Strange background sound on MR-8

R

Rudy2

New member
Howdy all,

I set up my new eBay scored MR-8 and tried recording for the first time. I was doing a comparison between the Nady SP-1 and SP-5 mic by playing the same tune over and over using my silver flute. What I started noticing was a strange background noise when the MR-8 was in record mode, sort of a soft "shoosh shoosh shoosh" washing machine sound that was present all the time, even with a recorded signal on top of it. What could be causing this?

Rudy2
 
As an update, I tried turning off the MR-8 and then turning it on again before plugging in the headphones. Made not difference at all. The "shoosh shoosh" sound is still thare and keeps on going like a slush pump in the background. Granted, it is not loud but it is audible and very annoying. I am using the power adapter and not batteries so that is ruled out. Could it be the speed of the CF card or something?? Actually, it appears as soon as I hit record, before actual recording is done and is still present on playback. It sounds so mechanical, like an out of round tape reel or something. Weird.

Rudy2
 
Hey, the noise is gone!!

Since no one is talking to me I am amusing myself by posting to, er, well, me I guess. Not as much fun as phone sex but probably better than talking to the cat.

I formatted the CF memory card again (third time) and now when I record there is only ambient noise, sort of a bacon frying sound in the background that I suppose is more normal. I have yet to download the CF memory file of a recording onto my computer so do not know if that sizzle background sound will disappear or not.

BTY, if anyone can help me to load a file off an audio CD (or CF memory) onto GoldWave please let me know some basic steps. I find that there are sooo many things to learn just to get started with digital audio recording and editing.

I learn, I frustrate, I conquer. Arrgh!

Rudy2
 
noise

need to use the outs to some speakers and see if its your headphones or not, or the regular noise from the headphone preamps that is there. if noise comes though speakes, could be noise from inexpensive mics, bad or cheap cords, any adaptors you are using, is there a mixer in the signal chain....
if so improper gian structure or just a crappy mixer can have noise...

just a guess that if you hook up to a stero through the main outs, not the headphone jack that you will loose the noise./...

let us know how it goes.....
 
Rudy2 said:
...I am using the power adapter and not batteries so that is ruled out.

Rudy2
Click to expand...

I was getting some 'cadenced' type sounds coming through my phones during record at one point a few months back too... They just started out of the blue... I moved my power adapter from the power strip it was sharing with a plethera of other gizmos and into my Juice Goose on my rack and everything quieted right down... Not sure if this pertains to your noise or not, but worth looking into... ?
 
Well, back again after another short session with my new MR-8. And hey, thanks Dave and BentRabbit for your input.

I recorded the same old songs again and in the same old way and you know what? No noticeable hiss or other background noise. I formatted the card again and think I did everything just the same as yesterday, I dunno. I have a very makeshift setup as my home stereo is across the room and I record using the MR-8 on an end table situated in the middle of the living room right now. I moved the MR-8 close to my Roland KC-500 amp and played back using that. Pretty good sound this time around I would say and the cyclic "shooshing" sound and hiss was all gone. I can't tell you why. Yesterday I also had some errant "tags" on the end of my songs that I did not play. Bits of sound that the MR-8 added on the end. All gone now. What do you suppose was happening anyway?

I tried both the SP-1 mic and the SP-5 mics again and have decided that the SP-1 is the (much) better of the two. Better in the sense of being much more accurate and detailed in sound reproduction. The SP-1 picks up everything, both good and bad. I notice my breathing and other less appealing noises but it also picks up subtleties such as vibrato and dynamics that the SP-5 scrubes off. I guess if you want to mic a guitar cab the SP-1 might be a total waste and the SP-5 would probably reduce some noise that wasn't wanted. But for acoustic work the SP-1 is pretty amazing. I think I will practice with it, it really shows all.

And I ordered some cables for my MR-8 today. Do you folks know about AVCable.com? They are on the web and make custom cables for cheap. I bought a dual 1/4" mono phono to 1/8' stereo cable so I can connect a Walkman type powered speaker to the MR-8 L&R output busses. Twelve bucks! I also ordered a dual 1/4" mono phono to RCA duals so I can connect the same busses to my stereo. That was fifteen bucks in a 6' length.

Anyway, I ramble. I think I could use a decent mixer now with good pres and phantom power. Probably a compresser too. Do some mixers come with that? The mic gain going direct into the MR-8 seems to be a bit weak. A four channel mixer would be good for now but ideally I would like 8 or 10 channels so I can eventuallly move onto PC recording and editing. If anyone has a real deal on something let me know.

Rudy2
 
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