I’ve started my own meetup group and managed to land a sponsor - a local company that can provide a space for us to meet. However there is no sound system and I’m afraid the people talking might not be heard in the back rows. So I thought of using my guitar amp (which doesn’t see much use otherwise) as a makeshift PA system. The model is a Vox Pathfinder 15R (I found a review online at https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/guitar_amplifiers/vox/pathfinder_15r/index.html). However there is no dedicated input jack for a microphone.
So here’s my question: can I use the input jack (where the guitar usually goes into) with a microphone instead?
It should work, but be very careful, as the line level between a guitar and a mic could be very different. Start with the volume very, very low on the amp, as you may witness speaker cone carnage, to say nothing of what it will do to your ears.
Only if you start off with everything turned up. From memory, the signal output of a microphone (especially a condenser mic) are higher than that of a guitar pickup.
The chances are that this will be a dynamic mic, which aren’t as hot. You’re unlikely to do any damage, so long as you start the volume from zero, and turn things up gradually. You should always do that with mics/amps anyway, even if it is a proper PA system - it avoids an awful lot of upsets and dry cleaning bills…
Considering you plan to use a mic made for computers, you may not need the transformer he is using, which is primarily converting from XLR to 1/4", although the transformer also helps with impedance matching.
The impedance is going to give you a really crappy output, so the transformer he is using is actually helping a lot. But with the dawn of computer mics, it is hard for me to tell you what those will sound like, as I would never use those in a live sound system.
I found out tonight that using the desk microphone from my laptop and the headphones jack adaptor won’t work with the amplifier I guess I have to stop improvising with all the bits and pieces I have in the house and actually get a real microphone and give it a try.
I’ve plugged mic’s into my guitar amps. Think they are ‘condenser’ mics if thats the right name (the big ones that need a AA battery not a computer type one).
If the amp has a ‘gain’ knob you will prob want to turn it down as the mic will be more sensitive than a guitar. Some amps (my peavey tnt150 bass amp for example) has a high and low input. Can’t remember which is best to plug into though for sure but i think from memory i plug my bass into the high input and guitar into the low. So you’d probably want low for a mic. But either way start with the vol low as said.
Feedback will be the problem if any as you might have too much gain. Try and keep the mic a good distance from the amp
I guess I have to stop improvising with all the bits and pieces I have in the house and actually get a real microphone and give it a try.