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Jim.seybert@parable.com · Posts: 2

I'm an OLD radio DJ - just discovered CE2000. Wow. Last time I did this it was with 1/4 tape.
On a new DELL Latitude LS laptop - with Sony ECM261 plugged into laptop mic jack - I can only hit about -24db with volume turned to 100%. Also, there's a huge amount of hash on playback.
I'm sitting in a port replicator.
Is this the wrong mic for the application? Could the port be supplying the noise?
I am NOT technical - thanks for your help.

Edward Givens · Posts: 58

depending on your budget(and microphine-i'm not familiar with the ecm261 i would say get an inexpensive mike pre with a line level out.and then choose line instead of mike when recording.

David T · Posts: 71

I think Edward is right.
Think of your sound as going through the computer's mixer before getting to CE

Make sure you have found a button on the mixer that is labeled "Record" with a slider and a selection of record sources. (If you see volume sliders but no record, you are probably looking at the Volume Controls and not at the Mixer - these are seperate programs.)

If you find on the mixer where to switch between "line in" and "mic", you will also find where to turn up the "record" gain. (But this is probably defaulted to 50% which should be close to OK if you have the right source selected.)

Switch between record sources and maybe you'll get a setting for the right level produced by your mic?

Does that mic require being powered in someway be the unit it is plugged into?

MikeShivley · Posts: 16

HI I'm not familiar with the ecm261....couldnt even find it on Sony's site but, ECM stands for electret condensor microphone. It needs phantom power or batteries in it to work. If You have a small mixer I would plug the mic into it and the output of the mixer into the line in on your laptop. Make sure that it isnt a "powered" mixer ie "amplified" and the turn on the phantom power......or plug batteries into the mic if you can.

hope this helps.

Syntrillium M.D. · Location: USA Posts: 5124

hi jim - all of the above posts are pretty much right on the money. Typically, laptop mic-input connections are (a) not optimized for digital audio; and (b) are quite noisy with low level {or way too high level} signals.

In any event, barring purchasing a USB soundcard with cleaner (and more) inputs, here's how to select the recording devices are ed and david mentioned...

In Windows 95/98/ME/NT 4.0:
- Dbl-click on the yellow speaker icon located on the lower right
hand corner of your screen .
- Select Option, Properties.
- In the "Adjust Volume for" area, select Recording.
- This will show you all the devices you can record from, in the
"Show the following volume controls:"
- Make sure all the devices have a check mark in them.
- Click on OK.
- At the bottom of each recording device, there is a check box
with "Select" to the right of it. Use this to select the recording
device that you want.
- Make sure the recording Volume is at least half way up.
- Close "Recording Control" window.
- You are ready to record.

If you're doing serious audio, check out some of the USB devices by Roland, Tascam and Aardvark. They are fairly inexpensive, and will give you infinitely better quality than an integrated 'mic' input on the laptop soundcard.

---Syntrillium Support