Sound Engineering Question

neodjandre · Post by **neodjandre** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:49 am

Hello

I have got an instrument which is something like a guitar and is called "bouzouki"

I have got a Xone 3d Mixer but it's line level is too low so I had to plug it to the phono pre amps to give me a good signal

i know this is a bit dangerous isn't ??

well, i was thinking of getting either a DI Box or this mixer

http://www.behringer.com/UB1002/index.cfm?lang=ENG

but I don't know if this mixer will do what I want i.e. give me a line level signal to the instrument.

what do you think i should do ?

i also wanted to get a smaller mixer because i am running out of channels with my Xone 3d !

thanks
ash

doodleboxx · Post by **doodleboxx** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:51 pm

I also have a basouki as well glad to see that others are using one..my dad is a pretty good player of it well does it on a professional level. I would not personnely use the Beringer mixer I find them to have a high level of noise I would prob go for the DI box on this occasion cheaper as well. does youre basouki have a pick up? or you using a microphone on it? I would also surrgest getting a pick up prob increase the level by loads.

Hope this helps...

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:57 pm

Are you guys from Greece?
Cos i am looking to buy baglama?You know it is like bouzouki but much smaller than bouzouki.Any good place to get it and also not to expensive?

doodleboxx · Post by **doodleboxx** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:11 pm

Not from Greece im affaid but im half greek..ill ask a few people for you and ill let you know..

Cheers

neodjandre · Post by **neodjandre** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:16 pm

i am cypriot but I work in london ..and the bouzouki has a pick up i.e. it has a 1/4" connector if that is what you mean !

when i hook it up to the phono connectors in my mixer it sounds very well and just about the right level of signal... bizarre coincidence i would say...

anyway if I get a DI Box that means I cannot have more instruments....

so far we have an electric guitar (which goes to the soundcard directly)
the bouzouki which will go to a separate channel through a DI box
and we also have the darbouka ! which means I need to buy a good microphone and another DI BOX ?? my mixer only has 4 channels and one microphone jack. So we use the build in microphone jack for singing so I need to get something for the microphone for the darbuka

does that mean I need a second DI BOX ?

and do you have any good microphone recommendations ... i probably want to spend around £70-£80 for everything

thanks for all your help !
ash

knotkranky · Post by **knotkranky** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:26 pm

Sounds like you need inputs. Mic and line. You need a mixer, and consider more channel s than 4. Live a lttle.

neodjandre · Post by **neodjandre** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:02 pm

knotkranky wrote:Sounds like you need inputs. Mic and line. You need a mixer, and consider more channel s than 4. Live a lttle.

so will a mixer like this do ??

http://www.behringer.com/UB1002/index.cfm?lang=ENG

will it make the bouzouki at line level ?? or do i need a di box as well before getting the bouzouki in any kind of mixer ?

thanks

ciw · Post by **ciw** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:48 pm

neodjandre wrote:
knotkranky wrote:Sounds like you need inputs. Mic and line. You need a mixer, and consider more channel s than 4. Live a lttle.

so will a mixer like this do ??

i have that mixer.

i don't know anything about your instrument, but that mixer is capable of amplifying mic/guitar signals to line level, that much I can tell you.

as some people have said, it is a little noisy, not the best in the world. mine crackles when I turn one of the knobs. they are cheap though - whether it's a good idea depends on what you're using it for.

knotkranky · Post by **knotkranky** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:56 pm

Ah, right. The issue is impedances. A Hi-Z pickup in an instrument like your bouzouki requires a direct box (active would be best). Then into a line (or mic) level input like the mixer you have mentioned.

Don't think levels, think impedance, then think levels. Impedance first.

So, bouzouki > Di box > mixer> soundcard.

Also consider a mic on the instrument too.

neodjandre · Post by **neodjandre** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 9:58 pm

thanks for the clarification.... however active means i need to plug to electrical outlets ??

is it a big difference than a passive Di BOX ?

is there a small machine that acts as both a DI BOX and a mixer ? lol !

knotkranky · Post by **knotkranky** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:14 pm

Active could be a 9v battery or phantom powered. You get some boost goodies, better ground and less noise among other things. For me the diff is big.

Can't say i've seen a mixer w a built in di. Many mic pre's have a di though.

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:15 pm

Real nice instrument?
Real nice pickup?
Need a real nice sound?

Get a real nice pre-amp.

-Ben

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:16 pm

Hey......... What is that nice flat computer keyboard you have there?

-Ben

neodjandre · Post by **neodjandre** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:19 pm

eluminx illuminated keyboard... custom made labels with photoshop and a transparent film on top

you can see a close up of the keyboard on my website photos dj gear section

forge · Post by **forge** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:03 am

actually, just to throw another spanner in the works....

personally I think it's a terrible waste to be messing around trying to plug your bazouki in - I would seriously mic it up

from digital village www.dv247.com (or might be .co.uk ) you can get some nice cheap condenser mics - I got a groove tube GT-55 for about £150 a few years back and I've seen plenty on there for even less that would be quite decent

for electric guitars I have never liked pluggin them directly in until very recently with the advent of things like NI guitar rig which IMO do a reasonable job of amp sim, but for an acoustic instrument for recording i would NEVER use a pick up- for one the pick up is magnetic and it is underneath the strings so you never get that nice sound you'll get out front

pickups are for live use IMO

getting yourself a half-decent condenser mic will probably be one of the best things you could ever do, obviously the better it is then the better the sound but you're on a budget and these days there are some surprisingly good cheap ones