Problematic Background Noise - Please Help

C

ChristopherTodd

New member
Hey, I'm Chris and I live right around the Dallas area.
I record voice over, hip hop, and metal vocals from my home for various albums and purposes and I have run into an immense problem.
No matter what I've done, I've been completely unable to avoid this awful background, hissing, static sound that I can only describe as probable radio frequency interference. It's not very loud at all, but if I boost my input signal through my interface, it becomes noticeable.
Even worse, if I try to EQ or compress whatsoever, it's INCREDIBLY annoying, and intolerable. It has absolutely crippled my ability to record entirely.
I have my computer, monitors, preamp, and interface running to a Furman power conditioner, so I've eliminated the possibility of faulty wiring. I have also tried removing my preamp, running different preamps, running different interfaces, and still nothing.
I have even gone as far as to completely remove my interface and plug it into a seperate room with nothing but a speaker attached for monitoring and the problem STILL persists.

Is there anything at all that you could possibly suggest that might be able to help this problem? I've really been considering purchasing an Ebtech Hum X, or possibly a ground loop isolator... I'm just not entirely sure if any of that would even be beneficial, seeing as I don't feel that it's a ground loop problem. However, I'm beginning to get desperate at this point in time.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a soundcloud link to a boosted constant of the interference. Thanks again!
https://soundcloud.com/christopher-todd-18/problematic-background-noise
 
Have you swapped microphones?
Have you tried your gear into a different computer?
What sort of mic?
What sort of gear?
 
I don't even have a microphone plugged in. I've tried in separate rooms, separate plugs/outlets, no avail. I've tried through a Steinberg UR28M interface, a Tascam US-1641, and all sorts of other random interfaces. No success so far, although they all get a different sounding feedback.
 
If it's a form of white noise it's unlikely to be an earth loop problem so don't rush out and buy an isolator just yet.

First off, let's define the problem...without a mic connected and with the mic gain control on the interface (any interface) set to around half way up, what level of noise can you see on your recording?
 
Hmm...
It's fairly minimal with my input only halfway up, however, when I begin to add any type of boost in the 1-8k range is when it becomes incredibly problematic. This is even on slight EQ without compression. I have tried recording with a few different interfaces, with and without preamps attached.
I am getting a very slightly different form of noise with different interfaces, I will add.
 
When you say minimal, can you give us a number for the noise floor?

Also, when you record, what sort of level are your peaks at?

My thinking (since this is on multiple interfaces) is that either you have a fault with your computer (likely the USB input) or this is simply a gain staging issue.
 
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