Karaoke Forums

I have 2 questions that would would like answered and suggestions. I have upto recently recorded with Cooledit pro with a microphone connected to the MIC input in the back of the soundcard. Recently I got a suggestion that I should get a mic pre-amp/mixer to improve the mic sound and make it a little "warmer sounding".  Anywys so I did. Instructions says that it should be plugged into LINE-IN and not the MIC IN slot on the sound card. Well doing so creates 2 problems,
1st...you can't hear the mic/singing through your speakers connected to your computer LIVE(as you sing)
2nd. When you capture it in windows(cooledit pro, windows record, audacity etc) it only captures on the left channel instead in stereo like if you do it thru the MIC-IN slot on the back ot the sound card. If you play back what you just recording it only comes out of the left speaker.

Second question is calibrating the pre-amp together with the WIndows recording mixer setting. What is the best setting in windows. Currently I have the slider at 55-65% in windows. Is it better to lower this and juice up the setting on the pre-amp
2nd.. on the pre-amp I have 2 knobs...Output and Input..what is the consensus on setting these. It also has a +20 GAIN button..but if I press that in I get a hiss in everything I record..What is the best way to set this up..keep the amp low and juice up in windows recording mixer or have a low setting in windows and juice up the amp???

For a decent analyisis I would need some more parameters on your system and how you have it set up.. I assume you are playing karaoke music with your computer..

Anyway I'll give general answeres based on the info I have.

1st You dont want to monitor with the speakers that is prone to feedback.. Headphones  work better in that situation

 2nd Mono is standard from a mic. I am not familiar with your software but there are several ways to track vocals.  One way is arm 2 tracks with one panned all the way to the right and the other panned left..  Another way is record one track and bounce down to stereo. The first method is preferred then you can delay one a smudgeon in relation to the other and get more richness or depending on the delay time a chorus effect..

Second part
 Onboard sound cards are infamous for high floor noise but any recorder level should be about -6db . In your case I would set the line in slider in the cntrl panel at the first mark below max or slightly above.. then the out put of the pre should be approaching unity or 0db...If the cool edit pro has level indicators use them for the input level and keep the peaks below red...

When using a mic pre amp you use the line in and not the mic in, cos the signal  is line level signal. You will need to set the recording software to record in mono. The reason you have the wav form on you L-channel is because you are set to record in stereo. Line in signal are always mono.
To monitor your singing you need to check line-in, in your play back vol control is not mute. Use headphone to monitor.

Good luck

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott