MacBook Microphone Set-Up

[shad]

Hi there,

I'm looking for some suggestions regarding a good Microphone set up with my MacBook. I have a Sony ECM-MS907 Electret Condenser, and would like an efficient way to record my Piano pieces in such a way that there is no noise, Light hissing in the background. There's a particular type of noise I'm interested in avoiding, one that is present in most recordings i've listened (The type of noise where one is able to distinguish from a studio recording to an amateur recording) - It's a breezy constant noise in the background (It may be a grounding problem).

I'm aware that the microphone input in the MacBook will not allow me to directly plug in my microphone and that it needs a power source and amplification. I'm not too keen on purchasing the Griffin iMic since it lacks an adjustable pre-amp, multiplying only the digital signal which includes the noise.

Which unit do you recommend I purchase and how would I go about installing it? I would prefer to simply plug the microphone into one unit, and plug the output of the unit to the MacBook (If it were that simple). I've heard of the Art Tube MP, is this any good and how would I install it? I'm not looking to spend too much (around $90/£50). I just want to achieve a near-studio quality (studio, if possible).

I have searched other threads but I see a lot of suggestions that do not state the full installation instructions, so I've created a new topic.

Thanks!

 

[localoid]

No matter how much money you waste on a preamp, you're not going to get "studio quality" from a Sony ECM-MS907 with specs like: Frequency Response : 100 - 15,000Hz; Dynamic Range : More than 80dB; and etc. Sony doesn't list the mic's S/N, but I'm guessing its around 60-70dB, about the best you can hope for a $70 electret condenser microphone, which means you'll get a good bit of noise coming from the mic itself.

A couple carefully selected $100 condenser mics (not electret condenser) and a decent preamp w/phantom power would give you much, much better results than the Sony mic. But frankly, the easiest and cheapest way to achieve "studio quality" piano recordings would be to buy a $400-500 sample library of piano sounds and a MIDI keyboard -- unless you have a 4-figure budget to pay for high quality mics, preamps, and sound card along with the acoustic treatment needed for the recording room to achieve "studio sound".

Audio examples: MP3s of a Chopin piece and a Gershwin piece recorded via the Quantum Leap Pianos sample library.

 

[shad]

A couple carefully selected $100 condenser mics (not electret condenser) and a decent preamp w/phantom power would give you much, much better results than the Sony mic.

Thanks for the reply.

What do you recommend?