Help me to find Better Recording after DIY acoustic treatment

I can definitely hear the noise. At that point, about the only thing you can do is to run the ReaFIR noise reduction and try to minimize it. The whine is about 1530hZ, and you can see the noise peak when you run the noise reduction function. You could also try to do a notch filter at that point with a fairly narrow peak, center it on that frequency and adjust the Q setting. That could drop it another 10dB which might make the file clean enough.

Unfortunately, there's not a lot you can do about outside noises like this. Without serious sound isolation treatment (which you couldn't do in an apartment), your recourse is limited to trying to treat the audio file after recording and not affect your voice work.
 
Unfortunately, there's not a lot you can do about outside noises like this. Without serious sound isolation treatment (which you couldn't do in an apartment), your recourse is limited to trying to treat the audio file after recording and not affect your voice work.

I totally agree with you :) and truly respect your words. I wish I can move to other place. Now all I'm doing is trying my best to work at night because it's only the quite time...




I can definitely hear the noise. At that point, about the only thing you can do is to run the ReaFIR noise reduction and try to minimize it. The whine is about 1530hZ, and you can see the noise peak when you run the noise reduction function. You could also try to do a notch filter at that point with a fairly narrow peak, center it on that frequency and adjust the Q setting. That could drop it another 10dB which might make the file clean enough.

I used ReaFIR noise reduction to find the whine which is about 1530hZ
whine_1530hz.png



>>You could also try to do a notch filter at that point with a fairly narrow peak, center it on that frequency and adjust the Q setting.
Then I created notch filter at that point (I tried my best):
_notch_filter_1529.png

1. Have I cretaed the notch filer in a right way?

2. On Notch Filter window there are two options:
Gain (dB): -10.6
Bandwidth (oct): 0.50

Do I need to mess with values? (I remember the first time when you shared the Notch Filter screenshot it had 0.03 bandwidth octave, is it handled by system?)
 
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You mention you now need to do your work at night. If you can hear the noise of water pumps and other outside noises so well, we must assume your building transmits these noises very easily. You have mentioned you cannot add any sound treatment, so you are stuck with it. May I ask a question? If you hear the local quite quiet noises so well, will you working at night not leak out and annoy other people, who may well wake up and flush toilets, or turn on taps and make drinks, and not really solve the problem?

Is there no way you can create a recording environment inside your room? It's the only sensible solution.
 
You mention you now need to do your work at night. If you can hear the noise of water pumps and other outside noises so well, we must assume your building transmits these noises very easily. You have mentioned you cannot add any sound treatment, so you are stuck with it. May I ask a question? If you hear the local quite quiet noises so well, will you working at night not leak out and annoy other people, who may well wake up and flush toilets, or turn on taps and make drinks, and not really solve the problem?

Is there no way you can create a recording environment inside your room? It's the only sensible solution.

Rob, I am pretty sure Cat is only doing speech recording? Noise, be it ambient or intrinsic, is of course the bane of the V/O producer. There will always be noise (and fluffs) so there will always be re-takes and close editing to do as well as some noise reduction with digital tools.

When my son was home he would work in the wee small hours, mainly acoustic guitar but had to stop at the crack of dawn in the summer because of the accursed pigeons!

Dave.
 
Not a fan of them myself, but would one of the stand mounted acoustic shields be worth trying. I'm still very surprised that the background noises are a problem with a single mic and speech? Close miked and band limited usually mean background noise isn't a problem.
 
Not a fan of them myself, but would one of the stand mounted acoustic shields be worth trying. I'm still very surprised that the background noises are a problem with a single mic and speech? Close miked and band limited usually mean background noise isn't a problem.

Might help Rob but I have back tracked and find Cat is using an MXL770 LDC. Lovely mic I dare say but not generally a mic for close work?

Could try switching the pad on to reduce sensitivity to 5mVPa and always have the HPF engaged. Will need a good pop shield but getting within 50mm should all but kill external noise.

Any possibility of borrowing a Shure SM57 (SM7b better but I wouldn't loan mine out IF I had one!)

Or!! There is a Behringer dynamic, XM 8500. Only about $20 and really not bad and would at least prove if a better dynamic would solve the problem.

Dave.
 
I've got an SM7B, and to be honest, probably a very poor purchase. It's very good at close up work, and you never need to add extra LF, but I use my AKG 414s for far, far more. The EV 320 I have is far more versatile than the SM7 - and has virtually no change in tone as you get closer in. I'm currently rebuilding my studio space to get the computers and fans away from the mics. A job I wish I hadn't started as I'm also putting in a new floor with an airspace between it and the concrete. The new space will replace two small rooms with one, and I'm doing my best to reduce the noise from outside with extra layers on the ceiling - not street noise, but the new flat roof I put on to replace the old one makes rain sound like a deluge. So I can understand Cat's issue with the noise, but looking at the figures and the graphics, the noise seems to be quite low, so I'm mystified why it is a problem. It's lower than the fan noise from my computers, and that's never an issue for me. There are so many solutions, some real bodges, or ugly - but they all do very much the same thing. From memory, none of the recordings sound close, they sound like a more distant technique but with a quiet voice. Moving in closer, so pop protection and gentle treatment would seem enough? Inverse square law would seem the most effective solution. For some reason Cat just wants to have a very low noise floor, and no external noise at all, m but isn't willing to use barriers of any kind? Just seems a quest for nothing?
 
You mention you now need to do your work at night. If you can hear the noise of water pumps and other outside noises so well, we must assume your building transmits these noises very easily. You have mentioned you cannot add any sound treatment, so you are stuck with it. May I ask a question? If you hear the local quite quiet noises so well, will you working at night not leak out and annoy other people, who may well wake up and flush toilets, or turn on taps and make drinks, and not really solve the problem?

Is there no way you can create a recording environment inside your room? It's the only sensible solution.


>You have mentioned you cannot add any sound treatment, so you are stuck with it.
Rob, I'm glad you have taken time to post but I'm afraid, it seems like you didn't read the thread from the beginning.
1. In my first post of this thread I wrote, I do DIY Acoustic Treatment here's the excerpt:


Hello,

I record audio tutorial at my home studio and recently I moved to a new place and did DIY acoustic treatment to reduce the room reflections.
BTW I have no connection with music industry I just record audio tutorial...
....................................... ................................ ...................................
Thanks in advance!

2. The answer to your second question is in above excerpt, I do not create music nor I've any connection with music so there is no noise, I just record the audio tutorial which is (speech recording) narration. Nobody gets disturb when I speak because my voice doesn't even go out of my room (I manually tested this several times at different volume levels). On top of it the apartment itself is in a long shape. Also I don't have monitors.


>For some reason Cat just wants to have a very low noise floor, and no external noise at all, m but isn't willing to use barriers of any kind? Just seems a quest for nothing?

3. Rob I know, you are nice and were trying to help me so I'm sharing with you that I've acoustic treatment and I know its importance. I got 5 acoustic blankets of very good quality and a few sheets which I do use them, every single time while recording. I never said "I cannot add any sound treatment". In fact in this thread I said over and over again I use DIY Acoustic treatment. There is one post where I wrote I didn't do DIY acoustic treatment and that was said in some context and to understand that one needs to read the thread from the beginning.
And rarely it happens but Yes there are times, when I need to record a sample of any noise like water pump noise (which happens at random time), so I didn't do acoustic treatment at that time because I wanted to capture the sample of that noise (and I knew it that even after acoustic treatment it doesn't go away).

I manually do this DIY acoustic treatment which takes me approx. 45 mins to 1 hr every single time and then I remove them.

This is the second time I moved to a different place since last year in search of a quite place, lockin period is 1 yr and If I break it (just like last time) the 6 months of rent which they keep as a security deposit will be forfeited so I'm trying to make do with this apartment...

I'm working as per plan:

Winters are quite and there is a pin drop silence here at night so I'm trying to fix the issues as much as I can.




>Close miked and band limited usually mean background noise isn't a problem.
[MENTION=89697]ecc83[/MENTION] and [MENTION=89013]TalismanRich[/MENTION] have great knowledge of sound and with their help I resolved much of the riddle.
I speak 2" away from the mic and just the other day I gave a try to band limited. If you get a time please have a look at this post, after screenshots I wrote 2 questions: Help me to find Better Recording after DIY acoustic treatment I asked about Band related. It'd be great if you answer them.


Rob, I'm grateful to you that you're kind to me and trying to help me and I hope was able to share what I am up to.
 
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Sorry Cat - but I just find it hard to believe the noise you have is the kind of thing that will be solvable. 2" from the mic, is so close that because of the inverse square law, background noises should be at a controllable level. If you think about broadcast radio studios, people can come in and out of the room, opening doors, picking up cups, opening folders, shuffling scripts and it's quiet enough compared to the programme level to not be noticed. You have sound treatment but no sound proofing, so you're cutting down reflections, taming hf passing through it, but it's not doing much for the LF end. Your voice timbre is quiet and gentle, so more tricky than somebody with a loud voice, but are the things you are seeing in the traces really a problem.

Let me try to explain. I've been trying to test the changes I've made to a speaker crossover - just some tweaks in crossover frequency and cutoff slope, and before I did the changes I ran pink noise and a sweep tone through my studio speakers so I could see, not hear (which I figured as subjective) the changes. The result was very worrying - instead of a gentle curve, I got a horrible mountain range of peaks and troughs - VERY big changes in level between a small difference in Hz. The room was the culprit. Standing waves, reflections, parallel walls and a hard ceiling. The sound treatment in the room was to my ears doing a really good job, because the difference between the no treatment and the end treatment was nice to my ears. The test showed that while when averaged there were no serious bass humps or HF rings, there were lots and lots of peaks - two or three notes on the piano apart. So on paper, my room has a couple of really big resonances, but they're very narrow and I have never noticed.

My question is this. Is the noise you are recording and seeing annoying? If you did not have access to analysing software, would you have noticed? Are you wanting to remove something that just isn't a problem. Of course, your ears may hear it every time and it's driving you mad.

Have you tried a simple 32 band equaliser? Experiment with knocking out frequencies and listening to what the loss of that frequency does to your voice.

There has to be a solution here - I just cannot see that noise reduction tools are the solution for this one.
 
I have no experience in this area but I am aware that agencies that use VOs have certain standards.

Levels and noise and formats, e.g. .wav, 16 bits min, 44.1kHz. Are you Cat failing to meet the standards required?

Dave.
 
Might help Rob but I have back tracked and find Cat is using an MXL770 LDC. Lovely mic I dare say but not generally a mic for close work?

Could try switching the pad on to reduce sensitivity to 5mVPa and always have the HPF engaged. Will need a good pop shield but getting within 50mm should all but kill external noise.

Any possibility of borrowing a Shure SM57 (SM7b better but I wouldn't loan mine out IF I had one!)

Or!! There is a Behringer dynamic, XM 8500. Only about $20 and really not bad and would at least prove if a better dynamic would solve the problem.

Dave.

Dave, yesterday, I missed to address what you mentioned so:

1. Sure I'd do what you mentioned (I'd give a try to pad switch and HPF).


>Will need a good pop shield but getting within 50mm should all but kill external noise.
2. Do you mean to say 50mm should be the size of pop shield? As soon as I get your response I'd get the pop shield.



>Any possibility of borrowing a Shure SM57 (SM7b better but I wouldn't loan mine out
>IF I had one!)

Last summer, I bought both SM58 and SM57 and used them for good amount of time but strangely they did pick up background noise in summers: While using MXL770 I set the gain to 75% and for SM57 I had to set the gain to 100% and for SM58 I had to set the gain to 99% to get proper audio level. If I keep the gain lower for SM58 and SM57 they record at very low volume and later at post, I have to increase the gain which also increases the noise floor in the background. A Shure employee, confirmed that SM57/SM58 needs -56db gain whereas my Scarlett solo 2nd gen has only capacity of 50db gain, may be this could be the reason I had to turn the gain all the way up.

I had both of these for quite good time but recently while moving to this new place, someone stolen during transit.

FYI: I still have many recordings with SM58 and Sm57, in case if you would like to listen them for comparison. I can again buy them if you think you may help me to use them in a proper way, may be I used a wrong mic technique while using them.


>Or!! There is a Behringer dynamic, XM 8500. Only about $20 and really not bad
>and would at least prove if a better dynamic would solve the problem.


At my end many things come at double the price as this is available at approx. $39 and I'm fine with it. If you think XM 8500 performs better in rejecting background noise / ambient noise then I'd be happy to buy it, let me know.




Sorry Cat - but I just find it hard to believe the noise you have is the kind of thing that will be solvable. 2" from the mic, is so close that because of the inverse square law, background noises should be at a controllable level. If you think about broadcast radio studios, people can come in and out of the room, opening doors, picking up cups, opening folders, shuffling scripts and it's quiet enough compared to the programme level to not be noticed. You have sound treatment but no sound proofing, so you're cutting down reflections, taming hf passing through it, but it's not doing much for the LF end. Your voice timbre is quiet and gentle, so more tricky than somebody with a loud voice, but are the things you are seeing in the traces really a problem.

Let me try to explain. I've been trying to test the changes I've made to a speaker crossover - just some tweaks in crossover frequency and cutoff slope, and before I did the changes I ran pink noise and a sweep tone through my studio speakers so I could see, not hear (which I figured as subjective) the changes. The result was very worrying - instead of a gentle curve, I got a horrible mountain range of peaks and troughs - VERY big changes in level between a small difference in Hz. The room was the culprit. Standing waves, reflections, parallel walls and a hard ceiling. The sound treatment in the room was to my ears doing a really good job, because the difference between the no treatment and the end treatment was nice to my ears. The test showed that while when averaged there were no serious bass humps or HF rings, there were lots and lots of peaks - two or three notes on the piano apart. So on paper, my room has a couple of really big resonances, but they're very narrow and I have never noticed.

My question is this. Is the noise you are recording and seeing annoying? If you did not have access to analyzing software, would you have noticed? Are you wanting to remove something that just isn't a problem. Of course, your ears may hear it every time and it's driving you mad.

Have you tried a simple 32 band equaliser? Experiment with knocking out frequencies and listening to what the loss of that frequency does to your voice.

There has to be a solution here - I just cannot see that noise reduction tools are the solution for this one.
Rob, I read your both replies a few times, trying to learn what I'm missing:

>2" from the mic, is so close that because of the inverse square law, background noises should be at a controllable level.
Okay, I'd keep 6" distance from the mic now onwards.


1. What I understood is that you are saying:
"Close miked and band limited usually mean background noise isn't a problem."
If I stay close to the mic (6" away + use a pop filter) and use band limiter noise isn't a issue, right?


>My question is this. Is the noise you are recording and seeing annoying? If you did not have access to analyzing software, would you have noticed? Are you wanting to remove something that just isn't a problem. Of course, your ears may hear it every time and it's driving you mad.
Sorry to say, I'm not sure whether I understood your questions correctly but let me try to answer:
No

No. Frankly telling you, I didn't know this concept before, after reading your post, I searched, researched and learnt about it. I didn't sleep for more than 24hrs now. I came to know about this noise because I was listening to each recording very carefully and paying attention to surrounding while recording.

May be yes

Yeah, when my ears hear them it's pretty annoying. Let me share the truth, I used to work with USB mics and jumping from USB to XLR setup (getting AI, Condenser mic, other accessories and high end PC, and a laptop and couple of other supporting things cost me a couple of grands), on top of it moving from one place to another just for a search of a quite place and yet I couldn't get that sound which was the base for doing all this setup, sometimes it hurts me :) and I take 100% responsible for this. But then I thought why not try to fix it , its better late than never.

I don't have access to Behringer X32 or Oscillator or RTA Mic (reference mic to check Room). I even made cost-effective solution that I get a reference Behringer ECM8000 mic and use a software like room eq wizard to get room analysis of LF and HF, but still I don't know how to implement that result in my in DAW.

Anyways what I'm understanding from your posts is, this is the threshold and there no is point of pushing further. May be I agree with you.



>Have you tried a simple 32 band equaliser? Experiment with knocking out frequencies and listening to what the loss of that frequency does to your voice.
>There has to be a solution here - I just cannot see that noise reduction tools are the solution for this one.

Sorry, I haven't tried '32 band equalizer'.
But Rob you said earlier, its okay to use band limiter which I am using to get rid of water pump noise.

Rob, I understand you're trying to make me understand that its not good to go for noise reduction tools and I totally agree with you. But please allow me to ask you: what if there is a noise (from outside sources like ambient noise or motorcycle goes by or dog barks or water is falling etc...) creeps in while recording, shouldn't I try to remove them?

I am pretty much sure that you have a great experience so I must understand what you're trying to teach me something and thats what I'm trying to understand so please forgive me if I ask something which I shouldn't ask.



>Your voice timbre is quiet and gentle
Rob and Dave, as you know my voice timbre is quiet and gentle so do you think If change my MXL770 mic, will it do any good like removing background noise or adding bass to my voice? May be it improves overall sound / voice quality. If so do you think or recommend me any mic?

Or do you have experience using any of these below listed mics:

3. I checked at my end which Dynamic mics are available:

Here are some:
  1. Sennheiser E825-S Cardiod Dynamic with On/Off Switch
  2. Sennheiser E835-S
  3. Sennheiser E 845-S Dynamic Super Cardioid Microphone
  4. Behringer dynamic, XM 8500
  5. Rode M1 Dynamic Vocal Microphone
  6. Sennheiser e935 Cardioid Dynamic Handheld Mic
  7. AKG D5S Professional Dynamic Stage Vocal Microphone
  8. AKG D 8000M handheld dynamic ($44.95 mic is available at $176.37 without warranty)
  9. Shure SM57 and SM58 (I bought both of these this last summer they were ineffective to eliminate background noise. They were stolen during transit, moving to this new place)
  10. Shure PGA48-LC Cardioid Dynamic
    and many others are also available but I only inquired about these.

I'd buy two of them, if you recommend.

SM7b is already expensive but its way way more expensive here and only one seller has. Most of these mics come without any warranty at my end + double the price, this is how it works. I'm fine with it and grateful at least they are available.

Thank you Rob and Dave for you kind support :)
 
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Cat - I fear you're expecting magic, and it's just not how recording works.

You have a list of microphones - in general, applied to practically every mic made they differ in only a few areas.

Pickup pattern. Remember the two general rules. The direction of maximum sensitivity aims at the wanted sound source, and you look for the nulls - the directions with the least sensitivity must aim towards the noise source.

In the case of directional mics, you have the increase in bass response as the sound source gets closer. At worst, it gets muffled, at best you could call it warmer, or more intimate but in essence its a change in EQ, so will work for or against you.

Sensitivity. Condensers are in general more sensitive, so require less gain because of the electronics. Dynamics, because they convert changes in air pressure to electrical energy by moving a heavier diaphragm than in a condenser, are less efficient devices, and need more gain from your preamp, which causes as you know, hiss.

Some dynamics have VERY low sensitivity, like the SM7B, but they have a nice sound (to many people's ears - not me, I'd add, and I have one). The bass tip up when you get in close is managed quite well.

You also need to remember that practically all the microphones that are shaped like ice cream cones have the windshield on the end because people use them close. The basket serves 2 purposes. The obvious one of removing wind noise from the breath and nose, but the important secondary job of being a barrier that stops your lips getting too close. Back in the 70s, SM57s were very popular for singers in loud bands. Lips closer than possible with the singer designed SM58. Inverse square law again meant that feedback was less likely because the gain required was low, so the leakage was lower from the PA and on stage noise. Pops and blasts happened but were understood, and with a loud singer, less of a problem than you would imagine.

Now the big thing that makes people like or hate microphones. Not a technical feature, or something even possible to put in the specs. Timbre - or tone, if you prefer.

Each mic has it's own character, and this character works for you when the sound source and the mic match, but fight like mad when the two are not complimentary.

Over the years, it's the memory of different mics that sticks in your head, BUT, often it is lacking the reason for the dislike. Perhaps you remember hating the sound, but it could have been the voice or the instrument. This means my dislikes are very subjective and not objective - based on my own opinions. Often, you have in your hands two microphones with virtually the same published frequency response, but you like one, and hate the other.

You need a microphone that can cope with your voice. You need one that works - and your 6" distance may simply be too far away for many - not for their sound, but because the unwanted noises are not attenuated enough. Simple things could be tried. I like those round clip on pop shields. Not for removing pop, but for being a barrier people can touch with their lips, and it keeps them the same distance away. Did you try 4" or 2"? Changes of distance change the sound quite radically that close in, so the pop shield becomes your tape measure.

Remember too that hyper cardioids have their least sensitivity in a different place to a cardioid. You need to get to know the mics.

Your list of mics is very strange - but I guess based on what is available to you. I have used many of them, so I've added my own comments which are how I view the mic. Keep in mind that many I have only used live, not for recording. Some I happily use for both, but others are fine on stage, but I never seem to use them in the studio. I'll comment in capitals to make it easier to read.
Sennheiser E825-S Cardiod Dynamic with On/Off Switch. CHEAP - RATHER LIGHTWEIGHT IN SOUND. NOT NICE ON FEMALE BVS. OK WITH QUITE BRUTAL EQ - MIC SWITCH IS NOT EASY TO USE - SLIDES STRANGELY
Sennheiser E835-S - WARMER SOUNDING - MUCH NICER THAN 825. YOU NEED TO GET THE BASKET ON YOUR LIPS - THINNER USED FURTHER AWAY
Sennheiser E 845-S Dynamic Super Cardioid Microphone. I LIKE THE SOUND, AND THE EXTRA TIGHTNESS GIVES A BIT LESS SPILL
Behringer dynamic, XM 8500 NOT AS BAD AS YOU'D IMAGINE - GOOD FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS. POOR ISOLATION FROM HAND HELD NOISE. NOT GOOD FOR SINGING, UNLESS YOU ARE A COLLEGE/SCHOOL AND NEED A CHEAP DISPOSABLE MICROPHONE. JUST A CHEAP SOUNDING, BUT RELIABLE MIC AT THROW AWAY PRICE.
Rode M1 Dynamic Vocal Microphone - NEVER USED OR HEARD ONE.
Sennheiser e935 Cardioid Dynamic Handheld Mic SMOOTH AND NICE IN THE HAND - A NICE ALTERNATIVE TO A BETA 58 IN TIMBRE, BUT CARDIOID, NOT NARROWER.
AKG D5S Professional Dynamic Stage Vocal Microphone NEVER USED OR HEARD ONE.
AKG D 8000M handheld dynamic ($44.95 mic is available at $176.37 without warranty) SOUNDS LIKE A SLIGHTY LESS GOOD SM58, AND ODDLY FEELS MADE OF SOMETHING LIGHTER THAN THE SHAPE SUGGESTS.
Shure SM57 and SM58 - THE STANDARD MICS FOR EVERYDAY USE. NOWHERE NEAR PERFECT, BUT A CLEAR STANDARD TO COMPARE TO. THEY DO NEED TO BE CLOSE THOUGH TO GET THE WARMTH THEY ARE KNOWN FOR. USE AT 6" TO 12" THEY ARE A LITTLE WEEDY, BECAUSE THE LF ROLLS OFF, SO OK FOR SPEECH GENERALLY, BUT YOU'D NOT USE THEM AT THIS KIND OF DISTANCE FOR A SINGER.
Shure PGA48-LC Cardioid Dynamic - LIKE THE CHEAP SENNHEISER, JUST A BIT LESS THAN GOOD. I FIND THEM RATHER DULL AND A BIT MUFFLED WHEN YOU GET IN CLOSER.

I honestly think the majority of your problem is NOT the mic, but your voice, your technique and your recording space. I've lost count of how many sessions I do where I hear a quiet noise in the background and we stop to find it's a creaky sole on a shoe, or somebodies phone vibrating in a pocket. Dogs have ruined loads of takes. I get musicians kicking stands, or noisily swapping between clarinet and sax. I'd love to be in the room with you. I'd probably immediately move the mic, or move you AND the mic. I'd be moving the mic and listening on headphones while you speak. Only having one mic would not drive me mad, I think I could with position and eq make almost anything work. I still think the real problem is distance and your voice level.
If I had your list to buy a dynamic, I'd go for the SM58, or the Sennheiser 935 - I like both, and wouldn't worry which one. For you though, I'd scrap a dynamic totally and look for a warm condenser. Assuming we're talking lower end. I've picked a few that I have used over the years that have shone against others when used by students in a college. Mics that stand tough treatment but produce useful audio without needed special eq or treatment.

Samson C1 - A ROUNDER, MORE PLEASING ON THE EARS SOUND FROM A BUDGET MIC - SURPRISINGLY WARM CLOSE IN
Rode NT1 - the current one - NOT AS WARM AS THE ORIGINAL BUT AN EASY TO EQ MIC HAPPY CLOSE IN WITH A POP SHIELD.
THOMANN - T-BONE SC-450 QUITE BRIGHT BUT AGAIN, WARMER CLOSE IN WITH A POP SHIELD.
AKG C3000 - A BIT BRIGHT BUT EQ SEEMS TO TAME IT.

There are plenty of others, but they're very expensive or a bit like Marmite - you either love it, or hate it. Like the AKG C1000 Some people love them, but the majority simply hate the things.

I've got an AKG D202 - they started to use these in the British Parliament - a very strange mic with no proximity effect, and two capsules! The HF one at the mouth end with a LF one near the bottom of the handle. A very flat and neutral sound.

Have you tried those dirt cheap Chinese condensers? they're a bit bright, but again, close in, almost lips touching with a pop shield, they're quite warm sounding?
 
Good morning Cat. I am going to bow out of this discussion now except for specific technical questions because I am but an old valve amp tech with very limited recording experience.

Rob on the other hand has been doing it for years and is still doing it. His knowledge is deep and profound.

I agree with his statement "you could be looking for magic"! I shall leave you with a few last thoughts...

The noise issue with a dynamic could be fixed with an inline pre amp such as the Fethead but since Rob thinks a capacitor mic is the best answer leave that for now.

Pop shields: Yes, they do define the distance but there are some very effective 'blast' shields. More expensive than your standard fare but better. I shall look them up for you.

Sound proofing: Cannot be done in any effective way easily and cheaply and once an external noise is 'in the room' it is effectively 'coming from everywhere' and you can't point a null at it.

From last ^ The best you can therefore do is, get close, record when things are quiet then face the fact of re-takes, editing and MODEST use of noise reduction software.

The 'meeja' fool us. The big broadcasters have superb isolation and if they do need to clean stuff up they have $5000+ software like SADiE and PT.

You did not answer my question of "what standard are you working to?" Perfection and a 100dB fs noise floor will never happen for open mic recording, SOME ambient noise will always be present. Indeed, it is common practice to record a minute or two of an 'empty' concert hall so that you don't put absolute silence between tracks.

Keep truckin' and I shall stay interested (and no doubt poke nose in from T2T!)

Dave.
 
Cat - I fear you're expecting magic, and it's just not how recording works.

You have a list of microphones - in general, applied to practically every mic made they differ in only a few areas.

.................................................................
.................................................................
You need a microphone that can cope with your voice. You need one that works - and your 6" distance may simply be too far away for many - not for their sound, but because the unwanted noises are not attenuated enough. Simple things could be tried. I like those round clip on pop shields. Not for removing pop, but for being a barrier people can touch with their lips, and it keeps them the same distance away. Did you try 4" or 2"? Changes of distance change the sound quite radically that close in, so the pop shield becomes your tape measure.
.................................................................
.................................................................
.................................................................

I honestly think the majority of your problem is NOT the mic, but your voice, your technique and your recording space. I've lost count of how many sessions I do where I hear a quiet noise in the background and we stop to find it's a creaky sole on a shoe, or somebodies phone vibrating in a pocket. Dogs have ruined loads of takes. I get musicians kicking stands, or noisily swapping between clarinet and sax. I'd love to be in the room with you. I'd probably immediately move the mic, or move you AND the mic. I'd be moving the mic and listening on headphones while you speak. Only having one mic would not drive me mad, I think I could with position and eq make almost anything work. I still think the real problem is distance and your voice level.
If I had your list to buy a dynamic, I'd go for the SM58, or the Sennheiser 935 - I like both, and wouldn't worry which one. For you though, I'd scrap a dynamic totally and look for a warm condenser. Assuming we're talking lower end. I've picked a few that I have used over the years that have shone against others when used by students in a college. Mics that stand tough treatment but produce useful audio without needed special eq or treatment.
................................................................

Rob,

Thanks its wonderful information, I'm trying to soak all in.

>You have a list of microphones - in general, applied to practically every mic made they differ in only a few areas.
Later in the post you guessed ("Your list of mics is very strange - but I guess based on what is available to you.") and your guess was correct, I just made the list of those mics which are available at my end (at least those names which I could inquire about), apart from that I have no attachment with any of those mics.



>You need a microphone that can cope with your voice. You need one that works - and your 6" distance may simply be too far away for many - not for their sound, but because the unwanted noises are not attenuated enough. Simple things could be tried. I like those round clip on pop shields. Not for removing pop, but for being a barrier people can touch with their lips, and it keeps them the same distance away. Did you try 4" or 2"? Changes of distance change the sound quite radically that close in, so the pop shield becomes your tape measure.
I've taken notes about many things from your post. Last year, I learnt a few basic things about mics and polar patters but now again started learning about mics via presonus tutorial.


>Did you try 4" or 2"?

1. I'm trying different variations...

Rob you said about "Sennheiser E835-S" is "WARMER SOUNDING",
The Sennheiser E 845-S and Sennheiser e935 are sucssor of Sennheiser E835-S
and do Sennheiser E 845-S and Sennheiser e935 also have the Warmer sound?


>I honestly think the majority of your problem is NOT the mic, but your voice, your technique and your recording space. I've lost count of how many sessions I do where I hear a quiet noise in the background and we stop to find it's a creaky sole on a shoe, or somebodies phone vibrating in a pocket. Dogs have ruined loads of takes. I get musicians kicking stands, or noisily swapping between clarinet and sax. I'd love to be in the room with you. I'd probably immediately move the mic, or move you AND the mic. I'd be moving the mic and listening on headphones while you speak. Only having one mic would not drive me mad, I think I could with position and eq make almost anything work. I still think the real problem is distance and your voice level.

You might not believe me but I keep the mic close and as far as voice level is concerned, I speak loudly than my normal speaking level (fortunately sound stay in my room)

From last 3 days I've been learning about mics and mic placement technique especially in context of recording audio tutorial.


>For you though, I'd scrap a dynamic totally and look for a warm condenser. Assuming we're talking lower end.

2. I agree with you. I recalled that 'may be' it was the beginning of the last year when I bought MXL770 and the only reason to I got that because some youtubers reviewed this mic and said it had a warm sound so, I went for it but later I found it doesn't have. So I'd be happy to go for warm condenser mic. A singer who also had a voice timbre like me, told me that he prefers to use only those mics which are good at low end (or may be low and mid end).

BTW I just record audio tutorial and have nothing to do with singing.

Rob, The condenser mics which you recommended I'm inquiring about their availability...but seems it'd take time so:

I increased my budget for mic: approx. $200 (or little over $200) so that it might be easier for you to suggest me a few Warm condenser mics, would you please suggest me a few mics by keeping my voice timbre (soft and quite) in mind.





I have no experience in this area but I am aware that agencies that use VOs have certain standards.

Levels and noise and formats, e.g. .wav, 16 bits min, 44.1kHz. Are you Cat failing to meet the standards required?

Dave.

Dave, sorry yesterday I slept after 27 hrs so after replying to your other thread and Rob, I slept...

Sorry about that.
BTW its always my pleasure to answer anything you'd ask me :)
The fact is when I started this thread the standard was not the issue because as you also know we just discuss or tried to solve issues like: whine in the noise and modulating and phasing frequency (going up and down) issue which occurred for other reasons.

Apart from that, if you want to know about standards here is that:
RMS -23db to -18db
True peak -3db
Noise floor -60db
44.1kHz
mono
320kbps
.mp3
CBR.

Dave, I always learnt from you and
I've a great respect for you and I'd remember your tips and I'd apply them.

Q1) Could you please elaborate this (sorry i couldn't understand):

>it is common practice to record a minute or two of an 'empty' concert hall so that you don't put absolute silence between tracks.




On important thing:
Q2) At my end cloudlifter or fathead usually aren't available easily or if they are, then they are way more expensive so I was wondering, that the Preamps are available.
Are these Preamps (like Yamaha MG06 or Behringer MIC500USB) also provide "100% Clean Gain" just like Cloudlifter or fathead
or are they same quality preamps like scarlett solo inbuilt preamp?


 
"Q1) Could you please elaborate this (sorry i couldn't understand):
>it is common practice to record a minute or two of an 'empty' concert hall so that you don't put absolute silence between tracks."

Cat, this goes back to tape and disc days. A collection of recordings could have blank leader sliced between then and the record cut from that but that is very jarring as you hear the dying reverberation of the last piece then WOOF down to silence and then WOOF! Back to ambient sound and the next song. So, at some point in the proceedings, tape was run to capture the 'sound' of the hall and that spliced in instead.

Re a mic preamp? I doubt anything will be AS quiet as the fethead and its contemories, what they were designed for after all.
I am a bit surprised the 2i2 was too noisy with the dynamic? F'rite generally have good rep' for their pres' even on the cheaper models. I WAS impressed with the pre amps on the Behringer 204HD should you be considering another AI. My feeling is however to follow Rob's advice and get a suitable capacitor mic.

Hakan – Sound-Link ProAudio

^The superior pop filters I mentioned

Dave.
 
Last edited:
Firstly, sorry Dave I couldn't reply due to inevitable circumstances.

Good morning Cat.........................
Pop shields: Yes, they do define the distance but there are some very effective 'blast' shields. More expensive than your standard fare but better............
The superior pop filters I mentioned

Thanks for finding the pop filter, its prce tag is very expensive for pop filter but anyways I'm saving money to get one.

>My feeling is however to follow Rob's advice and get a suitable capacitor mic.
I also agree with you I went with the Rob advise and got Rode NT1. I'm happy with it and the only issue I found is both NT1 and MXl770 sound similar, it could be possible there is an issue with NT1 so Dave, I'd appreciate if you please have a look at the sample recordings which I attached below and share your invaluable feedback (as I still have the return window and I can exchange the mic with another one).




Cat.......................
In the case of directional mics, you have the increase in bass response as the sound source gets closer. .....................................
Some dynamics have VERY low sensitivity, like the SM7B, but they have a nice sound.....................................................
For you though, I'd scrap a dynamic totally and look for a warm condenser. Assuming we're talking lower end. I've picked a few that I have used over the years that have shone against others when used by students in a college. Mics that stand tough treatment but produce useful audio without needed special eq or treatment.

Samson C1 - A ROUNDER, MORE PLEASING ON THE EARS SOUND FROM A BUDGET MIC - SURPRISINGLY WARM CLOSE IN
Rode NT1 - the current one - NOT AS WARM AS THE ORIGINAL BUT AN EASY TO EQ MIC HAPPY CLOSE IN WITH A POP SHIELD.
THOMANN - T-BONE SC-450 QUITE BRIGHT BUT AGAIN, WARMER CLOSE IN WITH A POP SHIELD.
AKG C3000 - A BIT BRIGHT BUT EQ SEEMS TO TAME IT.

Thank you, Rob your last post was helpful and I acted on what you advised.
I learnt the mic placement technique and did a few other things as an improvement.
I went with your advise and bought the Rode NT1 kit, in $333.33 and happy with it.
I did many comparison between NT1 and MXL770, out of that I'm posting one here. And I found that both the mics (NT1 and MXL770) sound similar and there is just a slight difference in sound quality. I attached the sample recordings please have look at them (below are the dropbox attachments) and let me know your views.





I listened to the three files, and there is something definitely modulating and phasing. Were these done with the microphone plugged in and the gain up to normal (it sounds like that is the case). If so, then I wonder if there is an issue with the microphone. Is there some way that you can borrow another one, perhaps a different type and brand?

As you asked me in last Jan to borrow a mic so that we can cross check whether there is an issue with mic or not but at that time it wasn't feasible and so is now. So now I bought the Rode NT1 Kit and did the comparision test between NT1. I was happy to see the lowest noise floor of this mic, outstanding :)
But when I compared it with MXL770 I was literally suprised :)
Both mics sound almost similiar and there is just a slight difference in the sound. [MENTION=89013]TalismanRich[/MENTION] Please have a look at them and share your feedback:

Mic distance: 6" away
Gain: 72% on my AI (Scarlett solo 2nd gen)
Daw: In Reaper (Master mixer was hitting -18db as gain)


1 AM
Dropbox - MXL770_demo_recording.mp3 - Simplify your life
Dropbox - NT1_demo_recording.mp3 - Simplify your life


As both mics sound similar so I did another testing at a completely different time:


5:40 AM
Dropbox - MXL770_recorded-at_5-40AM.mp3 - Simplify your life
Dropbox - Rode_NT1_recorded-at_5_40AM.mp3 - Simplify your life


Note: In case, if you're interested in downloading all above files in one go as a zip file. For your convenience here is that:
Dropbox - Rode-NT1-vs-MXL770.zip - Simplify your life




NOTE: The Return window is still open for this Rode NT1 mic so in case if you find any issue, then let me know, it can be replaced so please do share your generous feedback.
 
Just had a quick listen (Out of Lenovo T510 and AKG P92) running Samplitude Pro X 2 Silver and yes, the mics do sound virtually the same. If I had to pick I would say the Rode was a tad clearer but a different voice or for singing? Could go the other way.

But then,
1) I am NOT any kind of recording professional!
2) I am registered deaf.

Both mics are quiet with maybe the NT having the edge by a dB or two? If YOU hear the Rode as the quieter of the two? No brainer, go for it.
The spectrum, extracted from the first seconds, show that most of the noise is LF 'rumble', distant traffic? Railway? That from the NT1 05.40 clip BTW.

The hum spikes at 100 and 200Hz are equipment hum, maybe a not perfectly clean USB source, maybe the AI has a power supply? In any case I doubt it bothers you and could be notched out if it did.

So, both are good but I would personally go for the Rode but take MUCH more notice of Rob and similarly pro guys not this aged, valve amp tech!

Just to add...'Rumble' could be reduced with a good shock mount and don't forget to put a 'kink' in the mic cable to isolate cable borne vibration.

Dave.
 

Attachments

  • NT1 5AM spectrum.png
    NT1 5AM spectrum.png
    112.3 KB · Views: 1
I listened in the studio and on my MacBook - good but very different listening devices. For my money the NT1 sounds just a little better on both. Can't quite put my finger on it but a bit warmer maybe? Easier to listen to both these than your earlier attempts.
 
Hi Cat... good to see you back. Hope you're doing well and staying healthy.


After listening to all 4 files, I found a significant difference between the two mics, with the NT1 having significantly less hiss.

To show the difference, I cut and pasted an alternating series from each mic using the 1am files. The first mic heard is the MXL, then the Rode. Levels were boosted in volume by the exact same amount. Each mic is on for about 4-5 seconds and then switches.

Low frequency noise is similar, but the hiss level is drastically different. A bit of high pass filter on the track should knock down LF rumble.

Give this file a good listen and see if you don't agree. For my money, the NT1 is a clear winner. Also, if you got the NT1 Kit with the shock mount and the windscreen, you should in great shape. The Rycote mount is very good, and the windscreen is effective.
 

Attachments

  • MXLvsNT1-CatMalone.mp3
    4.1 MB · Views: 11
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