Microphone Volumes?!?!

[jase700]

I purchased a Sony F-V620 microphone and have hooked it up to my computer by using the line in on the back. Problem is that even when I dial up the line-in volume in system settings, you can hardly hear it.

Am I doing something wrong?


Jason

 

[kanker]

Microphones generally need a whole lot of gain (basically, an increase in signal strength) in order to be "heard". Plugging a mic into a line in will almost always result in little to no sound. You will need to look into getting a mic preamp or a simple inexpensive mixer, like a Behringer 4 channel mixer to plug the mic into, and then plug the preamp/mixer output into your line in. Another option would be to look into an inexpensive audio interface (M-Audio makes some decent inexpensive interfaces) to hook the mic into. The interface generally would hook into your computer via firewire or USB. If you go that route, be sure to check if the interface can handle mics, most should. An interface is generally going to be a little more versatile than just a mixer or preamp, as you would be able to record multiple inputs at once, maybe not in GB, but if you ever upgraded to another music app.

 

[MacManDan]

I purchased a Sony F-V620 microphone and have hooked it up to my computer by using the line in on the back.

The problem is that it's a line-in, just like kanker said.
Line-ins require an amplified source whereas Microphone jacks (which some Macs don't have - at least in the portables line) do the amplification for you - this is why you need a pre-amp or mixer (as previously suggested) to do the job correctly.

 

[jackieonasses]

i have a question to keep this thread alive.... why does Apple do that anyway? is Line-in better sound? cheaper? i need some fanatics/gurus/zealots...input!

 

[MacManDan]

i have a question to keep this thread alive.... why does Apple do that anyway? is Line-in better sound? cheaper? i need some fanatics/gurus/zealots...input!

Well, you could look at it a number of ways, depending on how you want to view Apple:
- Probably a cost factor mostly ...
- Other than that, internal amps are noisy/staticy with all of the internals of the computer so close to it, so they are giving you better "quality" by forcing you to use an external amplifier that will be noisefree (or at least, low noise)
- having only one input is "easier to use" than having two inputs, apple may not want to confuse people and have them plugging in the wrong thing into the wrong plug.

Just some suggestions - but admittedly, I don't know the true answer

 

[kanker]

I think that the line in is more of a convenience than anything. To be honest, the sound quality of the line in is serviceable at best.

 

[Bruce Lee, PhD]

i have a question to keep this thread alive.... why does Apple do that anyway? is Line-in better sound? cheaper? i need some fanatics/gurus/zealots...input!

well, line level signals are often provided by most 'powered' sources, like cd players, mixers, etc. so i guess there's some use for a line in.

but if apple wanted to provide a mic input, they'd need to add a small amplifier (ie preamp) to the circuit, to bring the mic signal up to whatever level is used internally. this would raise the cost of the machine, yet not many people would actually use the input. so if they added a mic pre at all, they'd only add a crappy one, since good ones range from really expensive to obscenely expensive and use different connects anyway. so i assume they figure there's no point in adding even a cheapo mic pre, since most folks wouldn't use it and the ones who will use it would want a decent one.