX for $150 at http://www.musiciansfriend.com search for product #630157. There are, of course, cheaper mixers that will serve you well. Click on to one of the links found on the Karaoke Scene home page.

Kojak

Yes this is exactly what you would do to hook it up. This will give your music it's own volume & eq & your vocals it's own volume & eq controls. The input on the players (especially some of the off brands) plain suck. Like Kojak mentioned, you will need a mixer with a built in effects in it. The Alesis is decent & Behringer make a couple of inexpensive models.

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you could also try lowering the dvd volume to a 3 or 4 and maxing out the mic volume, we have been doing that with my apex and it works fine, not great but it gets us by.

Don't know what model mic you're using, I'm thinking it's a Lo Z (low impedence) mic. You may be able to use a mic pre amp to get acceptable sound, or try another mic (hi Z). All that said I'd have to agree with others that you're better off with a small mixer.

We also bought one of these and every time we turn the machine on, we need to go into audio settings and turn the mic to 'on'. its very annoying and we haven't figured out how to get the setting to stay when we turn the machine off. Not sure if this is your problem too, but thought I would share this info with you, just in case.