Is a mic preamp needed?

just wondering if i need a mic preamp if my mixer already has phantom power.

Not really.
You would need a preamp if your mixer's sound quality stinks, but that's only if the mic preamp is actually of a better quality. But to make it plain.... No, you don't need one.

Peace.

Science wrote:just wondering if i need a mic preamp if my mixer already has phantom power.

your mixer would not have phantom power unless you have a mic preamp on it.......

.p

try this science.........

http://www.tangible-technology.com/powe ... nnect.html

Science wrote:just wondering if i need a mic preamp if my mixer already has phantom power.

YES

can u please elaborate on the reason for your yes answer.

I'm guessin' Ron is referring to the fact that most pre amps in low budget mixers are garbage cuz "technically" the pres in your mixer will work, you don't "need" another pre amp but a dedicated unit will probably sound better then the one in your mixer. What kind of mixer is it?

No you will not........unless you are not happy with the preamp in your mixer.............I am cool with most preamps....but you will not know for sure if you don't try it out!

i have a behringer ub2442fx mixer. it has something called invisible mic preamps.

Science wrote:i have a behringer ub2442fx mixer. it has something called invisible mic preamps.

IMP's are str8.......you are gonna have to kick the gain up though
just don't kill it!

Should work fine. Whether or not you like the sound it produces is a whole other issue though, I myself have never had any problems with Behringer mixers but many folks don't like them.

if you like the sound, don't buy a pre-amp.. all you should listen for is clarity.. a good pre-amp isn't going to make a wack mic sound good.. a good mic can't make bad vocals sound good either, and a good mic, good vocals, and the best pre-amp can still sound like sh!t if the engineer/producer doesn't know what he's doing. So just play around with what you have, you may find you don't need anything more than what you already have.

. ..roxstar. ..
http://www.soundclick.com/creamofbeats

roxstar wrote:if you like the sound, don't buy a pre-amp.. all you should listen for is clarity.. a good pre-amp isn't going to make a wack mic sound good.. a good mic can't make bad vocals sound good either, and a good mic, good vocals, and the best pre-amp can still sound like sh!t if the engineer/producer doesn't know what he's doing. So just play around with what you have, you may find you don't need anything more than what you already have.

. ..roxstar. ..
http://www.soundclick.com/creamofbeats

real talk..........but i think a decent mic can be used on anything....but the preamp is what will make that mic differ from the rest.....I guess it is just my opinion

Sorry I didn't reply sooner was in to other things. cooocooo1 pretty much summed up what I truly think. Some mic pre's will color your sound by adding what I would call subtle distortion (some more than others). That is what the tube primarily dose in the "Tube MP's". A mic pre simply should help you increase your gain without all that extra hiss you get from the mixer mic pre's, and Prah_860_ sorry to disagree but I don't feel the mic pres on the lower end mixers are remotly adiquate. Now I am looking at it from the point that you want to compeat with the mega studio sound (industry sound). I am a firm beliver that the do it your selfer is able to acheive just as good if not better results from a home studio. But there are tools you need I beleive a Mic Pre is one of them. This is my full time gig and i have my methods of how I mix & record. roxstar said don't buy the pre if you don't like the sound. He is also right. You are the artist you know what you like. Trust your ears. Do not take the opinoin of what ever magazine tells you. I use Mic pres for all my recordings. The extra levels I get translates to more bits of info I can use. I use a computer to record and mix so I need the extra help to really pump the levels. I simply have not with my limited knowlege been able to equal the quality I am use to with out one. If you only have a few bucks try the presonus Tube Pre, or the RNC. Try different mics also. Beleive it or not you will get great results by switching mics. Look at it like lenses on a camera. That is how you get different shoots. Cheap Mics I like are Sure SM57, MXL V77 & 2001, C1. U MUST EXPERIMENT THIS IS YOUR LAB! Please remember I am looking at this from more than just a part time hooby perspective. Please do not be offended I welcome the other veiws. I will always remain learnable and others will difinatly inlighten me.
Ron

Ron wrote:Sorry I didn't reply sooner was in to other things. cooocooo1 pretty much summed up what I truly think. Some mic pre's will color your sound by adding what I would call subtle distortion (some more than others). That is what the tube primarily dose in the "Tube MP's". A mic pre simply should help you increase your gain without all that extra hiss you get from the mixer mic pre's, and Prah_860_ sorry to disagree but I don't feel the mic pres on the lower end mixers are remotly adiquate. Now I am looking at it from the point that you want to compeat with the mega studio sound (industry sound). I am a firm beliver that the do it your selfer is able to acheive just as good if not better results from a home studio. But there are tools you need I beleive a Mic Pre is one of them. This is my full time gig and i have my methods of how I mix & record. roxstar said don't buy the pre if you don't like the sound. He is also right. You are the artist you know what you like. Trust your ears. Do not take the opinoin of what ever magazine tells you. I use Mic pres for all my recordings. The extra levels I get translates to more bits of info I can use. I use a computer to record and mix so I need the extra help to really pump the levels. I simply have not with my limited knowlege been able to equal the quality I am use to with out one. If you only have a few bucks try the presonus Tube Pre, or the RNC. Try different mics also. Beleive it or not you will get great results by switching mics. Look at it like lenses on a camera. That is how you get different shoots. Cheap Mics I like are Sure SM57, MXL V77 & 2001, C1. U MUST EXPERIMENT THIS IS YOUR LAB! Please remember I am looking at this from more than just a part time hooby perspective. Please do not be offended I welcome the other veiws. I will always remain learnable and others will difinatly inlighten me.
Ron

Hell yeah. I want to spend about $1000 (at least) on a nice tube later on down the road.

i dont know if this mic isgood but i have a audio technica At3035. i paid like 200 for this condenser mic. is this a good mic for studio applications?
i also have a dynamic mic its a audio-technica atm27he, how about this one?