Thread: Mic Advice

I bought myself a mic and I wanted to do a mix and also record my voice during the mix.

The trouble i'm having though is that the sound seems quite low, even after adjusting the settings on my mixer.

My mixer has 2 mic inputs, one is an XLR input and the other is a 3.5mm jack input on the back of the mixer. I'm using that one as that is the connection on my mic.

Is there a trick to it? am I better recording the mix and connecting the mix to the PC?

How do you guys on Renegade do it? you always sound crystal clear on your shows.

Other than the volume check if the mixer has Bass & Treble settings for the Mic

Originally Posted by Phizzal

Other than the volume check if the mixer has Bass & Treble settings for the Mic

Messed around with them. Doesn't seem to make a massive difference.

It's not like I have a crap mixer either, it's a Pioneer.

I just plug my mic into the 3.5mm jack input and tweak the mic levels Mark. It's not a cheap mic is it? I played around with mic's before I decided to pay a little bit more for one. It cost £30 from Maplins.

All that said, I've just had a new mixer and not tried the mic with it yet, just hope it's ok! This mixer doesn't have the 3.5mm input so I've had to buy another cable for the mic.

Also, how come I can only see one thread in this section?

Originally Posted by Curly

I just plug my mic into the 3.5mm jack input and tweak the mic levels Mark. It's not a cheap mic is it? I played around with mic's before I decided to pay a little bit more for one. It cost £30 from Maplins.

All that said, I've just had a new mixer and not tried the mic with it yet, just hope it's ok! This mixer doesn't have the 3.5mm input so I've had to buy another cable for the mic.

No it's not a cheap Mic, around £25.

I might just not be speaking loud enough, I will have another go very shortly. My mixer is a pioneer and the Mic has it's own channel with separate Treble, Bass and Mid Range, plus it's own volume button on the mixer as well.

Although if it still doesn't cut it, I will look at getting a Mic with an XLR lead instead and use that connection on my mixer.

Was just saying about the cheap mic cos a mate of mine has a cheap mic and he can't get the sound right either.

Originally Posted by Curly

Was just saying about the cheap mic cos a mate of mine has a cheap mic and he can't get the sound right either.

Perhaps my mic is Just crap...it's a Philips one, although they are hardly renowned in the DJ equipment world

That should do it though Mark, when I was talking cheap, I was talking a fiver mic

Pioneer are the best mixers so it might just be a case of buying a new lead to go in the XLR instead of the back of the mixer. Whenever I've been out and knowing that Pioneer mixers are industry standard, they're always plugged into the XLR connection on the mixer.

Just ordered a new Mic, this time with an XLR input

Lucky sods - my software on VDJ doesn't accomodate for microphones and you have to connect it all up in a really squiffy way and then mess with your Windows settings - absolute nightmare it is, and a minefield if you're not careful.

You lot tonight will be hearing my dulcit tones, but I won't be able to hear myself over the speakers, it's so bloody technical I just wanna spin some tunes and not worry about it, hope it goes alright

Yeah get a quality mic .. shame you have oredered one as you can pick up a Sure Sm57 or sm58 on ebay
and yeah XLR input is best
though i struggle to see Why you getting low levels on a good mixer .......when PFL ing the mic on ya mixer it should be right in the red if you tap the mic and just in the red when you talk in to it
Even a cheap mic should work ??
Also try Backing off the mic and talk fairly loud ... mics can do strange things if your too close (Proximity effect ) can make them sound muffled with too much bottom end

Also might be worth looking at the type of mic your getting ?
Omnidirectional, Unidirectional, Cardioids
Cardioid would prob be the best as it regects sound coming from behind it ....

Originally Posted by th3soundguy

Yeah get a quality mic .. shame you have oredered one as you can pick up a Sure Sm57 or sm58 on ebay
and yeah XLR input is best
though i struggle to see Why you getting low levels on a good mixer .......when PFL ing the mic on ya mixer it should be right in the red if you tap the mic and just in the red when you talk in to it
Even a cheap mic should work ??
Also try Backing off the mic and talk fairly loud ... mics can do strange things if your too close (Proximity effect ) can make them sound muffled with too much bottom end

Also might be worth looking at the type of mic your getting ?
Omnidirectional, Unidirectional, Cardioids
Cardioid would prob be the best as it regects sound coming from behind it ....

I think I found out the problem with the Mic.

The XLR input on the mixer means the mix has it's own dedicated output.

The 3.5mm Mic input on the back of the mixer outputs it on another channel on the mixer, Channel 4, so works like you are connecting another Phone/CD deck ect ect.

Here is the mixer I have, Notice the dedicated XLR stuff on the far left.

djm_500.jpg

The Mic with the XLR jack is much better works perfect.