Microphones are pretty easy to use, you can plug them in and start using them right away.
However, many people do not know how to connect multiple usb microphones to a computer to a computer.
You don’t need to be a computer expert in order to use your microphones, but if you’re podcasting or creating music, you should know how to do it.
So can you connect multiple USB mics and record?
You can connect multiple microphones to the same computer. But there are some potential issues to be aware of first.
The bad news is it’s more complicated than just plugging in multiple microphones and hitting record.
It takes time and effort to get the sound right.
Why You Need More Than One Mic
I’m a big fan of microphones. I use them in my podcast, on stage, and for interviews. But sometimes you need over one mic to get the best sound possible. Here are some situations where it makes sense to have more than one microphone:
If you want to capture different sounds at once. For example, if you want to capture both voice and guitar.
This could also mean capturing two voices together, or capturing an interview with someone talking while another person plays music.
If you want to isolate certain sounds. Sometimes you might want to capture only the drums in a song without any other instruments. Or maybe you want to capture only the vocals in a recording.
Potential Problems using multiple microphones
The following is a list of potential problems that may arise when you use more than one microphone. The first two are the most common, but there are others as well.
- Delay and echo. When you connect multiple microphones to the same input, they will cause delay and echo. It’s like having a bunch of speakers connected to the same amplifier.
- Noise. Multiple microphones tend to pick up noise from each other. So if you’re trying to record something quiet, you’ll end up picking up noise from all the other mics.
- Cross talk. Since you have multiple mics plugged into the same port, they will interfere with each other. This means that if you play back one signal, the other signals will also be played back.
- Volume control. Each microphone has a volume knob built-in. However, since they are plugged into the same port they won’t affect each other. They will still work independently.
- Mixing. Depending on what software you are using, you may not be able to mix between multiple microphones. Some programs allow you to adjust the levels of individual channels, but not the overall level of the entire channel. Others allow you to mix between multiple inputs, but only within a single program.
- Recording quality. Your recordings may suffer due to interference caused by multiple mics.
How To Connect Multiple Microphones to Computer
To connect multiple microphones to your computer, you will need a multi-channel audio interface. These interfaces usually come with several pre-configured inputs (called “channels”), which allows you to connect multiple microphones to the computer simultaneously.
There are many options available on the market today. Some offer USB ports, while others also offer FireWire connections.
Some are designed specifically for professional applications, while others are intended for home users.
Connecting via a USB Using Audio Software
USB technology is used for easy, consistent connectivity across many different types of electronic devices. Connecting multiple USB mics to the same computer is simple if you have enough USB ports available.
However, Mac and Windows often will only recognize one connection at a time. So if you have 2 USB mics plugged into the computer, you can only select one from your system’s audio settings.
To overcome this, you can take a look at the settings in your audio software. Most modern audio software like Audacity allows multichannel recording. Here each channel can be assigned a specific input.
What is a microphone aggregate device
The term “microphone aggregate” refers to a device that combines multiple microphones into one physical unit. The most common use of this technology is for recording audio in the home, but it can also be used for capturing sound from public spaces such as concerts or sporting events.
The advantage of an aggregate device is that you don’t need to purchase separate microphones for each application. You just plug in the aggregate device and start recording.
Apple Macs running OSX 10.2 or later can create aggregate devices, allowing applications to address multiple devices – including USB microphones – using a single aggregate driver.
Using a Mixer with Multiple Mic Inputs
The mixer is the heart of your sound system. It’s where all your audio signals come together and get processed into one signal that you can use for playback, recording or both. The mixer also controls how much volume each input receives so that you can balance the relative volumes of each mic.
A mixer has two main parts: a control panel and a speaker output. A typical mixer includes a number of knobs and buttons that let you control the volume of each channel, mute/unmute the channels, change their gain and pan them left or right.
If you’re looking for a mixer that supports multiple input sources, make sure it has a minimum of 4 inputs. This gives you more flexibility when connecting multiple microphones to your computer.