Audacity Forum

<<<I guess it's a dynamic mic with a 1/4" jack so that answers my dumb question about all dynamic mics being xlr.>>>

What kills you with those is the long cable run. They have the same problem as home music system cables. The first time you need to run between rooms or in difficult, noisy conditions, these pick up hum and buzz in a heartbeat whereas commercial, balanced XLR types don't.

<<<I could likely be doing something wrong too>>>

Probably not. We have one like that and it's almost useless for quiet recording. It's designed for the DJ to scream over full volume dance music. Plus correct me but it only has one mic channel? Oh, I get it. You were going to use that for the one microphone boost before the computer. Why? Didn't you get the whole thing to work without it -- using the Mic-In of the laptop?

Koz

No, my point was to use the mixer with different mics to see if anything worked better and to potentially use it to allow for more mics throughout, but you are right as far as DJs screaming over it. Also I was attempting to use the 626 to give me a bit more control over things, but alas, nope.

Grown up music systems grew up that way for a reason. It wasn't that the companies wanted to spend as much money as possible. They were all solving specific problems. Three-wire, XLR type audio systems are the cheapest way to get long, perfect quality cable runs that you don't need an advanced degree to use.

MicPres are expensive, but they're the only practical way to make the painfully tiny microphone signal loud enough to be useful without screwing it up, etc.

There are ways of designing sound systems that don't follow music standards. Telephones were in operation long before music amplifiers. Special purpose handset microphones and battery from the central office were the only tools necessary, but nobody would consider those entertainment music systems (although there were a couple of those, too. they never caught on).

So we keep coming back to that list. If you have headsets that don't need battery, then you don't need the battery step, but you'll still need everything else. If you do need the battery inserters, you'll be buying the stuff from Radio Shack which is probably the most expensive way to go (but available next to the grocery store in any town with more than five people in it). The only other option is opening up an account with DigiKey or Mouser, and small quantities will kill you on shipping.

http://www.mouser.com/
http://www.digikey.com/
http://www.newark.com/

I brought home the larger of the two battery inserters for pictures, but got caught up in microphone tests and ran out of time. I'm testing this Shure Brothers MicPre for inclusion in the Hardware Page.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/X2u/

That's what one nearly perfect single microphone channel looks like. It fits in my pocket. It's direct to USB, so it doesn't lend itself to multi-microphone systems and sound mixers.

Koz

Do you have an estimated cost for a set of battery inserters built by me for 6 channels? My 150 per hour labor rate not included...

Thanks again for the help, I haven't mentioned it in a couple posts.

<<<Thanks again for the help, I haven't mentioned it in a couple posts.>>>

It's not entirely fluffy. Every so often somebody doing something completely unusual will hit a technique or tool that nobody's heard of before. That's valuable for everybody else on the forum. It is a dialog and you are dialogging.

I need to go back through the parts needed. Do you have an electric drill? The battery inserter does need to be in a metal shield.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062217

Koz

kozikowski wrote:The battery inserter does need to be in a metal shield.

The box can often be the most expensive single item - I have several projects that are built into old tobacco tins (fully shielded with a tight fitting but easily removed lid when it's necessary to change the battery).

Yeah, I have a drill. I could also likely make a box if need be, I've got some bending equipment at work that I could probably use. Is it possible to have all 6 battery inserters in the same box or is that a bad idea?

<<<Is it possible to have all 6 battery inserters in the same box or is that a bad idea?>>>

That makes my head hurt. The conservative Engineer is screaming they all need to be separate, but the analytical Engineer can't think of a reason why not put them in one box. You could get crosstalk between the signals, but they're all going to one show anyway, so who cares?

I gotta think about that.

Koz

Have you thought how you're going to mix six dry microphone signals down to one show?

Koz

I'm not sure what you mean... My thought was that the 6 signals would go into the mixer then to the computer for now but when I can afford it go to preamp then mixer then computer... Am I thinking wrong yet again?

As far as the big box is concerned would there be less potential interference if there weere 6 boxes in a bigger box? I'm basically looking for transportability.