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Old 12-22-2014, 11:03 PM
rmoretti49 rmoretti49 is offline
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Default Weak signal from microphone

A number of years ago I was given a TASCAM MF-P01 Portastudio 4 track casette recorder as a gift, along with a TEAC TM 77 Dynamic microphone.

Well, after all these years, I'm finally trying to use the setup. I'm able to make recordings, but the signal from the microphone apparently is quite weak, since I have to put the input volume on the recorder all the way to maximum in order to get much. The LED recording indicators on the deck barely register at all unless I'm right on top of the microphone.

Singing directly into the microphone (perhaps an inch or two away) will record my voice, but my acoustic guitar is hardly audible. If I stand back from the mic and sing or play, it barely registers on the LED's or the recording. So, I don't seem to be able to get a good recording level.

Any ideas? I'm thinking it might be the microphone.
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Old 12-23-2014, 08:48 AM
MikeBmusic MikeBmusic is offline
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It could be the mic (most likely), the cable or the preamp on the Tascam. First thing to do is try another mic.
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Old 01-07-2015, 11:38 AM
rmoretti49 rmoretti49 is offline
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I thought I would provide a followup regarding my OP above.

I bought an Audix i5 dynamic mike, and it has better sensitivity than the TEAC M77 I was using. The signal requires less gain to be applied at the recorder

Then I tried running the original mic, the Teac M77, through the preamp on my little Tascam DR-07 Mark II. Tremendous improvement, such that not much gain needs to applied at the Portastudio recorder.

Bottom line seems to be that some of the original issue was with the mic, and some of it was with the Portastudio's preamp.
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