[LAU] Software algorithms?

[Paul Davis]

On Thu, 2007-11-01 at 08:27 -0700, william estrada wrote:
> Hi group,
> 
>    I wish to thanks all of you for the responses about 'better mics'.
> I think I need to clarify what I am looking for.
> 
>    I'm writing a suite of programs to be used for a 'Voice Messaging
> System'.  The system will be used during field events where communication
> from PC to PC will take place. There by the need for inexpensive hardware.
> We are dealing with cheap HAMs here after all!  So supplying everyone with
> a mic is going to be costly to begin with.  A preamp, which is the best
> solution, will be too costly.  So I need to build a software fix.

you're confused.

a preamp is not required for sound processing. its required to get the
analog electrical signal level up to a point where the input side of
your audio interface can deal with it. along the way, any preamp will
add a certain coloration to the signal. this coloration could be
minimal, it could be very obvious, it could be very desirable or it
could be awful. however, regardless of the coloration, which is what you
could simulate in software, its critical job is the signal boost. you
cannot do this in software.

this means that you either have an explicit preamp, or you have a preamp
built into some other device (e.g. the audio interface, which may have a
connector specifically for mic-level signals).

--p