Mic Pre-amp question.

Ok, in my stupidity i bought a mixer that apparently has only 1 Inivisible Mic Preamp. I need to use two or more mics and mix them together. Two that i own are:

1 Audio-Technica Shotgun mic, runs on a "AA" battery
2 Older, but good quality handheld XLR Mic

Now, the problem is i can plug in one to the First Input on the mixer, the one with the Mic Preamp, and i get good sound. The problem is when i plug the 2nd mic (either one) into the Input 2 ( L & Right 1/4" Plugs) I get nothing unless i put the mic directly up against a sound source (mouth, speaker, etc)

I'm guessing i screwed up and should have gotten one with more Mic Preamps?? Didn't know, I don't know much about recording sound this way. I need to mix and record music into a laptop this weekend. I get good sound, but only from the first input.

So the question is, what can i use, that's cheap, or quick to get, or something around the house, that I can use maybe inbetween the 2nd mic and mixer to increase it's Volume/Gain/etc.

help...I'm new to this kinda thing.

 

go to musiciansfriend.com and get a mic pre for like 30 bucks for a cheap one.

a really ghetto way around it and i dont recommend it but it works - is to bum a friends guitar amp and get an xlr to 1/4 adapter and use the heads line out or whatever.

ill let you know if i come up with anything else.

 

thanks. I need it for this weekend though, i found a local business that has a bigger mixer, i'm gonna just pick that up.