Can I use Mixer with M-Audio Fasttrack USB

[vdash4u]

Hi,
I am using M-Audio Fasttrack USB for voice recording with a Karaoke track and was wondering if investing in a mixer is a good idea ? Sorry for asking such a stupid question but I am a newbie ..so bear with me :o ...I am thinking of buying Yamaha MG82FX 8-Input Stereo Mixer with DFX : http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMMG82FX ...I hope its compatible and if so ..what will be the connection like ? Is it like ..I connect mic to Mixer and output of mic to the line-in of M-audio interface which is connected to the USB of a laptop ?

Well I have a good mic now and using m-audio to record on my laptop ..but still didnt get good quality ..so just wondering what will boost the quality ? things like mixer or a good software for effects ?

Please advise...
Thanks in advance ...

-[V]

[AndyH]

If you indeed have a dynamic microphone capable of adequate quality for your needs, the current setup is not a limitation on your recordings. If their quality is less than the microphone is capable of producing, your difficulty is in not knowing how to use the microphone properly or not recording in a decent space. Adding something more to the recording chain is not going to improve things in that respect.

Some description of what is unsatisfactory with your recordings may help people produce useable suggestions. "poor quality" is such a vague and all encompassing term that it is essentially meaningless.

[vdash4u]

Well thanks for the reply Andy...I agree I should have been more specific.:-|
Just wanted to ask, if I give a mixer output to M-Audio USB interface will that work right ? The soundcard that came with the laptop is not of a good quality and was thinking if I can use a mixer for voice processing and use USB interface as an external soundcard ...?
I kinda like Session software which serves my purpose to record along a Karaoke track without getting into complicated tools ..but that works only with m-audio tools ..so I have no choice but to use Fasttrack..so just wanted to ask if I can use both mixer and USB interface ..if so should I go ahead and get that mixer ?

Thanks,
-[V]

[AndyH]

You should use the Fasttrack instead of the internal soundcard. Is that what you have been doing, but still not getting satisfactory recordings?

You can use a mixer with microphone preamp instead of the Fasttrack microphone preamps, and feed the mixer output to the Fasttrack line-in, as in the signal chain you outlined in your first post. I was trying to communicate that I do not believe that doing so will improve the quality of your recordings.

While it is no doubt possible to get better microphone preamps than those in the Fasttrack, if you spend enough money, those you already have are capable of producing quite good recordings. Until your technique is polished enough to push the limits of your current equipment, better equipment will not benefit you.

Of course it is possible that your complain in something that I have not anticipated and am thus not adequately addressing. However, unless you choose to provide details about just what is unsatisfactory, perhaps no one can provide much more insight.