Comparing Tech. Specs. – Condenser mics vs Interface Pre-amp

[TheJackAttack]

The edit was forum software generated. A Triton Fethead or Cloudlifter can help with low outout ribbons or other dynamics like the SM7.

[Boswell]

You are right to query whether the available gain on the FireStudio is enough for the SM7B, as I think the answer is that 50dB is not enough for many sound sources. Having to run with the gain control at or very near fully up is not a recipe for low-noise recordings.

See what PreSonus says about this, although I think this particular issue is more a matter for the sales department than for technical support. You could be in for another round of interface hunting.

Regarding adjective editing, there's no-one sitting there approving every post as it comes in - it's the site that does it. You should try living in Es*** or S****horpe.

[JohnnyRazz]

I think I will stick with the Firestudio - I don't think I'll find anything that will handle low input signals any better at this pricepoint.
just out of interest - you indicate the gain is 50dB, but the mic preamp specs a gain control range of: -10db to +70db - doesn't that make for a total gain of 80db?

I have posed these questions to Presonus - customer service can direct it to anyone they want, but I have yet to find a sales person who can thoroughly answer a technical question - without first asking the technical person for the answer.
I'll let you know what they say.

We will test the interface with the RODE NT1 condenser and if that works well then we will bring the AT4040 back to the table - there is certainly no low output issues with that one!

Thanks again for the feedback and quick replys to my queries.

[Boswell]

Ahah! The latest FireStudio Mobile manual that eventually loads from the Presonus website has the gain range to +70dB, as you say. The older copy I had gave the spec as only +50dB.

Although the range of the control (as given in the latest manual) is 80dB, the first 10dB of that is attenuation, so the maximum gain available is +70dB. This version of the spec also implies that the maximum input level at the XLR input is +24dBu, i.e. +14dBu at unity gain plus another 10dB of attenuation on the gain control. The rear-panel line level input specs are unchanged at +10dBuFS.

I think you would find that the FireStudio Mobile with this latest spec will work OK with the SM7B.

[RemyRAD]

And I didn't even get a chance to recommend the SM 58 or SM 7b. Yup, good choice. And even also tell your kid that Quincy Jones & Bruce Swedien used the SM 7 to record Michael Jackson's vocals, for all of his hits.

You're not going to have any problem with output level from these microphones. He's not going to be standing 10 feet away from the microphone so you don't have to worry. I can assure you that, Inexpensive $5.00 5534 IC chips can make a perfectly wonderful working microphone preamp without fear of failure. It's all in how you set it. That's what really matters. Most all entry-level professional gear has a headroom of 18 DB over its nominal operating level. High-end professional gear goes up another 8-12 DB beyond that for an extra $600, per stage or so. But then most entry level professional inputs can't handle much input level beyond +20. So what good does it do you if you have +24 to +30 headroom if the input gear to your converter is going to be whistling Dixie at +20? You know, you could even go for the Shure Beta 58. Hey if an SM 58 is good enough for Bono & Steve Tyler in the studio, then the Beta 58 is good enough for your kid.

Don't turn down the wrong Rode.
Mx. Remy Ann David

[JohnnyRazz]

Update - for anyone interested.
OK - so we picked up a firestudio mobile (local shop just happened to have one on the shelf).
First thing I did when we got it home was whip up a batch of Kurt Bueche's (PreSonus COO) top secret recipe for Jambalaya - PreSonus includes a copy of the recipe on the back cover of the user manual (and again on the back of the quick setup guide). I thought this recipe must be pretty good because that's some pretty valuable marketing real estate... anyhow, it was Delicious - now lets hope the interface is as spicy!

Well we got it all set up and Max's friend brought over his NT1 on Sunday to spend the day experimenting (with the mic that is). Sure enough they found the mic performed horribly in the open room. They proceeded to try all sorts of variations and even resorted fully drapeing blankets over the foosball table to create a makeshift soundbooth underneath - I wish I had pictures to post! In the end they found that slipping a sock over the mic (hopefully a clean one) did a pretty good job to make a huge improvement.

So I'm wondering whats the sense of spending $400 on a precision instrument if they need to temper the sensitivity with a sock? perhaps the SM7B won't pose the same challenges (with room acoustics), but maybe he can get a sound out of the SM58 or Beta 58 that is indestiguishable from the SM7B. Remy's post got me thinking this, so I did a bit more searching since I have, until now, dismissed less expensive options (just assuming they would have limited applications specifically for vocals - which is what he is after).
I found a really great post where someone actually compares these two mics side by side with the same input audio - very cool idea if you haven't seen/heard this check it out, download the two samples and see if you can tell which is which?

Shure SM7B vs SM58 (With Audio!) | Home Studio Corner

I can't tell - but I don't proclaim to have the best ear for detail.

Maybe the sm58 is the way to go,for now. It's sure to be a huge improvement from his current mic and seems like one that he will find many applications for down the road. I'll mention to him that Bono and Tyler used it in the studio -that might carry some weight with him.
I'm still undecided, I will have to think of more friends/acquaintences who might have mics we can borrow to test?

[RemyRAD]

One extra option to utilize with the SM 58 is an additional external foam pop filter. I love the SM 58 but even with its internal pop filter, it can still pop & blast. The additional external foam pop filter will not only help to prevent that, it also provides a silly little additional distance from the capsule which can make a huge difference in the overall sound quality.

Pops been dead for many years now
Mx. Remy Ann David