Connecting My Microphone to Computer HELP!!!! ASAP PLZ

dabear16 · Jan 9, 2008

Ok this is the deal. I bought this microphone in a pawn shop, its actualyl from radio shack, its a singing microphone(the ones that rappers us i guess). And i bought a cable that runs from the microphone to the 1/8 hole in the computer. I had to buy a adapter to make it fit, cuz the cable was to big. But when i plug it in i hear juts a pop and i cant hear nothing when i say somthing in the mic. And when i take it out its also another pop and again when i put it in i hear a pop but i hear no sounds. SO how do i make my mic work on my computer? so i can hear my voice threw my speakers? plz help

yippy · Jan 9, 2008

The 1/8 jack on your Mac is not a Mic in, it is a line in and requires a much higher signal. You need a pre-amp to get it to work.

The iMic is a popular USB version.

66217 · Jan 9, 2008

I think you have to buy the iMic, not sure what does it makes, but they told me so at an Apple Store.

Drumjim85 · Jan 9, 2008

yippy said:
The 1/8 jack on your Mac is not a Mic in, it is a line in and requires a much higher signal. You need a pre-amp to get it to work.

The iMic is a popular USB version.

yes...

And possibly (not probably) the mic needs power, which any decent pre would be able to provide.

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

Thanks BUT

Thanks for the replies but now i have a windows xp and i need that mic to work on the xp instead of the mac. But i bought a midi controller it should ship today here i think i need that to make it sound.

Drumjim85 · Jan 10, 2008

dabear16 said:
Thanks for the replies but now i have a windows xp and i need that mic to work on the xp instead of the mac. But i bought a midi controller it should ship today here i think i need that to make it sound.

a midi controller will have no sounds in it... it's just going to send midi information to something... and it has nothing to do with hooking up a mic

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

umm??

thats what the person todl me at the store. But what do you think i should do to make my microphone go to my windows xp and record lets say a song, what are all the things im gona need ?

faintember · Jan 10, 2008

dabear16 said:
Thanks for the replies but now i have a windows xp and i need that mic to work on the xp instead of the mac. But i bought a midi controller it should ship today here i think i need that to make it sound.

MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface and has nothing to do with audio. Some MIDI interfaces offer audio as well, but MIDI is just a way for a computer and an instrument such as a keyboard to talk to each other.

The mic may work on a Windows machine, as many of them have a Mic Input that is powered. Just look at the inputs on the Windows computer and it typically is indicated by a little microphone icon to the side of the 1/8" jack. Other than that, just try the various inputs to see if one works.

Drumjim85 · Jan 10, 2008

dabear16 said:
thats what the person todl me at the store. But what do you think i should do to make my microphone go to my windows xp and record lets say a song, what are all the things im gona need ?

well, some midi controllers have other things attached that could allow for this..

what did you actually buy (the brand / model)

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

i tired to plug it in the inputs it provides the 1/8 but the mic is 1/4 but i got a adapter to 1/8 soo it fits and i pluged it in the front and in the back soo i dont know why its not working
sooooo
noo midi control to buy?

go here this is what i bought

it has a midi control buoilt into it

http://cgi.ebay.com/M-Audio-O2-Midi...ryZ41784QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Drumjim85 · Jan 10, 2008

dabear16 said:
go here this is what i bought

it has a midi control buoilt into it

http://cgi.ebay.com/M-Audio-O2-Midi...ryZ41784QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

ya, i have one of those 2" away from me... no audio passes through this at all...

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

ohh really ok
well i dont know how to make the mic then work threw my computer
anything you would suggest

Drumjim85 · Jan 10, 2008

dabear16 said:
ohh really ok
well i dont know how to make the mic then work threw my computer
anything you would suggest

for beginners ... something like this ...

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

what is that ????? what can i do with that

faintember · Jan 10, 2008

Or an iMic as mentioned earlier (works on Macs and PC's IIRC) and is much cheaper than the MAudio box listed.

what is that ????? what can i do with that

You plug it into your computer, and the mic into the interface (the item that was listed, or the iMic, etc.) and it will allow you to record audio via the mic to your computer.

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

yeah what is that thing called that you posted a url on
try to find it on ebay.
but i dont know i just need somthing to make this work and soo i can put my vocals into a instrumental you know soo what ever makes that work i want it

Drumjim85 · Jan 10, 2008

faintember said:
Or an iMic as mentioned earlier (works on Macs and PC's IIRC) and is much cheaper than the MAudio box listed.

sure, i guess this would work too ...

(and obviously you don't care about quality.. so..)

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

well i mean it has to have descent quality

faintember · Jan 10, 2008

Drumjim85 said:
sure, i guess this would work too ...

(and obviously you don't care about quality.. so..)

Considering the OP stated it was a Radio Shack mic ran through a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter, I would not be too concerned about the pre quality. However if it was a pair of Neumann or AKG mics he wanted to use I would recommend something a bit more high end.

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

yeah i have good mics but i just need this special mic to work i have a studio and all lined up but nothing at home soo i can mess around you can hear some of my song on myspace here
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cf...&MyToken=75f8a57a-8664-438e-9817-415ed2208926
but im just trying to have somthing at home for fun

what kind of quality will i get from this iMic thing, does it sound the same as the mic i got with the computer you know those small ones ????/

faintember · Jan 10, 2008

dabear16 said:
what kind of quality will i get from this iMic thing, does it sound the same as the mic i got with the computer you know those small ones ????/

It should be of at least that quality and may be better depending on the mic that your computer came with.

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

okey well i read it on ebay someone is selling and the description and all sounds good, im just gona buy it and hook up my mic i bought (the big one) and plug it in the computer and see what happens, ill come back and post somthing on here to tell you guys how it came up. But until then anything else suggestions or anything would help

Drumjim85 · Jan 10, 2008

dabear16 said:
what kind of quality will i get from this iMic thing, does it sound the same as the mic i got with the computer you know those small ones ????/

the question is... what kind of quality will you get from your radio shack mic...

dabear16 · Jan 10, 2008

yeah its ok i mean if the mic sucks i have plenty new better ones but what i wana know is if i have lets say top notch mic will the iMic convert the quality bad or have it the same of what the mic gives you know. like does it chagne anything

Drumjim85 · Jan 10, 2008

dabear16 said:
yeah its ok i mean if the mic sucks i have plenty new better ones but what i wana know is if i have lets say top notch mic will the iMic convert the quality bad or have it the same of what the mic gives you know. like does it chagne anything

everything is going to affect the sound to some degree... if you don't want to affect the sound very much, you're going to be paying big bucks...

edit: and if you have a top notch mic, you're going to want a top notch preamp, and top notch converter ...

Connecting My Microphone to Computer HELP!!!! ASAP PLZ

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