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Hey guys,

I just purchased a Yamaha DGX-660 because I am planning to create songs with it. My question is if the 660 has built in preamps for vocals? I am ok with a keyboard but much more of a singer and need my vocals to be good. I plan on just using a usb stick to record on and then use protools to adjust whatever I need. The problem is that I don't know if the 660 will be able to record my voice well enough. I was hoping to just buy a SM58 mic and plug it in to record on the keyboard itself. My other option is to use my AKG c214 along with my preamp and record directly into my computer for vocals only and then mix the keyboard in later with protools. Any suggestions?

What does the DGX-660 manual say?

. . . If there's an XLR (3-pin) "Mic" input, it almost certainly has a built-in mic preamp.

. . . If there's a 1/4" phone jack, marked "Mic", it probably has a preamp which expects an unbalanced mic input.

But the manual will have that information.

Your best bet? Try the mic at the shop where you got the DGX, or at a shop that sells them.
The facilities for recording and enhancing vocals seem to be very good on this model. I can't imagine you'd be disappointed.

Thanks, I will try out vocals on keyboard first and see how it goes
.

The manual, pg 69-71, has a good discussion of what's available, and what's necessary.

The DGX-660 expects a _dynamic_ microphone, with a 1/4" plug. That (I think) is a common standard for karaoke machines and such. So (because it accepts a dynamic-mic-level signal), we know it has a built-in preamp. (And some interesting effects (including a compressor)).

If you like your sound through the AKG mic and your current preamp,
. . . and the preamp has a 1/4" output,

you could try this:

. . . Turn everything off.

. . . Connect a 1/4" mono cable from the preamp output to the DGX-660 mic input.

. . . Turn on the C214's "-20 dB" switch.

. . . Set the preamp mic gain low -- say, to 5% of maximum.

. . . Turn on the DGX-660, with its volume control set low (10% of max volume).

. . . Turn on the preamp.

. . . Raise the DGX-660 volume to whatever you normally use.

. . . Follow the instructions in the manual, to adjust the DGX's mic gain so that the DGX doesn't overload.
. . . . . Avoid feedback if you can, by using headphones on the DGX-660.
. . . . If you need more mic signal into the DGX, turn _off_ the C214's "-20 dB" switch.

Depending on the DGX'x "mic gain" adjustment range, you might get that to work OK -- adequate signal, no hum, no distortion.

DO NOT feed full preamp output into the DGX's "Mic In" jack -- there is potential for damaging the DGX's mic preamp.