Shure SM57 and Blue Icicle Recording Problems

C

churadley

New member
Hi, completely new to the forum, but I just got some equipment and I was hoping someone could you help me out with some problems I've been having with it. I recently bought the Shure SM57 in a bundle pack on Amazon (Amazon.com: Shure SM57 Instrument/Vocal Microphone Bundle with 20-Foot XLR Cable, Windscreen, Microphone Clip, and Boom Stand: Musical Instruments) and Blue's Icicle XLR to USB converter to record vocals. I'm currently using a Mac 2011 with a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 and 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 (dunno if that's necessary information, but just in case it's needed).

I connected everything correctly (or so it seems), and everything seems to be working fine. However, even though my Blue Icicle is set to the highest gain (just now learning a lot of his audio lingo, so sorry if anything sounds off), and my sound settings in my Mac are set at the highest input level, my mic is recording at the lowest possible level. I initially thought it was because I was recording in Garage Band, but when I talk normally, I'm only reaching 1 bar in Apple's Sound Input Window.

Is there anything that I'm missing that it bringing about this poor recording quality, or is some of the equipment itself faulty? Since this is my first time buying recording equipment, I don't exactly have anything to switch the gear out with and isolate what could be wrong.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Thanks!
 
I strongly suspect that is all the gain the Blue Icicle device has to give you.

The specifications, such as they are, make no mention of the gain of the device or the input needed for say 0dB(FS*). They do not mention it for the very good reason IMHO, that it is too low to be of great use with a low output microphone such as the SM57.

The device is also only 16bits capable and whilst a VERY GOOD 16bit converter can be ok I doubt this is one.

Best option? Send it back and get a "proper" audio interface. See the list in Stickies. Or replace the 57 with a capacitor (aka condenser ) mic.

* "Full Scale" this is how digital audio signals are measured, you want 24bit audio to be averaging -18 or -20dBFS. For 16bits a bit higher, -12ish but naturally that leaves less "headroom".

Dave.
 
How far are you from the mic? Each time you halve the distance from your mouth to the mic you increase the level 6dB. Getting closer causes proximity effect, but that can be dealt with by eq.

Talking is pretty low volume sound and the 57 is not a particularly high output mic. The Icicle may not have enough gain to compensate. A proper audio interface might help if it has more available gain than the Icicle, or you might look into getting a Cloudlifter.
 
Thanks so much for your prompt reply. Damn. I was looking forward to using the Blue Icicle because of its convenience, but it looks like I'm gonna have to invest in some more equipment. Just to verify, the sticky that you mentioned, is this the one?

Also, if I'm on a budget, is there anything you would recommend? I read in the above link that it's okay for a microphone to have a standalone preamp. If I simply want to have a basic recording setup so that I can lay down some vocals, is there anything else I'd need to get?

Thanks!
 
I pretty much need to be right up on the mic in order to get anything recorded. When I feed the XLR cable to the Icicle, I barely get any sound. It's a little better when I plug the Icicle directly into the Shure SM57.

Are there any cheaper standalone preamps that would function well for simply laying down vocals? And if so, how would the Cloudlifter be a substantial improvement over them, and are those advantages truly necessary?
 
churadley said:
I pretty much need to be right up on the mic in order to get anything recorded. When I feed the XLR cable to the Icicle, I barely get any sound. It's a little better when I plug the Icicle directly into the Shure SM57.

Also, the top result for a microphone preamp in Amazon brings up this link: Art Tube Studio Mic. It seems to be highly rated and is well within my budget. How would the Cloudlifter be a substantial improvement over this, and would those advantages truly be necessary for simply recording vocals.
Click to expand...

If there's a noticeable difference between having the XLR cable in there or not there may be an issue with the cable, but I would expect a bad cable to cause more than a little difference.

Don't buy a preamp to connect to the Icicle. The Icicle is a preamp (though with not enough gain), and you don't generally want to run one preamp into another. The Cloudlifter is different, made specifically for putting between a low mic output and a preamp's input. It's powered by the preamp's phantom power. Hopefully, and I can't say for certain that it is, the Icicle's phantom is adequate for the Cloudlifter. Some cheap devices' phantom is not the full 48V.

Probably the simplest thing to do is get an audio interface with adequate gain for your needs.
 
I think I'm gonna follow Dave's advice, return the Icicle, and invest in an audio interface. Right now, I just need something simple for my Shure SM57 so that I can connect it to my computer and record some vocals. Do you have any recommendations for interfaces between $50 - $100?
 
churadley said:
I think I'm gonna follow Dave's advice, return the Icicle, and invest in an audio interface. Right now, I just need something simple for my Shure SM57 so that I can connect it to my computer and record some vocals. Do you have any recommendations for interfaces between $50 - $100?
Click to expand...

Save more. Thank me later.:thumbs up:
 
Our very own Bobbsy has given a cautious thumb's up to this..
M-Audio M-Track | Sweetwater.com

Perhaps he could comment on the performance of the mic amps?

Note to OP. Whatever interface (or indeed mixer etc) you get you will find the level fairly low from a 57 and speech, even if you are less than an inch from the mesh. This bamboozles noobs a bit, especially those who maybe have "tape" experience where gains are usually capable of "bending the needles"!

With digital recording you don't need such high levels since the recording process will add virtually no noise (if you use 24bits, none at all) so you can boost the level as needed post recording in software.

You could of course look for a second hand interface but since you were considering the Cloudlifter, that is the price of a quite decent AI.

Dave.
 
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