Low output volume with XM8500 and Audacity

C

Ch0nG

New member
I'm having an issue where my commentary recordings are very quiet in Audacity, I've attached a sample recording (View attachment XM8500-Output.mp3). I can do a post-processing gain boost in Audacity but I feel like the audio source is much quieter than it should be from the start.

My setup is as follows:
XM8500 -> 15-ft XLR -> audient iD4 (USB) -> Audacity

Audacity shows the audient iD4 as "Line".

The mic gain is turned up to the maximum on the iD4. I'm trying to keep additions between the mic and PC to a minimum, just to keep things as simple as I can. Do I need something like a cloudlifter? Or should I put that money towards a condenser mic? (My biggest worry about a condenser mic is my recording room is large and I don't know how to do acoustic treatment to the room.)

Thanks for any help you can provide! :cool:
 
Wow, the sensitivity of the that XM8500 is unbelievably low at 0.3 mV/Pa (-70db), even much lower than an SM7b (1.12 mV/PA (-59db) which usually needs a bump of extra gain with a preamp. It's not surprising that the recordings might be low and the Audient gain needs to be maxed out. Perhaps the XM8500 might do OK for live stage use as it is intended for, but for recording not so loud commentaries it's likely to have difficultly attaining suitable levels. Might be time to look for a mic with a better sensitivity (hotter output), such as a condenser or a dynamic with neodymium magnets in the capsule (capsules with neodymium magnets typically have a better sensitivity than those that don't). A external inline preamp (Cloudlifter or Fethead) could boost the mic level, but would cost as much as a decent mic with a better sensitivity. I probably would not recommend a cheap preamp such as some either Behringer or ART make.
Behringer XM8500 | RecordingHacks.com

If you go with a dynamic mic and one that would have a much better sensitivity, take a look at the Sennheiser e835 .
Sennheiser Electronics Corporation e 835 | RecordingHacks.com

A condenser type mic would be OK if your room is quiet and doesn't have walls and/or other surfaces that would reflect back your commentary speaking resulting in an echo sort of sound in the recording. The echo sound can be reduced with room treatment which is discussed on the board often.
 
Thank you for the quick feedback. I picked up a NT1-A tonight and did a very quick test run, it seems to work very well! I have a feeling I'll need to read up on room treatment. I'll run the mic through some testing tomorrow and post a short recording, as well, just to make sure I can get things tweaked correctly.
 
Ch0nG said:
Thank you for the quick feedback. I picked up a NT1

The NT1-A is some 33dB more sensitive than that Berry and the Rode is by no means a hot LDC at 13.7mV ! Yes, the room will intrude with the capacitor but that is just a consequence of you now having some 90dB of gain potential over the dynamic! Crank the iD4 gain right down then advance it slowly speaking at about 300mm (1 ft) from the grill and aim for a level in Audacity of around -18dB on the meters. Audacity's meter helpfully have neg 18 as a mark.

If the room is still intrusive get closer (pop shield!) and use less gain. After that you need to read up about Duvet Distribution front AND back of you.

The combination of the NT's very low self noise and the (obviously!) superb AI pre amp means you should get a really clean recording.

Dave.
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