"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 8 Apr 2011 16:59:20 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:



It is a C03U multi-pattern and I reckon it's rather good, but the problem
with it is I get such a tiny signal from it connected direct to the
computer
and can't see any way of increasing it before recording. Should I be using
some sort of pre-amplification or is it better to jack up the levels in
the
recording - I'm having to increase the signal at least +6dB..??



The Samson mic has a maximum SPL of 136dB. Assuming the girls were
speaking at 80dB, that leaves 56dB to make up in software to achieve
full scale. More worrying perhaps, dividing 56 by six, that is 9 of
the 16 bits unused. So it is effectively using a 7-bit ADC. That makes
for a considerable noise floor.


Two things I would query: the girls are not loud and where does FS come into
it?



As for the Neumann, it is currently being ruined by that preamp. Spend
30 quid on a small Behringer mixer with its exemplary preamps and find
out what it is truly capable of.


I would gladly do that and post comparisons, what model do you have in mind?
Amazon is a preferred source and I would like USB connectivity to connect to
a computer that has no other 'audio in' apart from the usual front panel
'pink' microphone minijack socket.