Hello John - I see there are quite a few great responses to your question already.

I had a similar problem when I first started using a USB recording input to my PC. I finally figured out my PC USB interface for the microphone wasn't set correctly for the mixer USB output that I was using.

On a Win 7 PC, right click on the speaker Icon at the bottom right of the task bar, and select 'Recording Devices' find the USB input you are using and right click that and select 'Properties'. On the microphone properties window, select 'Levels' and move the slider to the right. This boosts the USB input from your microphone or mixer circuit to the PC. The same setting are available through Control Panel of course. I've found that I have to change this level when I use a different USB mixer.

Just as an example I use Shure SM48 and a Phonic UM-99 (cheap dynamic mics)as my microphones and run these through a Behringer X1204 USB mixer into a Windows 7 PC using Realband as my one and only DAW. My only problem with mic levels now are when I get too close and start clipping.

I hope you find whatever the issue is with your setup. I agree with Charlie that you don't need anything other than RealBand as your DAW to make clear, clean audio recordings.

Del