M-audio Audiophile Firewire Options

[Skive31]

Hi guys my question its really stupid but i wanna ask you how do i connect a mic to my m-audio interface?

[rickenbacker]

Umm, looking at the rear panel diagram on the M-Audio website, I'd say that you can't. At least, not very easily. The only inputs are RCA line-ins, digital line-ins or MIDI. So you probably need to get some kind of phono-to-RCA adapter jack - which I'm sure exists - and then plug your mic in this way. There's no phantom power, though, so you can't use condenser mics, only dynamic (eg Shure SM57, SM58 etc).

[Skive31]

I found an xlr to rca cable which means it can works.I want to use a conseder mic what if i connected through a mixer ?

[mortalengines]

Soundcraft makes a little mixer (Compact 4) that would be right up your alley: Phono preamp & ground, & two mic preamps with phantom power & a monitor section that works like a professional console & it sounds just incredible to boot. I can't believe how cheap they are (under 100 bucks). You can go 1/4" or RCA out of it into your audiophile.

[rickenbacker]

Yep, like mortalengines says, no problem at all if you connect via a mixer - that would have RCA line outs anyway. That XLR to RCA adapter is a kind of solution, but you need 48V phantom power for condenser mics (99% of the time, anyway), so you'd need either a standalone preamp or, indeed, a lil' mixer.

[Skive31]

What do you think of behringer's ub802 ?It has 2 rca outputs which calls them "tape out"
Its really cheap and seems fantastic.

[mortalengines]

I've used Behringer equipment & found it to be functional & not bad for the price but the output is noisy & not quite up to snuff (others may disagree & I am a little bit of a snob in regards to Behringer gear). A cheap Soundcraft or Mackie mixer will get you much further down the road & they aren't THAT much more expensive in regards to their lower line stuff (and both will sound quite good).

[Skive31]

mortalengines

I wanna be sure about the connectivity
What do i need to connect the mixer (this particular) with my audio interface?

Thanks for the help

[mortalengines]

The Soundcraft Compact 4 has both balanced (1/4" TRS) & unbalanced (RCA) outputs. Not real sure about the Mackie mixers but with just about any mixer you decide to get you can use 1/4" to RCA adapters which you can find just about anywhere (Radio Shack & Guitar Center, for example).

This post has been edited by mortalengines: Sat 10 Dec 2005, 22:12