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Topic: External soundcard for stereo microphone recording (Read 5488 times) previous topic - next topic
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External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Hello all,

Please can somebody advice me on good soundcard for my laptop Siemens Fujitsu 800MHz. It should have 2 microphone inputs because I need it for quality vocal stereo recordings and also for high quality sound reproduction.

Thank you.
Regards

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #1 –
Why do you need 2 microphone inputs? For stereo a single stereo input should be fine.

There is the M-Audio Transit, very light and portable

If you want RCA jacks: Edirol UA-1X

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #3 –
Quote
Why do you need 2 microphone inputs? For stereo a single stereo input should be fine.

There is the M-Audio Transit, very light and portable

If you want RCA jacks: Edirol UA-1X
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=268255"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thank you, jido.
OK singe stereo input is fine. But what stereo microphone should I use with M-Audio Transit? Can you recommend me? I want to make choir records and I think there should be two separated microphones. May be Aiwa CM-P11? It is condenser microphone. But isn't it better to use dinamic mic.? What type of microphone is appropiate for M-Audio Transit?

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #4 –
You could snoop around a forum like homerecording.com/bbs. I don't know if it is still active but you could search their forum for past discussions.

You are looking for a Firewire/USB2 solution. M-audio has a great selection. Echo and many others offer competing products.

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #5 –
Quote
Quote
Why do you need 2 microphone inputs? For stereo a single stereo input should be fine.

There is the M-Audio Transit, very light and portable

If you want RCA jacks: Edirol UA-1X
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=268255"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thank you, jido.
OK singe stereo input is fine. But what stereo microphone should I use with M-Audio Transit? Can you recommend me? I want to make choir records and I think there should be two separated microphones. May be Aiwa CM-P11? It is condenser microphone. But isn't it better to use dinamic mic.? What type of microphone is appropiate for M-Audio Transit?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=268280"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Huh...
I have exactly zero experience recording with the Transit. I know it works, and it is a quality sound card. But I can't give more recommendations.

Don't know if the CM-P11 is intended for live recording, it starts at 100Hz. But it looks like a decent choice specially under $30.

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #6 –
And what you think about Terratec Aureon 5.1 USB MKII? It is improved reissue of Aureon 5.1 USB and is cheaper than M-Audio Transit. But it seems not to have stereo microphone connector. If so, I don't need it.
Is M-Audio Transit a real 24 bit card? But it needs self powered micropfone  . What type of micropfones can you recommend me then? What is its performance - I will listen trough headpfones. Does it makes clear records?
Also I like M-Audio Mobilepre - it is USB-powered, has 2 XLR and even 1/8'' stereo mic. input! But costs more - I have to think wether it deservs the money - it is 16-bit and I dont'need all the connectors. What means that the XLR balansed micropfone is 48V phantom powered? What microphone is appropriate?

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #7 –
Decide on the microphone first, and then on the sound card. We can't say what is appropriate unless we know what the use is. You seem to be on a tight budget, in which case you are unlikely to need to record in 24 bit - because that is only useful when you have good mics and preamps. Phantop power=power delivered through the XLR connection.

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #8 –
I have seen a setup used by Chör Kontrapunkt of Berlin that consists of a single Neumann stereo condenser mic and an MD recorder (probably a Sony pro model)--all battery powered and all mounted on one highly damped and isolated microphone stand.  The CD's resulting from this setup were outstanding, and did not require the operator to attend to anything but switching it on just before the concert began.

There does not seem to be any contact info on this choir in a Google search, but they perform several times a year in Charlottenburg and Potsdam (they are not from Ulm).

For laptop, check Echo Audio's "Indigo IO" PCMCIA sound card.  It is used by a lot of US radio stations for remote recording and broadcasts.

--gnaf

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #9 –
I strongly recommend M-Audio
I have the 24\96 Audiophile and it is excellent for the price and I have friends who have the firewire external versions and they are equally impressed.
Mr E

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #10 –
Quote
I have seen a setup used by Chör Kontrapunkt of Berlin that consists of a single Neumann stereo condenser mic and an MD recorder (probably a Sony pro model)--all battery powered and all mounted on one highly damped and isolated microphone stand.  The CD's resulting from this setup were outstanding, and did not require the operator to attend to anything but switching it on just before the concert began.

There does not seem to be any contact info on this choir in a Google search, but they perform several times a year in Charlottenburg and Potsdam (they are not from Ulm).

For laptop, check Echo Audio's "Indigo IO" PCMCIA sound card.  It is used by a lot of US radio stations for remote recording and broadcasts.

--gnaf
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=269242"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Do you think that I will be able to use Echo Indigo IO for stereo micropfone records - it is not mentioned that it has stereo mic input and may be it needs pre-amp?

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #11 –
Quote
I strongly recommend M-Audio
I have the 24\96 Audiophile and it is excellent for the price and I have friends who have the firewire external versions and they are equally impressed.
Mr E
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=269245"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thank you. I am also thinking about M-Audio but wether Audiofile has 2 mic inputs - I didn't find in the specification. May be M-Audio Duo is a good choice?

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #12 –
Quote
I have seen a setup used by Chör Kontrapunkt of Berlin that consists of a single Neumann stereo condenser mic and an MD recorder (probably a Sony pro model)--all battery powered and all mounted on one highly damped and isolated microphone stand.  The CD's resulting from this setup were outstanding, and did not require the operator to attend to anything but switching it on just before the concert began.

There does not seem to be any contact info on this choir in a Google search, but they perform several times a year in Charlottenburg and Potsdam (they are not from Ulm).

For laptop, check Echo Audio's "Indigo IO" PCMCIA sound card.  It is used by a lot of US radio stations for remote recording and broadcasts.

--gnaf
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=269242"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I would think for some cheaper mics - I found T.bone EM800 Stereo Set. What you think, are they suitable for choir records?

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #13 –
I'm not a technician, just a producer reporting good results.

Indigo IO specs seem to indicate that nominal input is line level so a preamp seems a must.  Also, check the ExtremeTech review.

I do not know microphones that well, except that Neumann can hardly be beat.  But obviously Neumann is not budget equipment.

--gnaf

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #14 –
I'm thinking about a couple of t.bone EN800 Stereo Set for about 70 Euro. Do you know them? Will they be good for choir records. They have 20-20Khz band.
T.bone EM800
Also I think that M-Audio Fireware 410 is the best for me but it is expensive. May be for my needs M-Audio MobilePre would be enough - because I'm intending to put the records only on a CD and not bigger quality than 16-bit/44 KHz is possible on the CD. Am I right?

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #15 –
The mobilepre will be fine. At your budget you are not going to be stretching the CD format to the limit! (Not that the mobilepre comes near this limit.) I don't know the mic you have chosen. In principle a condenser mic is a good choice, but they vary a lot in quality. I would look on google groups for recommended mics. I have tried a condenser mic in your budget - the SONY ECM-MS907 - and it sounds quite pleasant, but very far from fidelity. If you are not going to be doing a lot of recording you could consider buying mics (used) and then selling them. Is your choir paying for this?

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #16 –
Quote
The mobilepre will be fine. At your budget you are not going to be stretching the CD format to the limit! (Not that the mobilepre comes near this limit.) I don't know the mic you have chosen. In principle a condenser mic is a good choice, but they vary a lot in quality. I would look on google groups for recommended mics. I have tried a condenser mic in your budget - the SONY ECM-MS907 - and it sounds quite pleasant, but very far from fidelity. If you are not going to be doing a lot of recording you could consider buying mics (used) and then selling them. Is your choir paying for this?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=271249"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thank you for your help. I will be gratefull if you could find proved quality and fidelity stereoset micropfones for up to 100$. I'm afraid to buy second-hand (used) micropfones because I'm not sure how they were handled (condenser mics are very sensitive to shocks or hits). I prefer to have 2 separated mics. Could you explain me better what you mean by "not that the mobilepre comes near this limit"? - shell it be possible to record with Mobilepre with CD quality 44KHz or not? Is the 44KHz the limit of CD records?
Regards

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #17 –
The mobilepre has a microphone preamp and an analog-digital converter, and phantom power. If all of these are perfect, then you will get "CD quality", that is to say perfect 44khz. (Although if you want to process/dither you would need more than 16 bit recordings to get perfect 16 bit in the end.) (The CD format is 16bit/44khz.)
Don't worry about this because the mobilepre looks competent and it's your microphone that will be the main determinant of the sound.
I can't advise on microphones I am afraid. I only know a few, and none below $100.

External soundcard for stereo microphone recording

Reply #18 –
Thank you for the info. I think I'll buy MobilePre. The other good choise is M-Audio Fireware 410 which is 24-bit but costs ~500$. Now I have to find stereo mics.