mic input to soundcard not loud enough

[illstep]

so i got this stage-mic to play around a little with voice samples for production. it's connected to the input on my echo audiofire2, but i just can't get it loud enough. took it back to the store, they plugged it into an active speaker and it gave a loud and very clear sound of the voice.

i feel like the sound card thinks it receives a line-signal, which of course is way louder than a mic signal. theres is no switch or whatever in the drivers. what i can do is apply alot of volume and filters in ableton, but that really destroys the quality.

anyone able to help me?

mic is a AKG D88 S

[kaleaf]

Yo,

If your on XP

go to you windows speaker icon or control panel then sound options, then advanced button on device volume

you should be looking at the sound output volume sliders, then go to options then set it to recording sliders.

then click options again and check advanced controls

you should now have a advanced button under microphone, hit that and there is a mic boost.

if you need a screenshot let me know

[sj03w4t]

I think you're gonna need a pre-amp because the audiofire2 has 'line inputs' which (as you said) expect line level signals. So you'll need a device to amplify the mic signal to line level.

Acoustic sounds (such as voices or musical instruments) are often recorded with transducers (microphones and pickups) that produce weak electrical signals. These signals must be amplified to line level, where they are more easily manipulated by other devices such as mixing consoles and tape recorders. Such amplification is performed by a device known as a preamplifier or "preamp". After manipulation at line level, signals are then typically sent to a device known as a power amplifier, where they are amplified to levels that can drive headphones or loudspeakers, which convert the signals back into sounds that can be heard through the air.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level

[DvlsAdvct]

Make sure your nominal levels are set to +4.

If that doesn't work, and there's no volume control for the interface, then yeah, you're going to need a pre-amp.

[illstep]

damn, i thought so but was hoping to get proven wrong :/

thanks guys