MXL Microphone USB-77 User's Manual
Contents
1. 2 7 User Manual Warranty Congratulations on your purchase of the MXL USB 77 This unique USB microphone offers instant professional quality recordings direct to your laptop or desktop computer and can be used with your favorite recording software MXL microphones are the result of world class engineering and manufacturing and are designed to provide you with outstanding performance and exceptional value While we encourage you to review this entire manual there are a few key points about handling your MXL USB 77 that we want you to familiarize yourself with right from the start The MXL USB 77 is a professional quality cardioid condenser studio microphone designed specifically for recording Unlike microphones designed for live performance or dynamic models this mic requires careful handling By following a few basic handling procedures you can expect a long and happy relationship with your new MXL microphone balance between computer playback and the live microphone input The live microphone is mixed to the headphones before any digital conversion to provide the highest audio quality without sound delay latency often associated with computer recording While there is no right or wrong way to record a performance you can find our Recording Basics guide at www mxlmics com to help you with the basic techniques Remember recording is a creative process so experimentation is the key for the best results Enjoy Windows2. The 1 8 inch stereo headphone input accepts most headphones Maximum headphone volume will vary by manufacturer and model so care should always be exercised when plugging in The headphone volume can be changed using controls in the computer Connecting the USB 77 to Your Computer The MXL USB 77 will operate with both USB 2 0 high speed USB and USB 1 1 data buses We recommend you connect your microphone directly to the computer s USB port as opposed to using a USB hub USB hubs have been known to interfere with the performance of various USB devices Note Audio and video recording can be very taxing to a computer s resources For this reason you should close any and all running applications that are non essential Please take the following steps to get connected 1 If open close your audio recording application You will open it after the MXL USB 77 is connected and operational 2 7 Setup setup 2 Connect the corresponding ends of the supplied USB cable to the MXL USB 77 and the computer s USB port 3 The red LED on the MXL USB 77 will illuminate indicating it is receiving power from the computer Initial Setup with Windows XP 1 To select the MXL USB 77 microphone as the default audio device go to the Start Menu and select Control Panel 2 Select Sounds and Audio Devices 3 Click on the Audio tab and select USB Audio Codec as the default device for Sound playback and Sound Recording 4 To adjust the output
3. Audio MIDI Setup Audio Devices MIDI Devices System Settings Default Input USB audio CODEC Default Output Y USB audio CODEC 4 B gt y System Output Y USB audio CODEC gt Properties For USB audio CODEC 0 Clock Source efault Configure Speakers D Audio Input Audio Output E Source Default Source Format 44100 0Hz 1tch 16bit Format 44100 0 Hz 2ch 16bit Ch Volume Value dB Mute Thru Ch Volume MO 023 80 0 1 Qe 0 64 15 00 2 mn Je 0 64 15 00 Value dB Mute 7 A By selecting the USB Audio Codec as the Default Input the USB 77 will automatically be selected as the audio input device the next time it is plugged in B By selecting the USB Audio Codec as the Default Output the MXL USB 77 will USB Connection The small end of the USB cable plugs in here The microphone is backwards compatible with USB 1 1 and 2 0 We do not recommend that you plug the microphone into a hub as this could potentially limit the power and audio bandwidth the microphone needs to operate Analog Stereo headphone gain controls USB Input jack with high quality headphone amplifier Analog Gain Control Use this dial to control the record level of the microphone into the computer This control changes the analog signal before A D converter Stereo Headphone Jack
4. ecording software do not match your hardware you will most likely hear clicks and pops or the audio will be the wrong pitch Multi tracking Windows To get started with multi tracking and overdubbing we recommend the free 30 day trial shareware version of Reaper Go here to download Reaper http www reaper fm Multi tracking Macintosh Garage Band is the easiest way to get started if you are using a Macintosh computer Since it s included on most Macintosh computers you probably have it installed and ready to go Testing Your MXL USB 77 After you have connected your microphone and set up your computer plug a set of headphones into the 1 8 inch stereo jack located on the back of the MXL USB 77 8 2 Click on the speaker icon labeled Sound 3 Click on the Input tab then select the device named USB Audio Codec You will notice there are no input level controls for this device This is because the analog gain control is found on the back of the MXL USB 77 4 Next click on the Output tab and select the device named USB Audio Codec The master volume output can be changed by adjusting the output volume fader left or right 5 Further adjustments to the sample rate and bit depths can be found in the Audio Midi Setup Macintosh HD gt Applications gt Utilities gt Audio Midi Setup You should however check the settings in the recording program you are using as they may override or conflict with these settings
5. icrophone volume dial on the mic to create a 9 ALWAYS ALWAYS NEVER NEVER ALWAYS User Manual Handle the microphone carefully avoiding sudden shocks such as dropping or bumping the microphone into other objects Maintain a distance of approximately 4 6 inches when speaking or singing into the microphone You are encouraged to use a pop filter for added protection of the sensitive capsule and to shield the instrument from saliva and sudden bursts of air Tap the microphone to check if it s working The red LED behind the microphone s protective grill will tell you it s functioning Blow into the microphone to check if it s working The red LED behind the microphone s protective grill will tell you it s functioning Use a windscreen to protect your microphone if you are recording an outdoor performance 2 7 Setup setup A Little Background Information MXL condenser microphones use what is known as a cardioid pickup pattern which is more sensitive to sound waves arriving at the front of the microphone as opposed to those arriving from the sides or rear The MXL USB 77 is a plug and play USB Universal Serial Bus microphone that interfaces with Windows and Macintosh computers without the need for any special drivers As a USB device it carries the added benefit of not requiring an external microphone preamp as is the case with most cardioid condenser microphones Unpack Your Microphone Begin by e
6. is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries Warranty Marshall Microphones are guaranteed against defects in material and workmanship for three years from date of purchase Should you encounter any problem with this unit promptly contact the company you purchased it from for assistance The original dated sales receipt will be necessary for any warranty claim Do not send any unit directly to us without prior authorization from our service department Warranty coverage is limited to repair or replacement at our option of the microphone and does not cover incidental damages due to use of this unit nor damage caused by accidental misuse of this product MXL Microphones The Professional Audio Division of Marshall Electronics 1910 E Maple Ave El Segundo CA 90245 Phone 310 333 0606 800 800 0688 www mxlmics com sales mxlmics com 10 Important Note The headphone amplifier can produce very loud sound levels that when exposed to over a period of time can cause irreparable hearing damage Please adjust the headphone level carefully You should now be able to hear your computer audio playback as well as the live microphone When you re ready to begin tracking open your favorite recording software and make sure it s set up for use with the MXL USB 77 according to the software manufacturer recommendations With everything set up and your software application running snap your fingers i
7. n front of the grill and look for a signal on your software s input meters Never tap on the grill to test if a signal is present as this could cause peaking if the microphone gain is set too high With the signal pres ent simply position the microphone to best capture the performance Begin testing the sound source with the microphone and watch the software input meters for clipping Clipping is a form of distortion that occurs when an amplifier is overdriven and is usually represented by a red bar in your software Clipping should be avoided at all times for a recording free of poor sounding digital distortion Use the analog gain control knob on the mic to set the input level to best capture the sound source without clipping Recording Tips While it is important to record at a loud enough volume to hear the performance over any back ground noise keep in mind that with multi track recording each track will eventually be added together summed into a final Left and Right stereo mix Since this summing increases the level of the final signal tracks should be recorded with a fair amount of space between your maximum signal level and the O dB clipping level this is called headroom In addition this will greatly benefit the use of any effects or other signal processing you wish to add later If you would like to listen to computer playback while recording or practicing use the volume control in the computer in combination with the m
8. o make further adjustments to the recording settings double click on the microphone icon labeled USB Audio Device 7 Click on the tab labeled Advanced From the drop down menu you can change the sample rate and bit depth for audio recording Please note that you should verify that these settings match the settings in your recording application Your Windows Vista computer is now set up to use the MXL USB 77 USB with most recording programs Some recording applications will require additional settings to be changed within the program Please see your recording software manual for proper setup Initial setup with Macintosh OS X 1 To select the MXL USB 77 as the default audio device click on the Apple icon at the top of the screen then select the System Preferences 6
9. volume from the computer click on the Volume button under Sound playback 5 The master volume output can be changed by moving the Speaker fader up or down Your Windows XP computer is now set up to use the MXL USB 77 Some recording applications will require additional settings to be changed within the program Please see your recording software manual for proper setup Initial Setup with Windows Vista 1 To select the MXL USB 77 as the default audio device go to the Start Menu and select Control Panel 2 Double click the Sound icon 3 Select the Playback tab Highlight the speaker icon labeled as USB Audio Device and click the Set Default button To make further adjustments to the playback volume and settings double click on the speaker icon labeled USB Audio Device 4 To adjust the volume from the computer click on the tab labeled Levels The master volume output can be changed by moving the Speaker fader left or right 5 To change the sample rate and bit depth click on the tab labeled Advanced From the drop down menu you can change the sample rate and bit depth for audio playback When you are finished making changes click the OK button Please note that you should verify that these settings match the settings in your recording application 6 To set the MXL USB 77 as the default audio input select the Recording tab back in the Sound window Highlight the microphone icon labeled USB Audio Device and click Set Default T
10. xamining the contents of your MXL USB 77 You should have the following components E Carrying case m MXL USB 77 microphone E Desktop microphone stand m USB cable m Cleaning cloth Correct Positioning and Back Controls The red LED should be facing you when you speak or sing into the microphone If recording instruments the red LED should be facing the instrument Maintain a distance of approximately 4 6 inches when speaking or singing into the microphone For instruments experiment with the distance to find the best results Red LED When the red LED is illuminated this indicates that the microphone is connected to USB power and functioning correctly automatically be selected as the audio output device the next time it is plugged in By selecting the USB Audio Codec as the System Output the microphone will be used as the output device for any system sounds C Select the USB Audio Codec to make adjustments to the sample rate and bit depth You will see sections D and E appear in the lower portion of the window D Here you can make adjustments to the sample rate and bit depth for the input the microphone signal E Here you can make adjustments to the sample rate and bit depth for the output the signal to the headphones Your computer is now set up to use the MXL USB 77 However after changing these settings you should still check the settings in your recording software If the sample rate and or bit depth in the r
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