Why am I getting distortion on vocals?

dmc777

New member
I'm using a MXL990 Condenser mic powered by a Behringer UB802 Phantom powered mixer into my Fostex Mr8. The levels aren't reaching but to about -5 but when a listened there is still some clipping/distortion on the vocals. I'm using a homemade pop filter. Could the pop filter or sensitivity levels on the mic be causing this? The mics on 5 days old.also, is it pretty necessary to have a compressor and limiter when doing vocals? All I have is a mxr dynacomp stompbox.
 
When you say the levels are only reaching about -5, where are you talking about? They might reach only -5 on your recorder, but could be distorting anywhere else in the chain. If the input of your pre-amp is too high, it could be distorting right at the source. Or the output of the pre-amop might be too gih, which would be distorting the input of your recorder. Make sure you check every step of the chain.
 
Well I'm still pretty new to this so I'm not really sure RAMI. I do know the mic doesn't have a roll of swith but my 993 pencil condenser does. What are these switches usually used for? I can tell you that I put the gain and Level up on my mixer and the trim on the mr8 about half way. Could the level clip on the mixer but not the recorder?
 
by roll off switch i assume you're talking about a low frequency roll-off.. i doubt this would solve your problem adequately..

those are just to cut the bass out.

just set every level you got to dead silent and turn it all up slowly just until you can hear the mic. i hope you don't have a bad mic.. sometimes mics can pop and click when they have been damaged. but i'm not experienced enough to judge that without hearing it.
 
Here's what you should do....Getting proper gain staging is one of the most important things you can learn.
On your mixer pull you're trim all the way down on the channel your mic is plugged into. It may not say trim, it could be pre or something similar and its usually found at the very top of each channel. Put your fader on that channel to 0 db and put your main L/R out fader to 0 db. Now have someone sing into the mic at the volume you plan on recording at. Slowly bring up your trim/pre until you get to a level slightly under 0 db on your meters. You now have the secret to recording with multiple pieces of gear. The magic word is Unity Gain. What is coming out of your mixer should look pretty similar to what you are reading at 0 db on your recorder. If you always run our mixer at 0 db it shoud sound the best because you are not adding noise or trying to pull the signal down affecting your headroom. 0 db is a mixers designed operating level. If you've done all of the proper gainstaging you shouldn't be getting any distortion unless you are clipping the mic. If that's the case either use a pad as mentioned earlier or back the singer off of the mic a bit. Also be careful when gain staging from analog to digital because they have different peaks before clipping. If I remember correctly there is about a 12 db difference.
 
Hello Audioholic...in response to your last post about gain staging...

What would be the correct way to do proper gain staging, if the preamp that I am using (dbx ProVocal) has 3 LEDS on it?

They are; Signal...Peak...and Clip...

I am using the ProVocal connected to an AKG C3000B Mic, connected to a Yamaha AW16G digital recorder.

Thanks again!

:) NEW to the forum! :)
 
Audioholic thanks alot for your post. I have a few questions though.

When you say pull the trim all the way down on my mixer. I'm still using a cheaper behringer ub802 and all it has is gain for the channel, level, and a main mix. I assume when you say put my fader of that channel to 0 you're talking about the level? now the mr8 has a trim for both channels and i can tell that using these is going to have a great impact on my recording. So what would you suggest? Are you talking about the trim on my recorder? Also, what is the pad switch used for? Should i try to be recording to as close as 0 as I can get it? I was thinking maybe around -3.Thanks alot for the help.
 
so if you just test using the mic without anything else, just the mic on a blank track does it still sound like that? make sure all volumes are pulled back so that they do not clip. do not trust the clip light go a little further back. it could be a bunk mic. it is very easy to fry some mics by bumping them on things thumping them too hard, using them in the wrong application et cetra.

could be a bad mic, if not, it would certainly be the volume of anything in the chain, even the master volume, if you are adding too many loud things up, maybee your master is clipping. but only doing so when vocals are added?

I would try the mic as a stand alone track and see if you get the same problem.

FW
 
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