Usb Mics And Pre-amps And A Budget, usb mics and pre-amps Options

[Mr. Jason E. Lec...]

can anyone tell me if usb condensor mics record with good quality? i've heard only a small bit about usb mics with mixed reviews, but one thing that worries me is noise. is that a big problem with usb mics and if so is that easily remedied with software? this is for recording vocals.

i was wondering if it's better to maybe use a regular condensor mic and a usb audio interface. if that's the case do i need some sort of pre-amp or something with phantom power? what would you suggest?

anyone who responds to this, please keep in mind that i have a small budget and only a G4 1.07 GHz iBook with 512MB ram running Ableton Live 5. i obviously won't be able to do as well as a pro studio, but i want to be able to make a strong sounding demo. ANY tips would be fabulous!

[Mac Daddy]

I think you will be the one who tells "us" about USB Microphones... Not sure if they have earned a following here yet. Dragon and Blue seem to be the leaders... Sound On Sound tested and reviewed the Blue Snowball. 130 Pounds.

Quote: "Pros: Stylish and simple to use. Needs no drivers for Mac OSX or Window XP. Switchable pad and polar pattern. Table-top stand included."

"Cons: Omni mode is more like a wide cardiod pattern with a high presence peak. The lack of gain adjustment (other than pad) means you need to work close to the mic to get a high enough recording level."

Summary: "Though subject to certain technical limitations, the Snowball works well for close-up vocals or speech, while the pattern switching system gives a choice of two very usable tonalities. The inclusion of a pad switch means that it may also be used for recording louder sources, such as guitar combos or percussion"

Sound On Sound July 2006.