Yes. However, since you are willing to invest in a pre-amp, you might want to consider getting a sound card that is geared at pro recording, that INCLUDES a pre-amp. This is the path I have chosen, full analog signal chain integration (tm). In my estimation you will get better quality per price. Perhaps something from Roland or M-Audio. I recommend FireWire due to performance and flexibility (connect to a Mac, linux PC, linux laptop, PowerBook, ...) Carlo Tim Beauregard schrieb: > Hello, > > The spare room in our house is used for both singing lessons and > computer activities. We are embarking on an audio adventure, with > singing students holding a Shure SM58 microphone which is plugged into > the jack on the front of the PC (a SoundBlaster Live! 5.1), singing to > backing tracks played through the PC speakers/headphones. This is for > them to practice using a microphone. > > My question is basic, do I need a preamp for the microphone or is the > LiveDrive doing that job? At the moment the volume which is high enough > to hear through the speakers is very close to feedback volume, and also > sounds distorted. > > Thanks! > > Tim > > Linux 2.6.17 Debian/unstable.
