Shure SM7B Static

ntd92

New member
Hey everyone, I am very new to the audio world so bare with me as my knowledge is not as experienced as many of yours is.

So I recently purchased a Shure SM7B for just vocals primarily for streaming games on Twitch, but I also wanted a future proof microphone and I felt this microphone suited my needs as I don't have a very good room for sound control.
I previously owned a Blue Yeti usb and I absolutely did not enjoy it so this is my first time using an XLR microphone.

I purchased these items as I thought they would have been a lower cost solution to some more expensive equipment and a step up from the cloudlifter and remain suitable for what I was looking to do, however I'm starting to feel like maybe I didn't make the right decision.

Products:
Shure SM7B
Focusrite 2i4 2nd Gen
DBX286s
XLR Male to 1/4-Inch TRS Male
XLR standard cable

Now the issue that I am having is static and it seems it always happens at a specific time window from around 12am - 4am. Now when I unplug everything and come back to it the static disappears and it returns to normal, I get about maybe 3-4 hours if I am lucky without any trouble. I've attached my DBX knob placements here. Thanks for your time and hopefully I can get this resolved.
 

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Hi there,
Is this static on the input signal or just the output path?
If you're not sure, take a recording when the static is happening and play it back at a later time, then let us know if the static is present.

Knowing that tells you where you need to look for a solution, although it would do no harm to make 100% certain that all of your cables are balanced. Do you have a multimeter?

Also, how are you monitoring? Headphones or speakers?
If speakers, are the output cables balanced?

Finally, static is an often misused term. If it is committed to your recordings, could you please upload a short clip of it?
If you can include a short bit of regular-level speech too, for reference, that may be useful.
 
Hi there,
Is this static on the input signal or just the output path?
If you're not sure, take a recording when the static is happening and play it back at a later time, then let us know if the static is present.

Knowing that tells you where you need to look for a solution, although it would do no harm to make 100% certain that all of your cables are balanced. Do you have a multimeter?

Also, how are you monitoring? Headphones or speakers?
If speakers, are the output cables balanced?

Finally, static is an often misused term. If it is committed to your recordings, could you please upload a short clip of it?
If you can include a short bit of regular-level speech too, for reference, that may be useful.

Thanks for quick reply,
I am currently not using anything to monitor during stream, I just have friends who tell me when it starts presenting the problem, I've added an audio clip to the original post.
 
That sounds more like the noises you get when capacitors dry out - but that wouldn't happen at the same time. Sadly, you're going to have to start a rigid programme of isolation. It's almost certainly not RF, the noise isn't right, so assuming it isn't an equipment fault, then it's noise being carried on the cabling. Before you do too much it's well worth checking your ground is really ground, and has no voltage on it. Simplest way is to find something properly and directly grounded. Water pipes and taps (is that US faucet??) are pretty good - and then stick your multimeter between the metal pipe and your studio ground - maybe from the interface or mixer ground. Check it on the low AC volts range. Ideally it will indicate 0, but a volt or so often exists if your distribution point and electrical ground source is further away. If you get more volts than this, it could induce some equipment to generate noises - but again, why at specific times?

If this proves little - then you need to remove pieces of equipment in your chain. Amplifiers, preamps and anything else connected, one piece at a time. This will be a pain as it only does it in the night? Can you think of any piece of kit near you that only runs at night? HVAC, Refridgeration devices, battery chargers, water heaters, night lighting that kind of thing - are there any street lights that meet the time slots?

Do you have another microphone to swap to. Unlikely to be the mic, but you're going to have your work cut out here.
 
My first thought would be to rule out that channel strip, maybe some button or setting on it is affecting the signal. Have you tried taking it out of the equation? Sorry I missed somewhere that you've already tried that.
 
I'm currently in a basement where this is all set up, everything on the electrical panel is separate other than possibly a freezer and fridge but they are on the other side of the basement, from the room im currently set up in.

The only thing I could possibly think of is I have my computer plugged into the same outlet as my interface and pre-amp and I'm using an extension cable from the focusrite stock cable to the PC would those potentially be causes for noise?
 
Thanks for quick reply,
I am currently not using anything to monitor during stream, I just have friends who tell me when it starts presenting the problem, I've added an audio clip to the original post.

Ah, of course.
Then the first thing I would do is headphone-monitor next time it happens.
Just plug a pair of cans into the focusrite, set the direct monitor switch to 'on', then speak.
I'm taking a punt that you'll hear yourself but you won't hear the noise. It sounds like digital artefacts to me and I'm going to take a stab at your streaming software.

With the timeframe being fairly precise and early-morning hours, I'd also stab at ISP throttling during off-peak, but I'm jumping ahead.

The above will save you having to check a multitude of other things one by one.
Let us know. :)


PS: Is 00:00-04:00 no good regardless of whether you restart/reboot etc?
 
Ah, of course.
Then the first thing I would do is headphone-monitor next time it happens.
Just plug a pair of cans into the focusrite, set the direct monitor switch to 'on', then speak.
I'm taking a punt that you'll hear yourself but you won't hear the noise. It sounds like digital artefacts to me and I'm going to take a stab at your streaming software.

With the timeframe being fairly precise and early-morning hours, I'd also stab at ISP throttling during off-peak, but I'm jumping ahead.

The above will save you having to check a multitude of other things one by one.
Let us know. :)


PS: Is 00:00-04:00 no good regardless of whether you restart/reboot etc?

Well I'm not streaming at all yet it is a friend's stream that my voice is coming through on however multiple people on voice confirm that it is the same for them from my microphone. I will try all the above mentioned, but I believe maybe it has to do with the cable I'm using for the focusrite as it draws power from my PC and I've tapped a 3rd party cable onto it that I'm not sure can carry the power fully? That's just me speculating at this point but again thank you I will try many things to see if I can solve this because it is such a beautiful microphone to just give up on.

Edit: just saw on the focusrite website they don't recommend using any cable over 2ft on their device I'm currently using their cable + a 20ft extension USB cable this could be the potential problem
 
OK, technically it may not be your stream, but your voice is still streaming out. If the issue doesn't present at the interface headphones it will save a lot of troubleshooting. ;)
 
OK, technically it may not be your stream, but your voice is still streaming out. If the issue doesn't present at the interface headphones it will save a lot of troubleshooting. ;)

Sorry for double post.

So I tested it for about 6 hours with no problems this time around. I don't know if it was the certain game that was being played at the time that was causing a problem or the excessive amounts of alt+tabbing that caused the issues in the first place. It really has me stumped.
 
What's the software between you and your friends stream? Are you all in the same Teamspeak or Discord or something?
Whatever that software is, I'd put my money on it playing up although it would be nice, in time, if you can get confirmation from a friend that the issue is happening, but also evidence that it's not present on your headphone output.

Also, if the above does all happen, look up your Focusrite software for your interface and find the setting panel where you can adjust buffer size.
If it's set to something very small, try turning it up. It might prove more stable that way...maybe.
 
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Now the issue that I am having is static and it seems it always happens at a specific time window from around 12am - 4am.

And you start the session usually around 8am?

Now when I unplug everything and come back to it the static disappears and it returns to normal, I get about maybe 3-4 hours if I am lucky without any trouble. I've attached my DBX knob placements here. Thanks for your time and hopefully I can get this resolved.

So it doesn't ALWAYS start at 12am?

It sounds like electrostatic buildup noise to me. But my monitors are presently down, so I'm listening on crappy laptop speakers...

And I also see no immediate reason why that buildup would always start at 12am. It is typical however, it disappears for a while when you unplug everything.

Is that basement very dry and warm?
 
Edit: just saw on the focusrite website they don't recommend using any cable over 2ft on their device I'm currently using their cable + a 20ft extension USB cable this could be the potential problem

It would certainly be worth ruling it out.
 
Agree with the above, btw. Need to be clear on what is fact.
Is it always 12-4 because it's always 12-4, or because it's always after one hour use and you always start at 11? ;)
 
Sorry, I normally get on at 12am central time zone and would play while talking on discord for about 4-6 hours however the microphone was acting up closer to 4 hours in. I used that time frame as it is the only time slot I have available until the weekends so I can't clarify if would happen at any other time of the day as of now. It is getting very cold out as winter is approaching so the air is getting dryer.

I replicated the issue twice in a row playing the same game while on discord Monday and Tuesday happening almost exactly within the same time frame each day. However Wednesday I played a different game while on discord and played while talking with the microphone for 8 hours straight with no problems and constantly asking if the microphone was alright and it was.

The only differences this time around with Wednesday is I did not use my wireless headset to play and I minimized my alt+tabbing.
 
I'd still do the headphone test at the next opportunity but, assuming there's no noise there, I'd then restart Discord.
Discord voice is definitely not without its issues, and very easy to rule out.

I have pal in Kuwait that I have to speak to through Skype or Facetime (with zero issues) because Discord just simply won't work. I think it might be to do with minimum bandwidth requirements,
'cos his connection is piss poor out there.
 
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