can I just connect my 1/4 Preamp output to my 3.5mm Motherboard mic jack?

**Dreamcaseal** · 07-01-2012

i have a dmp3 preamp and a at2020 xlr mic. i have been using a 192 m-audio interface to connect the dmp3 preamp with its 1/4 output directly into my computer that way. as of late my 192 interface has been crackling and popping a lot both through my monitor speakers and recording with my microphone. i ended up connecting my monitor speakers directly into my mother board's sound card and was about to sell my whole mic setup the preamp, 192 interface, and mic. Then I realized I could easily get a 1/4 to 3.5mm cable and connect my preamp into my mother board's mic jack. This has shocked me I never thought about doing this before or that it was actually possible but now it seems to make perfect sense and makes me realize i never needed the 192 interface to begin with. i just ordered the cable to do this. it seems too easy. am i missing something? why do they have usb preamp/interfaces??? dont those have latency issues? why not just do what im doin and use the mic jack wouldnt that rid the mic of latency issues??? all computers have sound cards on their mother boards. why don't more people do this or do people do this already and im just stupid???

**Mix it! Studios** · 07-02-2012

The reason is because your onboard sound card won't be of very good quality. All audio interfaces are are sound cards with external I/O.

To help you understand, let's break down the features of an audio interface:

1: I/O - your analog in's an outs. These are used for inputting and outputting sound.

2: Converters. These covert the analog signals from your I/O from analog to digital. And vice versa.

3: Preamps. Preamps are used to boost the low-level signal microphones output to an audible level.

You most definitely need your 192 interface, for these three things. The in built sound card on your computer will have inferior converters, meaning loss of quality from sounds going into your computer, and loss of quality from sounds coming out (so playback for listening/mixing will be affected, making it harder to mix properly.)

It will also have limited I/O. Most in built sound cards have a green input and a red input. The green is a line level input and the red is a mic input, ie a mic preamp. This mic preamp is going to be of rubbish quality. If you were going to connect your external preamp you would want to run it through the line in (green) input, not the preamp, as running a preamp through another preamp is generally a bad idea. But even using the line in will be a bad idea as the quality of the components will be bad and the conversion will be rubbish.

So essentially you need to be thinking about buying another audio interface. Hope that helps!

**Dreamcaseal** · 07-02-2012

So what do you recommend? Do I buy any old consumer sound card and use their 3.5mm jacks or is there a specific one I should get and what cable should I get? I think I'm gonna get a ATR2500 usb mic and sell al this shit if I have to invest in anymore money and im jsut gonna sell this setup. All I need is clear commentary audio for youtube. not singing or anything. I don't wanna give up on this preamp cause ill miss it a little cause i am a fan of analog devices over usb but if it's just gonna cause more problems im gonna just dump it.

**Mix it! Studios** · 07-02-2012

Like I said, get a proper audio interface. Consumer level sound cards are not meant for recording. As I already explained those 3.5mm inputs (both line and mic) on consumer level sound cards are not meant for audio work.

You could get a USB mic, but I wouldn't recommend it. A USB mic is essentially a mic with a built in audio interface (ie sound card) as The mic signal needs to be amplified, so they have an in built preamp, and the signal needs to be converted from analog to digital, so they have built in converters too. What this means is you're getting very little mic for your money. So if you pay say £100 for a USB mic, you're not getting £100 worth of microphone. For manufacturers to sell a mic, preamp and converters at the price of a microphone means they are skimping on component quality.

Stick with your At2020, dmp3 and use them with a dedicated audio interface. There are plenty of good Focusrite audio interfaces at around the £200 mark, and the M-audio delta 1010lt is also pretty good choice if you don't have that much. If you have around £300-400 to spend I would highly recommend an Echo audio interface.

**Dreamcaseal** · 07-02-2012

can i get some advice from anyone who has tried this? the motherboard onboard sound card is the same bitrate as the 192 audio card. why wouldnt it work just fine?

**Mix it! Studios** · 07-03-2012

Have you not listened to what I've said? It's got nothing to do with bitrate - the quality of components in an onboard, consumer level sound card are not of a high enough quality for any audio recording work. The results will be inferior to what you have been getting with your 192 before it started playing up. You need to buy a new interface.

You seem to want there to be a cheap solution, which I can understand - but there isn't. As you seem pretty set on attempting to use your on board sound, and considering that it's just the price of a lead - why not just try it? I think you need to experience for yourself that it just isn't going to work very well.

By the way this IS coming from someone who has done this. Back when I was about 13 this was how I recorded my little home demos, as I didn't have the cash for proper equipment. I got a 3.5mm to standard jack connector and recorded everything through my line in. Sounded rubbish but I was 13 and was happy just to be able to record some sounds.

**Dreamcaseal** · 07-03-2012

Originally Posted by Mix it! Studios

Have you not listened to what I've said? It's got nothing to do with bitrate - the quality of components in an onboard, consumer level sound card are not of a high enough quality for any audio recording work. The results will be inferior to what you have been getting with your 192 before it started playing up. You need to buy a new interface.

You seem to want there to be a cheap solution, which I can understand - but there isn't. As you seem pretty set on attempting to use your on board sound, and considering that it's just the price of a lead - why not just try it? I think you need to experience for yourself that it just isn't going to work very well.

By the way this IS coming from someone who has done this. Back when I was about 13 this was how I recorded my little home demos, as I didn't have the cash for proper equipment. I got a 3.5mm to standard jack connector and recorded everything through my line in. Sounded rubbish but I was 13 and was happy just to be able to record some sounds.

How long ago was this? The 192 came out like 7+ years ago and motherboard audio cards have come a long way the past few years quality wise. Standard 3.5mm jacks are used in all devices these days and provide the audio quality needed in and out. Hell, even the most expensive studiophile headphones use a 3.5mm jack like the q40s i used to have which came with a 1/4 adapter. youre tellingm e it cant do mic input because of the "quality of the components" are you ****ing retarded? Shitty 200 dollar cameras can do 1080p these days and look just as good as the trendy DSLR cameras. The DSLR cameras are just more reliable. People still use ****in XLR, RCA, TSR, etc connections which has been around since ****nig forever when VHS was the shit lol. I think you need to get your head out of your ass. I will eat my words when I get the wire and the new at2020 in the mail and it sounds like shit. Those interfaces almost all of them have horrible reviews and are dated as hell. I think all the shit they are expecting to buy just to record audio in this day in age is horrifically stupid and dated and people are only buying it because they are retards but consumer level technology is getting better much faster because of thingsl ike youtube and everyone wanting a mic not just to dick around in mom's basement building crazy rigs to get some audio. I should have bought a USB mic. i will get the blue yeti or atr2500 or some shit if this dont work. yes i know not the best bitrate or quality but that should be sufficient.

**Mix it! Studios** · 07-03-2012

Originally Posted by Dreamcaseal

How long ago was this? The 192 came out like 7+ years ago and motherboard audio cards have come a long way the past few years quality wise. Standard 3.5mm jacks are used in all devices these days and provide the audio quality needed in and out. Hell, even the most expensive studiophile headphones use a 3.5mm jack like the q40s i used to have which came with a 1/4 adapter. youre tellingm e it cant do mic input because of the "quality of the components" are you ****ing retarded? Shitty 200 dollar cameras can do 1080p these days and look just as good as the trendy DSLR cameras. The DSLR cameras are just more reliable. People still use ****in XLR, RCA, TSR, etc connections which has been around since ****nig forever when VHS was the shit lol. I think you need to get your head out of your ass. I will eat my words when I get the wire and the new at2020 in the mail and it sounds like shit. Those interfaces almost all of them have horrible reviews and are dated as hell. I think all the shit they are expecting to buy just to record audio in this day in age is horrifically stupid and dated and people are only buying it because they are retards but consumer level technology is getting better much faster because of thingsl ike youtube and everyone wanting a mic not just to dick around in mom's basement building crazy rigs to get some audio. I should have bought a USB mic. i will get the blue yeti or atr2500 or some shit if this dont work. yes i know not the best bitrate or quality but that should be sufficient.

Look, I answered your question - just because I gave you an answer you didn't like does not entitle you to throw verbal abuse at me. Christ, no wonder no one else has responded to this - you're a complete douche. I was trying to help you - I won't bother next time.

**Dreamcaseal** · 07-03-2012

Originally Posted by Mix it! Studios

Look, I answered your question - just because I gave you an answer you didn't like does not entitle you to throw verbal abuse at me. Christ, no wonder no one else has responded to this - you're a complete douche. I was trying to help you - I won't bother next time.

They are all useless thats why