414 Preferred Preamp

[Yenrab954]

Your patience with an old dog is appreciated.  Sounds depressing but, I'm trying to record myself with karaoke songs of my years that meant something to me for my children and grand children while I still can.  I have a Mackie mixer, Lexicon 200, AKG 414 XLS and a Tascam DP-03.  I know for some of you I'm not running anywhere close to top shelf but, I'm not working on my come back tour.  My problem is that I'm not ending up with enough out of the mic to work with.  I have all controls maxed and I end up sounding tinney.  At my age I can hang with Johnny Cash and do just fine.  I feel like I have no depth or width.  With my limited recording experience my conclusion is that I need to add a quality preamp to my line up.  Thus far, I'm leaning toward the UA 610 strip or solo, haven't made up my mind.  I'd greatly appreciate thoughts from some of you that have walked this path before me.  Many thanks.

[AudioLaw]

Yenrab, 

I'll bet that you have switches wrong, and do NOT need another piece of gear in the signal path.  I have several different Mackie mixers, routinely used in professional sound applications: recording for release; sound reinforcement; and mixing for film.  MOST Mackie mixers should provide perfectly clean, broad range sound with more than adequate amplification. 

SOME early Mackie "lunchbox" style mixers sourced 'phantom' power off the +15 vdc rail, thus not providing sufficient voltage for SOME condenser mics.  But your C-414 should do fine even with that low voltage (I have 6 C-414s, but none from the XL series, so I can't confirm this). 

Are you cabled right?  Are you going from balanced to unbalanced in a cable that is trying to carry phantom power?  Phantom power requires balanced lines.  Tying one side to ground (unbalancing) can lead to what you complain about. 

Use headphones on the Mackie mixer.  This will allow you to ascertain whether the signal in the Mackie is OK.  This helps you decide where the problem is.  If the signal at the Mackie is OK, then look for a problem either in the interface to the Tascam or within the Tascam settings.  (I am not familiar with the DP-03, so can't comment there.) 

Recheck all your cables to make sure that there are no discontinuities.  Where you have phantom power (mic to moxer) you must havegood groud connectitons as well. 

Happy New year.  Good Idea to leave such recordings for your grandchildren. 

Tom (Usually in L.A., but enjoying the holidays in midcoast Maine)

[Yenrab954]

AudioLaw,

Your advice is greatly appreciated.  Unfortunately, I have a business trip I must take and will not be able to immediately investigate your suggestions.  I will attempt to report results upon my return.  Thank you again.

Regards,
Yenrab954