Better Mic Sound

[learned]

I currently am running with a USB mic and an integrated Realtec soundcard. Sound on broadcast is ok, but mic volume sucks. I tried a dual plug mic directly to the soundcard, but that's even worse. I'm new to this audio stuff. If I look at a better sound card, such as the Audigy 4, will that potentially increase my mic volume as well, or do I need to go to some external mixer type environment which I'd hate to do given how much I need it.

[djSpinnerCee]

I'd consider the external mixer or powered MIC before the soundcard because I've never seen a soundcard that provides gain -- unlike real mixers, there is no preamp in a soundcard -- an analog MIC needs to be amp'ed because it is not powered -- I don't know anything about USB MICs, but I've heard horror stories about them because they are a hybrid design, but some "could" have a preamp, their output "may" be digital, etc...

The "bass boost" that some soundcards have attacheed to the mixer's MIC control is digital post-enhancement that may help, but it is artificial, and not very tunable.

[hackerdork]

ya, what djspinner said.

Several headsets later my mic still sounds like poo on shoutcast, but plug that same mic into a mixer, and take the mixers output into line-in on the soundcard and I sound better. Even better using XLR mics with phantom power (part of the mixer/DJ board).

If you want to sound like the big boys, it takes some cash to get the equipment.