Howdy,
Since I am a new kid on the block and I need help, could someone recommend dynamic MIC USB for recording music from radio, chatting on Facebook, Skype…etc?
Currently, I am running on Windows 7, just recently I bought Mackie CR3 multimedia monitor speakers.
Perhaps, once I learn a few tricks I might even get into more advance recording.
Thanks.
Your help will be greatly appreciated.
What kind of computer? Laptop?
Which Audacity do you have?
Koz
PC RAM 16 Gb, Intel i5, Audacity the latest, just downloaded it 2 days ago.
Unfortunately downloading it 2 days ago does not guarantee that you have the current version (it depends on exactly where you downloaded from). Look in Audacity “Help menu > About Audacity” for the exact version number.
My version 2.1.2 just downloaded and it is the same as before through Audacity.
A headset mic is usually appropriate for “chatting” and almost any USB headset mic should work. By monitoring in the headset, you avoid feedback (or echo) that you might get with monitor speakers. A more expensive “gaming headset” will generally get you better sound in your headphones, but not necessarily a better mic.
Recording both sides of a Skype (or similar) conversation usually requires special software such as [u]Pamela[/u].
If you want to make high quality recordings look for a [u]studio style USB mic[/u] (AKA “podcast mic”).
Some features to consider in a podcast mic are an analog gain control and a headphone connection for direct zero-latency monitoring. When you monitor through the computer you get latency (delay). Sometimes you can tweak the latency down to an acceptable level, but otherwise a delayed echo in your ear can make it difficult to speak (or sing, etc.). Direct monitoring avoids the issue altogether.
Note that you can generally record from only one USB mic at a time, so if you want to use two or more microphones you’ll need analog stage/studio mics and an [u]USB Audio Interface[/u] with one or more XLR mic inputs (or a mixer with a USB output).
Once you have a good microphone (and a good preamp or USB interface) it’s important to have a good quiet “studio” to record in with sound-absorbing acoustics.
recording music from radio
Do NOT use a microphone to record from the radio. Use a direct connection from your stereo’s line-out (or tape-out), or the radio’s headphone-out into line-in on your soundcard. If you have laptop with only mic-in and headphone-out, you can get an [u]audio interface[/u] with line inputs.
could someone recommend dynamic
Almost all “computer mics” are electret condensers (not dynamics). Electret condensers have a little amplifier inside, and they require 5V which is supplied from the soundcard.
A dynamic mic is a mic made with a magnet and voice coil (exactly like a loudspeaker). One example is the Shure SM58, which is the most popular vocal-stage mic of all time. But, regular stage or studio mics are low impedance balanced and they won’t work (directly) with a computer.
Studio condensers also have electronics inside, but they run from 48V phantom power, supplied by the preamp, mixer, or interface.
Thanks DVDdoug,
it seems to me, it ain´t as easy as I thought. I don´t have a studio, I only have a little setup in my room.
So just one little question, if I may. Is it really worth to buy MIC for me? Wouldn´t it be better to buy headphones with Mic?
How about Blue Yeti or snowball, would that makes any sense?
If you will, what headphones would you recommend? Something around 120 to 150 Eur.
headphones with Mic?
That’s a headset. A matched set of headphones and microphone.
That’s what brought me up short. In a couple of sentences you described about four different microphones, environments and conditions.
The USB or gaming headset is terrific for, well, gaming, Skype and Chat, but they get there by conditioning the voice and nobody who’s ever used one would dream of using it to record an audiobook or voiceover.
You totally can plug a dynamic (moving coil) microphone into a soundcard Mic-In, and it works, too, but the adapter is special purpose and I usually make it.
The adapter cables with two black bands on the 1/8" are much more common, but don’t work in this application. So as a practical matter, you can record your SM58 all day long if you’re good with soldering.
“Studio USB Microphones” such as the Yeti are terrific, but they don’t work for everybody. There is a significant number of users on the forum with “the Yeti Curse,” a high-pitched whine sound that comes from electrical leakages in the USB system. It’s very difficult to make a clean recording once you have the curse, and very difficult to get rid of in post production filters once you do record it. It has a lot of the same sounds as babies screaming on a jet. It will cause the ACX AudioBook testing process to fail.
If you get a Yeti to work, it may still not work. They record low volume by design and it can be rough to record noise-free, good volume voices.
Many of these problems fall away when you get into the grown-up systems. Another poster owns a terrific stand-alone recorder (no computer) and any second now I’m going to find the model number. I think it’s the same one that National Public Radio uses.
The other way is full-on microphone - mixer - digitizer. That’s how I do it.
I also have a Zoom H4 stand-alone recorder, but it’s old and I can do much better now.
Looking for that portable recorder.
Koz
The Transom people have a lot of good, simple information on sound recording.
The recorder is a Tascam DR-40. It has built-in stereo microphones on the top and you can attach your own microphones in the bottom.
http://transom.org/2015/podcasting-basics-part-1-voice-recording-gear/
http://transom.org/2014/portable-digital-recorder-comparison/
Koz
Thank you for your help.
After I read all the above postings, I believe I have got a plenty to learn.
regards
P.S.
Another consideration is how to expand. Most of the home recording systems will not expand past one microphone. There are ways to plug two Yetis into your computer, but you have to force it to work and it’s not pleasant. No force will bring you beyond two.
My mixer will accept four different microphones without thinking very hard about it.
Koz