"David Looser" wrote in message
...
"Keith G" wrote

OK Arny, try this: when using the USB mic, I frequently have to boost the
signal by 12 dB or so to get a good showing in the software. As a
long-term recordist, due you think this is deleterious to the sound
quality or would hardware preamplification (if I could find any*) be a
better way to go?


*Plenty of 'Blue Icicle' type XLR/USB and 'MicPort' *converters*:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r2Du_1r8VE


....but no USB/USB preamplifiers, from what I can see.

Well you won't get any. By the time the signal gets to the USB connector
it's already in digital form,



Yes, of course it is - the cable is an A-B USB connector.


so the opportunity for pre-amplification has
already been and gone.


OK.


You'd need to increase the analogue gain *inside*
the microphone.


Well, the mic in question has switchable high-pass filter and -10 dB pad but
no other adjustment, so I gather the rather weedy signal delivered to the
computer is all there is to go with!

I suppose one benefit is that it's going to make 'clipping' an impossibility
to do!