Noob-ish microphone issues

[LeBron]

Hey all,
I recently bought a microphone (VIVANCO DM10). I know that it's not a professional microphone, but some people just can't afford better equipment. Ones like me
So, me and my friend wanted to record some of our raps on my computer. We use Acoustica Mixcraft 3, if that matters. But when we finish rapping along the song (we use headphones when recording), we hear a strange sound. Something like... I don't even know, how to visualize it . We're sure, that this sound is there because we raised the volume of the microphone, so we could hear our selfes in the song better, without need to lower the musics' sound. Maybe it's called "distortion" or something, but it only happens, when microphone is set to loud levels. Or even on medium.
We had the same problem with much more lame microphone (the one with headphones), so I couldn't believe, that this is happening. I mean, come on now, this microfone is much better that the old one...
I hope you understood, what I've been trying to say. I also hope, that you'll be able to help me.
Thank you.

[bodaddy]

I am new to this forum but I think it would help if there was a way for us to hear the noise you refer to. Is there anywhere you can post it so we can hear? If it's distortion and it is happening on both mics then I would think you are clipping somewhere. Do you have a meter to see if it gets in the red. Also is the noise constant or only on volume peaks? Thanks.

[Somnium7]

what are you using to record the audio with?

[LeBron]

This is the sound I was talking about. For recording I use "Acoustica Mixcraft 3". I record everything with my computer, cuz' I can't afford the stuff, which would be made especially for high quality recording...
http://files-upload.com/328877/Hissing.mp3.html

[bodaddy]

Ok I listened and have had that before. Are you recording directly to your comp? Your picking up interferance maybe. A ground problem maybe. Messed up cord. Could be a few things. It's not a buzz so it may just be inadequate interface(what ever your plugged into.) One option if you can't get rid of it is to use a noise reduction plug-in. highlight a sample of the noise and then create a template for that noise and it will remove that only or greatly reduce it. Maybe even try recording at a much lower level and then bring the gain up with a plugin.

[groovyisland]

hey that doesnt sound too awfully bad. if you have the mic plugged into your sound card that could be about the best signal to noise ratio you can hope for.

stock soundcards arent really made for recording.

its probably electrical noise from the input gain stage. if you gate it youll still have it while youre rapping.

[whjr15]

Since your mic is dynamic, you have to push the gain a bit more than you would on a condensor. That coupled with a less-than-stellar preamp will cause that noise.

Also, use the "line in" input instead of the "mic" input on your computer... If you haven't been doing so already.

Originally Posted by whjr15

Since your mic is dynamic, you have to push the gain a bit more than you would on a condensor. That coupled with a less-than-stellar preamp will cause that noise.

Also, use the "line in" input instead of the "mic" input on your computer... If you haven't been doing so already.

If there is no preamp in the signal chain before the sound card then he will probably have to use the mic input since that will use the sound card's (noisy) preamps. Otherwise, the signal would be too low going straight to line in. And would probably be unbearable when amplified.

The line-in jack expects a line-level signal. The raw signal from a microphone is not anywhere close to that as far as I know.

[LeBron]

Gotta' thank you all guys for your replies I've firstly tried to use bodaddy's method, recording at low gain. I've recorded, then I've simply multiplied the recorded track a few times, to gain more sound And the problem was gone THANK YA'LL!!!

[bodaddy]

LOL mine was probably the most technically wrong way. These guys are much smarter than I am but I'm glad it worked out.