Will Do Anything For Person Who Solves This

T

The Editor

New member
Okay, so here is the problem. I have an ATR USB Microphone and an Imac from 2011. When I record with Audacity with a sample rate of 44100, it is this sound. View attachment test1.mp3 Notice how it only happens when I speak.
When I record with a sample rate of 48000, I get this sound.View attachment test2.mp3 Notice the brief "pops" I get. Sometimes they are very loud, and sometimes very quiet.
I have a powered and unpowered USB hub, and also have tried everything I can think of. I really need this microphone to work ASAP, so I will be more than eternally grateful to anyone who solves this problem.
 
Test MP3 1 is at a very low level, around -38dBFS in Samplitude Silver.

In Windows 7 there is a level control for the "USB CODEC" there might be something similar for macs?

Failing that I suggest you try the mic in a PC (they are pretty ubiquitous you know!). If that fails to give good results I would suspect a faulty microphone.

Has to be said tho!! You would find an Audio Interface and a "proper" mic vastly more flexible and better sound quality.

Dave.
 
I hear the noise you refer to on test1.

I have heard something similar in the distant past, and it was from a cheap condensor. I suspect that the problem lies within the electronics of the mike. I note Dave's comment about a low volume, and it may be that the noise can be relegated more to the background with a greater input signal. USB mikes are great for podcasts and similar, but don't seem to bear up well for higher quality recording.

In test 2, the pops are often a sign of driver mismatch, or some other configuration problem. It would have been good to hear a voice on test2 to see if it exhibited the same problem.
 
The microphone worked on a laptop mac, so it isn't a bad mike. And I recorded them at a low volume sorry, if that is what you mean.

---------- Update ----------

The mike works on another computer so it isn't that, and how would I fix a driver mismatch?

---------- Update ----------

Anything.
 
Changing the ASIO driver setting for latency and/or buffer size can fix popping sounds but you are on straight USB so maybe your audio has that setting also?
 
JLondon said:
Changing the ASIO driver setting for latency and/or buffer size can fix popping sounds but you are on straight USB so maybe your audio has that setting also?
Click to expand...

I changed the buffer size a while back, and it did work! For a second. Then it went back to popping and buffer size did nothing. I mean every time I fix it, next time it pops :(.

---------- Update ----------

arcaxis said:
Not so sure that can be done, at least by someone with not much experience.....

ASIO Audio Interface - Audacity Wiki
"The proprietary ASIO interface standard is essential on Windows for low latency recording and playback. It is also usually the best way of making multi-channel recordings on Windows.
Licensing restrictions prevent us including ASIO support in released versions of Audacity, but Audacity can be compiled with ASIO support for private, non-distributable use. This page summarises ASIO licensing issues and steps to compile Audacity with ASIO support."
Click to expand...

I am on Mac, and it doesn't work on stuff other than Audacity too.

---------- Update ----------

Steenamaroo said:
Totally seems like the kind of thing I'd sort out.......
Click to expand...

Hey Steenamaroo, sorry but microphone stopped working again :(. Maybe you can work your magic again XD.
 
What are you recording with this mic? Vocals? Speach?

Condenser mics are prone to popping if it's too humid. The capsule needs to be dry. If you're close working the mic without a spit filter it can cause it to start crackling.
 
snow lizard said:
What are you recording with this mic? Vocals? Speach?

Condenser mics are prone to popping if it's too humid. The capsule needs to be dry. If you're close working the mic without a spit filter it can cause it to start crackling.
Click to expand...

It works on a different computer.
 
When you tried this on the windows machine, was the USB hub still in the chain? I would take that out of the chain and try again on the Mac. Just about every USB device Ive owned warned against using a hub.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top