Rode NT1A Audio Interface

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nashartist

New member
After having USB microphones all my life, I recently invested in a Rode NT1A as i've been told that would be a good, quiet and good quality microphone to start with. I have a laptop and bought a Power Dynamics PDM-L905 9 Channel Mixer USB AUX MIC +48v mixer but it was awful and made my mic sound crackly and far from clear, like a hissing noise so I sent it back.

I don't really know what i'm after but I imagine i need a mixer with a pre amp and sound card? Can someone suggest a good quality but cheap mixer that will go perfectly with my microphone?

Sorry for not putting this in technical terms haha!
 
nashartist said:
so I sent it back.
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That was the right thing to do. It was not the right tool for what you want. Its USB slot was for playing stuff off USB sticks, and not for computer connectivity.

As mjb says: go searching for audio interfaces
 
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And don't cheap out on the interface either!
The NT1-a is one of the "quietest" mics on the planet (Google "microphone self noise" Larnin' starts here!) so it would be a great pity to spoil it by using a noisy, cheap AI.

Focusrite are noted for good, quiet preamps but look at the 2i4 or better. The Steinberg UR22 also gets a good rep. If you think you might need two extra line inputs in the future and REALLY low latency might be important, look at the Native Instruments KA6.

Dave.
 
I now have a scarrlett 2i4 and rode nt1-a, can someone suggest a good program? and what effects I would be best to put on to make it sound as clear and perfect as possible? I've recorded it from the usb cable from the scarrlett to the laptop into cool edit pro and it's only recording on the left channel and doesn't sound as great as it could? Very very quiet back ground noise but not as good quality?
 
nashartist said:
I now have a scarrlett 2i4 and rode nt1-a, can someone suggest a good program? and what effects I would be best to put on to make it sound as clear and perfect as possible? I've recorded it from the usb cable from the scarrlett to the laptop into cool edit pro and it's only recording on the left channel and doesn't sound as great as it could? Very very quiet back ground noise but not as good quality?
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Heh! Never bloody ends does it?! Can you say what you mean by "not as good quality"? Can you post a clip?

By "program" I assume you mean recording software? Called a DAW in general parlance.
I would strongly suggest you download Reaper. Not that easy to get to grips with but then no DAW really is and Reaper is easier than most! Do persevere it is very powerful and very cheap!

Yes, you will only record in one channel. Some DAWs allow you to mono the two tracks, Samplitude is one such. I dare say it can be done in Reaper but I am not that familiar.

Effects? Eschew them for now. What were you thinking of anyway? Reverb is about the only thing you might like to add but in great moderation and ONLY when you have killed the nasty acoustics in your room. How do I know they are "nasty"? Unless you live in a great country house, ALL small rooms are nasty!

Dave.
 
nashartist said:
I now have a scarrlett 2i4 and rode nt1-a, can someone suggest a good program? and what effects I would be best to put on to make it sound as clear and perfect as possible? I've recorded it from the usb cable from the scarrlett to the laptop into cool edit pro and it's only recording on the left channel and doesn't sound as great as it could? Very very quiet back ground noise but not as good quality?
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Cool edit pro? That is an old program. The reason why it is coming out one side is because you have recorded a mono signal (the mike) onot a stereo track. You need to tell Cool Edit to set up a mono track.

As Dave says, download Reaper and try that. It will give you a mono track from the start. And even if some how you manage to record onto a stereo track, you can split it and discard the unwanted channel.

"It doesn't sound as great as it could" doesn't really say a lot. What don't you like about the sound?
 
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