Some advice on headphone amps?

[danielbb90]

I have a none powered microphone and I was wondering is a headphone amp would amplify the sound from it?

If yes how much am I looking at one for and where can I get hold of one offline in canada?

Thanks,

[Bananatree]

Offline in Canada?

For a portable one you may only be able to get one at radioshack. However the term I'd use for the device is more of a "loudener". I can't tell you how it would work, but it might.

[A440]

A headphone amp isn't strong enough to be used as a preamp--that is, if you want to send the mic signal through line-in. It's a different level of amplification.

A headphone amp does boost the signal coming out of your headphone jack. So if you have a quiet recording and want to hear it louder, you'd use a headphone amp.

Look online for Cmoy, which is the basic design for portable headphone amps. A lot of people make them themselves or sell them in small quantities. Perhaps you can find one for a telephone order in Canada. Probably about $50 to $70 USD.

Edited December 24, 2005 by A440

[danielbb90]

Thanks I have downloaded some software (wavpad - freeware) that you can amplyfy recordings with.... but than you get interferiance and that can be removed using the same program...

[A440]

Audacity (in Downloads here) will also amplify. But as you've found, you're also amplifying the background noise. Better to have a recording with more signal, less noise to begin with.

The mic jack should provide some power to the mic. How did you make your initial recording: what mics, what input, what settings?