Is it s DI box i need??

Gramuk

Started making up a VERY basic home studio for my kids (8 and 11yrs... and their friends) - Bought them a new Roland electronic drum kit, a few keyboards, electric guitars and mic's for them to bash around on. They tell me they are forming a band... So I'm keen on helping them out as much as I can. All this fed into a Behringer PMP2000 mixer amp - which all sounds real nice for our purposes. Nice clean sound and plenty volume for me to learn the basics of drums etc.. However, I connected the record output from the mixer amp to my PC to record a track of vocal in real time to Cakewalk DAW but get an awful "electrical noise" (not hiss - just more like a random data noise) over the signal from the amp. This is I'm afraid to say using the regular audio input on the PC and not a specialist audio input card. I am guessing some ground loop noise. E.g.  if I plug the my phone direct to the PC and play music there is no noise, just a clean signal - so have to assume grounding of sorts.
And so to my hopeful solution.... Yep - I'm learning all the time.
Would I be right in saying that a Direct Injection Box between the mixer's record output and the PC input would remove this noise - if so I've seen a few low cost Behringer DI boxes on line but if anyone has any experience of solving this (at a reasonably low cost) then I'd appreciate it. Or maybe I need to dig into the savings and buy a more professional audio input device to the PC?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Graeme

instigator

No.

there could be several reasons for the "noise" you are getting...

make sure the output volume on your mixer/amp are turned all the way down... then after you have everthing hooked up, gently raise the output volume until you can hear clean audio...

but... you will get better results with an audio interface...  usually people use USB interfaces but I use thunderboldt interface with my MacBook

what you need is an "audio interface" to get audio into your computer... basic would be 2 channels for recording a mix from your external amp/mixer...

you may opt for an audio interface with more channels as this might give you better quality depending on how nice your mixer/amp is... and recording the band live into computer with the mixer amp you have now being now used as a way to listen back to what you are recording...

are you on a mac or pc? and how old or fast is it? If it is really old and slow it might not have the horsepower to records 56 tracks of overdubs etc but might be fine for recording a stereo mix from your mixer/amp you have now...

you'll probably get better vocal recordings by plugging your mic into the audio interface's mic preamp too... so make sure the interface you get has at least one mic preamp most will have at least two...

electronic drums don't need mic preamps but you can also record electronic drums by using MIDI and get better drum sounds on your computer unless you've got a really posh electronic drum kit...

here is a link to some audio interfaces:

Behringer: U-PHORIA UMC404

USB Audio Interfaces | Focusrite

Gramuk

Instigator.... Thanks for the feedback and I think you've just confirmed what I've been further researching on-line. The way forward is to try the USB audio interface. I saw the Focusrite but think have just about settled for a Steinberg UR22 although the UMC404 looks like a contender too. I think the 2 channels is going to be sufficient and a good starter. Really just to capture vocals after the main tracks have been put down. I've a win7 64bit PC - which is plenty fast as I use it for running bunches of DAW stuff already along with some HD video editing software etc. I'm a keyboard guy and the hobby is music so everything has been DAW, MIDI and VST's... Just trying to get the kids into music too - hence real "physical "instruments for them. I agree that everything can be done with VST's (drums / keyboard etc.) but also want to be able to capture them "live and untouched" from the mixer so they can hear what they sound like and how they're improving etc. They use Cubase at school so maybe sticking with Steinberg hardware and then buying Cubase keeps it all tidy - a little more research needed me thinks.
Thanks again - much appreciated.
Graeme

KungFuPro

A dedicated audio interface is the best option, I struggled with massive lag/latency trying to record analogue realtime through pc input. Something to do with Win7 default setting of "Listen to this device" been ticked under the Recording Devices> Listen properties. Turned off, it works fine .

If you want to try pc input again before buying an audio interface, check the recording input slider on your pc is way down too (right click system tray speaker > Recording Devices > Input properties > Levels). Anything more than 10 and I get terrible interference noise/clipping.

Gramuk

Hi KFP.. Yes I've had several issues - I had a Sound Blaster Audigy Ex2 in the PC (left over from when it was a good thing to have and just transferred to each new PC build) - so removed that from the system completely since its not really supported in Win7 anyway. I was still getting noise - which does decrease probably to a manageable level with your input level settings you suggested - but then I saw the reviews / demo's of the USB audio interfaces and am impressed by the reviews and price for what you get. So the update is that I've just ordered the Steinberg UR22 which should come next week sometime. So we'll see how we get on with that.
Thanks again all. Graeme

Gramuk

So to an update - the UR22 arrived a few days back and can only wonder how I've ever been without it. Certainly much less latency and an apparent performance improvement using VST instruments / effects / MIDi.  Just looking now for a couple of decent mic's - trying not to spend toooo much but seems I have the bug now. Just hope the kids keep up the band - else I'll have plenty to play with when not away with work.
Cheers all.

instigator

that's cool!

cheap mics like these are great for kids to mess around on... you won't have to worry if they get trashed...  Fame 3 Piece Dynamic Microphone Set MS-1800 S | DV247

you can always get a nicer mic for when you are doing "nice" recordings...  one that you would probably leave in a cupboard until needed...

but i suppose teaching kids about taking care of gear is important too... so i guess it depends on on mature the kids are you could get nicer mic for them to play around with...

Rode make nice low cost mics for vocals and acoustic instruments...  they are nicer than the super cheap MXL mics as the build quality is fantastic... some of the really cheap large diaphram mics you can get pretty good quality recordings but you can literally crush the whole mic in your hand they are made with really cheap materials...

Rode mics are hugely popular with video/film people but early on they were making fantastic large diaphragm mics that were ideal for recording vocals in home studios...

check some out here:
Rode | DV247

Gramuk

Those 3 mics look ideal for what they'd use them for. And of course some nice shiny ones for me too for later on. I have a Rode Videomic Pro for my camcorder already and it never occurred to me to check them out for music recording. The Rode has always been great / sturdy for the camcorder and since I've experience of them then may go down that route. Seems I'm spending more time of the kit now that the kids are - but its great showing / trying to teach them how to select and use the gear. But before teaching them - I have to learn myself from the likes of these forums - so thanks to all for the various threads and input given. "music room" coming along nicely.
Cheers, Graeme

instigator

         that's cool dude...

here is a photo of my Rode that I've had for... gosh...  10 or 15 years....  still going strong...

My daughters have a band so I totally know what you are going through... this is their website Le Rawk

Gramuk

Yes it's all great fun. Just planting the seed early and making everything available to them (reliving my youth I guess..).. BTW - their web site should be LE COOL... great to see the kids enjoying what they're doing. This is what its all about for sure. Have a good'n