Professional smule recording with ProFX8 Professional mixer

[[Member Raja…]]

Hi, I have the following equipment and would like to know how I can set up these Up for a professional quality smule recording.

iPad with latest Smule application on it.

a Rode NT1 Condenser mic

ProFX8 Professional mixer

also have Dynamic much Shure sm58.

i really like to get this working and would be grateful if you can give me the advice on how to configure these to work.

cheers

Rajan

[[Member open…]]

What kind of output does the mixer have?

[[Member Raja…]]

It has tape out with RCA type and Main Out for left and right. I used the tape out to connect with a splitter like In the attached Image with the black one connected to my headphones. The recording was poor with sound getting picked up by the condenser mic.

[[Member _Ram…]]

First of all, your iPad won't recognise an external microphone without a "Mob Phone Interface". The Best so far is "iRig Pro I/O" and it works beautifully even without a mixer. Suggest you try that first and then ask yourself why you need the mixer. 

I went down this path and I have a Yamaha MG06X which has XLR input and output. Where as I see the your FXPro has XLR input sockets for the microphone and only TRRS Sockets for Output

[[Member _Ram…]]

Also Rode NT1 is an excellent Condenser microphone ( Made in OZ not far away from home) but more suitable for a proper studio with proper acoustics like reverb time and absorption etc. If recording at home Rode NT1 is an overkill and it will pick up every little bit of noise in the area. Plus this will be sitting in a cradle. Shure SM58 handheld dynamic mic should give good quality output. Hand held is good so you sing right into it as Dynamic Mic are very directional and move the mic away from the mouth when not singing as in a duet.

The only other option is to use the ear buds supplied by apple along with your iPad, I found even Beats ear buds backed by Apple was not good enough

Trust this helps

[[Member Raja…]]

Thank you so much Ram.🙏🏽 As you said the apple ear buds weren’t great. I read about the iRigPro I/O but it’s apparently only battery powered, this can be a problem having to change battery often and cost factors. Since I already had the ProFX8 and the Condenser mic I thought I could create a better configuration to achieve a much better result using a dedicated mixer. I took another photo to show you the XLR output at the back of the mixer just in case if it’s any help for you with your advise? But I guess ProFX8 does not provide the  ‘Mob Phone Interface’? Hence your suggestion to use iRigPro I/O or the Yamaha MG06X. Am I right? Even if I could use my ProFX8 with Shure SM58 may be an option?

Basically, I want to be able to achieve better control of the Voice audio mix with echo/reverb controls etc...

thanks very much for the images.
 

 

[[Member _Ram…]]

iRig Pro I/O with battery is useless as the battery drains very fast, and a weak battery means very poor recording quality. You can buy an iRig Pro with its own power supply. It costs about Aud$250 with power supply and guess what this is setup permanently and all I have to do is Turn my iPad on. This power supply charges the ipad too and is 100% Charged all the time. No I did not recommend the use of the Yamaha Mixer as I dont use it ever. I mentioned as I could not see an XLR Mic out put in Pro FX.

Recording qualities vary from recording to recording for Duets as there are many variables. 

1- Settings used for Original Invite mostly Super Studio and some use studio. most people do not tell you this

2- settings used by you for recording using Super studio You Can Vary Reverb time and Room size and Volume

3- and after all this you upload your recording, and Smule Software processes it and the output is not what you heard after recording. Sometimes very good sometimes very bad and most times average.

4- lastly we must not forget that each and every one of us uses a different phone for recording be it Android or IoS but different models

5-basically there are already too many variables and adding a mixer serves very little purpose. So my Yamaha MG06X is just sitting there so also my Roland Go Pro. 

It was through Sing Salon and Open Type's advice I went down the iRig Path.First bough the iRig Pre which was a waste of time asm it was battery only and a nuisance even with rechargeable batteries

iRig Pro I/O is the best option at this Point of Time and I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that Rode are going to modify their iXLR Mob Ph Interface to suit Smule recordings. I am also aware some friends are using Focusrite with Rode NTI and it has excellent quality output except Focusrite tell me it is out of manufacture and recommend their new Product Sacrlett but will not comment on its suitability for Smule. Basic is $250 and can go upto $890 not worth it I believe. Focusrite user tells me that he does not use Super studio but only STUDIO ( Think the NT1 is pretty powerful enough to deliver good quality and he does not have studio setting)

Trust this helps. This is from my experience.

others may have different options to recommend

 

Cheers

 

 

[[Member _Ram…]]

Mmmm Just Realised you are living Down Under too. Sydney ???

If yes we should meet

[[Member Raja…]]

Thank you so much for your in-depth advice Ram 🙏🏽 I live in Perth otherwise sure I would love to meet you. Keep in touch. Cheers.

[[Member Raja…]]

Hi Ram, Will iRigPro DUO I/O work for Smule Recording. if so is there any instructions on how to connect up for Smule Recording?

 Cheers

 

[[Member _Ram…]]

Rajan, Pretty Straight Forward. Connect the iRig Pro I/O to power using the transformer it comes with. Manny's should have it at Perth store. Make sure you ask for original power supply unit as they goofed last time.  Connect the iPad lightning port to iRig Pro using cable supplied. Both these connections are at the top end of the iRig unit. Connect your Dynamic Mic using an XLR Cable to the Bottom of The IRig Pro Unit. Connect your headphones at the side of the iRig Pro. iRig as two twirl knobs for gain control and for headphone volume to suit. Gain seems to be best at 8.5 setting from my experience. If you chose to use your Condenser mic remember to flick the switch to phantom power of 48V. Sing away.

Once set up I don't change settings except adjusting vocal volume after recording. I use Super studio set at 55/65. Works for me and my recording room properties. You may have to play around to find the right setting that suits your voice.

iPad charges automatically

Cheers

 

 

[[Member Raja…]]

Thanks Ram for the instructions. I have bought it. I’ll give it a go and update you here.. 😊

Regards

 

[[Member _Ram…]]

It may be better to chat on smule so we do not disturb others here

[[Member Raja…]]

Thanks Ram. Just for the benefit of others..I bought the iRigPro Duo and it’s working superbly with my Shure 58 Dynamic mic as opposed to with the Rode NT1. 

[[Member _Ram…]]

Any Reason why you bought iRig Pro Duo and not iRig Pro I/O ? Glad it is working for you. Did you switch the setting in iRig Pro Duo to Phantom Power when using Condenser your Rode NT-1 Condenser mic ?

I am asking as a few of us went through this exercise and decided I/O was a better option. I have not tested my iRig Pro I/O with a Condenser Mic so I cannot comment. There are others who seem to be pleased

[[Member Raja…]]

Apologies for the delay in responding. School holidays etc.. to blame.

iRig Pro I/O is on back order. None available here hence I tried the iRig Pro Duo and it works beautifully with my Shure SM58 dynamic mic connected to XLR port 1 in the iRig Pro Duo. 

Works very well again with my Rode NT1 condenser mic too but the playback is much sharper sound compared to with SM58 dynamic mic. I haven’t played enough with Smule audio settings such as Super Studio for the condenser mic. I think if we play around with it we can get a reasonably good output too.. something I need to work on more.

Hope this helps someone...

[[Member _Ram…]]

Will the iRig Duo allow two Microphones to allow two singers ? Presume it has its own power supply. I bought mine on line from Mannings Melb. Glad you are happy. Interesting you have two Condenser microphones. are you a Professional singer ?. Whats your Smule ID somI can listen to your recordings.

Cheers

 

[[Member Raja…]]

No Ram I have two Shure SM58s and one Condenser mic. I just tried with a3 pin XLR Y lead splitter male to female (I actually had to reverse the female to male splitter with XLR 3pin fm/fm and m/m adaptors to make it work) to connect the 2 SM58s to iRig Pro Duo’s port 1. Both mics work superbly now. Am I a professional singer, 😊 you judge me my friend. I’ll contact you in Smule. I learnt music for sometime that helps..🙏🏽

[[Member _Ram…]]

"Ouch" Sounds like you performed a sex change on your XLR cables. Make sure they don't change Voices from female to male half way through your recordings. I am looking forward to singing some old Tamil Classics with you. Cheers

[[Member Raja…]]

😀😀😀 sure can sing some..👍🏼 My Smule Id is @rajanvadivale

[[Member math…]]

The solution to use any mic through a mixer is to use an attenuator to convert line level signal from mixer to a mic level signal. You can use the below product  I am using it successfully. I also have iRig Pre. I prefer using the mixer because I can do some eq on the mic channel on the mixer which is not possible in iRig.

https://www.headsetbuddy.com/line-level-audio-plus-monitoring-adapter-for-iphone-smartphones/ 

Hope it helps those who already own a mixer.