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Betox · 09:12 PM

I'm a guitar player and I'll like to record my playing into GarageBand, the problem is that I have a 2002 QuickSilver G4 with no line-in jack. I know about the iMic from Griffin Technology, but is it good for recording music?

PS: I have a good microphone (Sure SM58 Beta) and I'll like to use it for voice recording. What adaptor will I need to connect this microphone? My guitar is an Ovation Celebrity acoustic/electric guitar.

brianb · Mar 30, 2004, 09:13 PM

Here is what I would do If I were you get the iMic from Griffen. Its a sweet little adapter that they make and it will suffice for using garageband since that only support up two channels anyway. The tricky part is you need a mic preamp for the Shure mic. Now you could buy some little mic preamp but if you really want to make yourself more versitle try looking at one of these to hook up before the iMic.

http://www.behringer.com/UB802/index.cfm?lang=ENG

the behringer UB802 is a nice little mixing board to hook up to a computer. gives you two mic preamps plus a couple of line inputs to hook up then just wire the left right output channels to 1/8" mini jack and you are all good.

Betox · Mar 30, 2004, 09:30 PM

Nice!! And very cheap! Now... I still need the iMic to connect the mixer's Main Out to the computer, correct?

Originally posted by brianb:
Here is what I would do If I were you get the iMic from Griffen. Its a sweet little adapter that they make and it will suffice for using garageband since that only support up two channels anyway. The tricky part is you need a mic preamp for the Shure mic. Now you could buy some little mic preamp but if you really want to make yourself more versitle try looking at one of these to hook up before the iMic.

http://www.behringer.com/UB802/index.cfm?lang=ENG

the behringer UB802 is a nice little mixing board to hook up to a computer. gives you two mic preamps plus a couple of line inputs to hook up then just wire the left right output channels to 1/8" mini jack and you are all good.

brianb · Mar 30, 2004, 09:40 PM

correct you will still need the iMic which runs like $35. The mixer though by chance if you have a Guitar Center around your town you can pick them up for like $60. And if you go to Radio shack to buy the cable to hook up the main outs you can do one of two things buy a RCA stero pair to 1/8" setreo plug that would hook to the tape outs. More my way though would be to get Mono 1/4" L-R cables that convert down to a stereo 1/8" plug

Betox · Mar 31, 2004, 06:52 AM

Thank you, i'll try that.

Originally posted by brianb:
correct you will still need the iMic which runs like $35. The mixer though by chance if you have a Guitar Center around your town you can pick them up for like $60. And if you go to Radio shack to buy the cable to hook up the main outs you can do one of two things buy a RCA stero pair to 1/8" setreo plug that would hook to the tape outs. More my way though would be to get Mono 1/4" L-R cables that convert down to a stereo 1/8" plug

Spheric Harlot · Mar 31, 2004, 07:14 AM

I would just like to pipe up re: Behringer:

Their stuff is utter ****. The only good product they make is the DI box. Their mixers have great functionality for the price, and they sound okay, but the cost comes from somewhere: flimsy construction, undersized power supplies, non-repairability, and blatant ripping-off of others' designs.

I had a 2642 mixer which was spectacular functionality and quite acceptable sound for a spectacular price.

Worked fine (though HOT) for about a year. Until I started running a phantom-powered condenser mic through it.

Internal power supply transistors blew after two days. Not user-repairable (due to there being about 60 jacks that had to be unscrewed from the back panel befor you even got at the inside). Standard service for $120 plus shipping, only to get it back into the same, under-powered state it was specced to originally. On a $500 mixer that I got used for cheap...

I ended up just giving the damn thing away, since I wouldn't ever trust it, even if repaired.

(Mine is NOT an isolated experience with Behringer products.)

Caveat emptor.

-s*

brianb · Mar 31, 2004, 11:31 AM

Yes that may be true and I could have pointed the guy to Mackie and said look at the tapco line of mixers they are basically the same but priced a little more steeply. For someone that wants to just dabble in Gargae band though the Berhinger should work fine. And while Berhinger may have some issues with reliablity i have seen many used for just a simple interface to a computer work just fine. Even seen them used by my more audio inclind friends who do audio editing and play in bands.

Spheric Harlot · Mar 31, 2004, 01:04 PM

Yeah, I know.

I just wanted to point out that you get what you pay for, and that the stuff is cheap for a reason, not some kind of magic.

I am never buying anything from them again. But my needs are different, of course.

-s*

Betox · Mar 31, 2004, 04:02 PM

The problem is that Mackie is very expensive, the DFX�6 is around $200, wish is the equivalent to the Behringer UB802.

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
Yeah, I know.

I just wanted to point out that you get what you pay for, and that the stuff is cheap for a reason, not some kind of magic.

I am never buying anything from them again. But my needs are different, of course.

-s*