good preamp for recording voice over audio???

N

Nicholas Natteau

Veteran
I have a Sennheiser MDK-421-II XLR microphone and I'm bringing my voice over into Logic 8 or Soundtrack Pro 2. But my sound level isn't loud enough. I was told I needed a good preamp but I'm not sure which one to get.

Thanks very much in advance for any feedback.

- Nicholas
 
A sound card can have a good preamp, a sound recorder can have a good preamp. what are you looking into doing exactly. Of course you would wanna do a voice over using the sound card, Unless its far away from the computer/fan noises or is isolated.
 
One of the Alesis mixers with firewire would be a decent and not too expensive option. I think killfilm is on a PC (my apologies if I'm wrong) because there aren't that many "sound cards" for the Mac, partially because pretty decent sound has always been built in. THere are a lot of boxes that connect via FW or USB, they are mostly pretty decent. Really depends on your $$$ pain threshold. Alesis can be had starting around $250 and it's a mixer so you will get some tone control. Sound Devices makes a good box for a lot more that is just a two channel preamp to USB.
 
I have just bought the Tapco usb link and I'm pretty impressed by its performance.
I thinks that lists around 149$. It has two xlr/jack conbo inputs, headphone output and a jack output for audio monitoring.

I have used it with the rode ntg-2 mic an if you are in a controlled enviroment this should do.
 
Hi, I forgot to mention that I'm using a M-Audio Firewire 410 device to hook up the mic to the Apple PowerMac G5 via Firewire. But my sound level is too low coming into Sountrack Pro 2.

So I believe I need good pre-amp. I'm ready to spend several hundred dollars to get good results, even a thousand or over. But not several thousand. Can I get a decent preamp for under $1000???

I've heard a lot about Universal Audio SOLO/610. Is htis a good choice?

I would only be using this for doing voice overs, nothing else.
 
I use a Mackie Onyx 400F - firewire up to 192khz. High quality, works very well, about $650 when I purchased it.

Mike
 
just wonderin why not get an external recorder, that is portable, this way you can use it to record voice overs, sound fx, ambiences etc. it gives you more options than a hardwired piece.
 
In your case I would think about getting a MixPre or better yet a 302 from Sound Devices. You can use it as the front end to the interface and use it in the field when shooting or collecting sounds. Of course you would need a portable recorder also, but having a good preamp will even make MiniDisk sound good.
 
The other thing you might consider is switching to a condenser mic. That will have more output. Or using a high out put dynamic, the Heil PR-40 is a good choice.
 
You guys might be missing the point... the Senn 421 is a dynamic mic and you should be able to connect that directly into your M-Box. Check your settings, as you might have something incorrect. Double check that you are inputting a mic level signal and outputting a line level signal over Firewire into your software. There might be a setting you missed. I have the Sol0 610 and it is a fabulous Tube Preamp. It is about $800 and also serves as a Direct Box for instument level signals. Worth every dollar spent... but you might not need to spend the $$$.

Good luck.

Jon Frost
Meow Mix
Esthampton, MA
 
Personally I have two recommendations, go with a preamp like you were thinking, such as the Groove Tubes BRICK, streets around 400; or consider going with a microphone better suited to voice overs, such as a Heil Pr-40 or an electro voice re-20, both of which are high output dynamics. Of course make sure your line level settings are accurate first.
 
why pay twice? get a mixer such as the sound devices 302, which can be both used in studio (for voice overs, foley, adr) and the the field (sfx collecting, ambience recording, wild lines, field music recording)

nobody is missing the point here, but why not invest in something that can have multiple uses, instead of buying two.
 
Thank you for everyone's feedback. I've been checking out Motu's Ultralite. Is this an excellent option to go with? Guitar Center told me Motu was among the best. Your thoughts???

- Nicholas
 
I'm confused as to why they are recommending an audio interface if you already have the M audio firewire device and just need a preamp to increase your gain. The MOTU ultralite, while it does have better preamps, is replacing a piece of gear you already have, not solving the problem in question. Of course MOTU makes great gear, I haven't heard the ultralite personally, but it isn't what you need.

Just to make sure I'm clear, you already have a firewire interface to connect audio gear to your mac, correct? The M-Audio?

If this is the case, and your signal is too low, you need to make absolutely sure your gain settings are correct. They should be fine, I would suspect the problem lies in the output level of the DYNAMIC microphone. In which case you need either : A) A preamp module, most likely outboard, such as the groove tubes brick(one of the best mic preamps for your price range), which you would connect to a line input or an insert on your M Audio. or B) A higher output mic,dynamic or condenser, but that mic should be fine.

In any case, buying a new interface is an indirect solution to your problem, as they are selling you something you already have just with improved components, when using an external pre will be a simpler solution to your problem, and when you outgrow that m audio interface, your preamp will still be totally usable.

Good luck, don't let guitar center tell you what you need if they don't understand your problem.


All this advice is assuming you don't want to go the route of buying location gear, such as a SD mixer or likewise, which may be hard to find quality wise on your budget, but of course a location mixer would definitely find its uses outside of the voice over studio.
 
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the 302 has a nice preamp for those quite voice overs (no i dont work for them),
this is one of many options available, we mention it cause its so quiet for those purposes. And it can serve OTHER purposes too, portable.
 
The 302 is a great piece of gear. I don't own one personally, but have used some. They are maybe a little pricy though, depending on how much you wanted to spend, as I'm not sure exactly your budget. But not only will it do everything you need but it will do so much more, and for a good long while into the future as well. IF: you do any other sound work besides just studio VO. If you don't do any location work, as I don't know what all you do, it may be an entirely unnecessary purchase, as you can get an equal or higher sound quality studio preamp for as much or less.
My point, I guess, is that if you're going to get the other uses out of a 302 at all, totally go for it, but as just a preamp, it isn't going to do the job as well as a purpose built preamp.
 
thats right dustin, and also remember that if three channels are not needed then you can get something like the mix pre which is cheaper in price, but the preamp is the same as the 302
 
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