microphone compatability

kingbobo wrote on 12/26/2008, 1:43 PM
I recently was given a Sony Electret Condenser Stereo Microphone model ECM-MS957. I'm still using Vegas 5 to edit video, and I always used a Sure 58 microphone for additional audio directly into the computer with no problem. The new microphone ( Sony ECM-MS957) is not recognized by the program. Is there a setting anywhere in Vegas I should be using so that the new mic will work?

Thanks anyone.

Comments

farss wrote on 12/26/2008, 2:10 PM
Vegas doesn't know or care about what microphone you're using unless it was a USB mic which this isn't. Do you have a battery in the mic?
How are you connecting it into your PC, it needs to go into a mic input, not a line level input.

Bob.
Chienworks wrote on 12/26/2008, 2:12 PM
What do you mean, "recognized"? Sound Forge will never know what sort of microphone you have plugged into the sound card's mic in jack. It can't know, and it really doesn't care in the slightest. It's the sound card's job to take whatever the mic gives it and pass it on to Sound Forge.

Now, if you mean that you're just not getting any signal then the clue is that it's an 'electret concenser' mic. Electrets need a power supply. Often for mono 1/8" mics that are plugged directly into the sound card, the third conductor is used for power. Since your mic is stereo the 3rd conductor is uses for the right channel instead, so any power the sound card might be delivering isn't getting to the mic properly. Does the mic have a battery, or a place to put in a battery? I'm guessing it does, and that the battery is either dead or missing.
John_Cline wrote on 12/26/2008, 2:23 PM
Recognizing a microphone is not a function of Vegas, it is a function of correctly interfacing the micorphone with the soundcard. The SM58 is a monaural dynamic microphone, the ECM-MS957 is a stereo condenser mic. What soundcard are you using or are you using some osrt of external mic preamp?
kingbobo wrote on 12/26/2008, 2:37 PM
Thanks for the responses so far. I used the word “recognized” in a very general sense; sorry if that word threw anyone off. Yes, the (brand new) battery is in and power on. When I use the mic with the camcorder it works great. I am connecting the mic to my PC using the jack input with a logo of a microphone on it, that same connection I’ve successfully used in the past. When I open a new audio track and arm the track, there is usually indication of sound being read in the box just to the left of the active audio track. You know, like when you tap on the mic to make sure sound is being recognized (or should I say recorded) you can see a visual read out of the signal. It’s like a green thermometer lying on it’s side that turns red if it gets too loud. Anyway, the signal is not there with the new mic. I thought perhaps there is a setting in preferences that would make recording possible with the Sony ECM-MS957 microphone.

Please get back.
Thank you
kingbobo wrote on 12/26/2008, 2:41 PM
Ah, I'm not using an external pre amp. As far as the sound card goes, I'm not sure, I'm using the one that came in the computer.
kingbobo wrote on 12/26/2008, 2:50 PM
Bob
That seemed to work!
Thank you very much, you get the prize.
farss wrote on 12/26/2008, 3:17 PM
Glad to be of help.
Good to see someone else using a stereo mic. I recently acquired a Rode NT4 and get to use a Sanken CMS-10. Getting these kinds of mics in the correct position is the trick...one I've yet to master :)

Bob.