Could REALLY use some help - thank you in advance

ax3

New member
Hey guys, I'm new here, but I could really use some expertise. Something in my audio setup is wrong, but before I go out and spend more money I'd like to see if there is a way to troubleshoot it.
I'm currently using the Electro Voice RE320 with a Behringer UM2 (which is my current guess to be the culprit)

No matter what- even when the XLR cable is disconnected, there is a violent hissing noise. I'll link to it here: https://voca.ro/16YOLCWoO4VS
Keep in mind that's literally with the mic not connected at all. I was going crazy thinking it was white noise from my apartment. Don't get me wrong I can noise suppress it but surely that
would drive anyone insane.

I'm just looking for some insight on to what it is, because I'm not sure if it's the mic, amp, cable, drivers- etc.
Any insight would be highly appreciated.

Thank you all in advance.
 
Check whether the noise is on the input side, or the output side.
Does it appear on both headphones and speakers.
Do you get a noiseless recording if you listen by other means?
If you play a previously recorded quiet part, do you still get the noise?
 
How high is your mic gain turned up. The trouble is all noise is based around signal to noise ratio. You say that's a violent hiss, but here when I play it, I expected a huge full level hiss and got a nice gentle one. That could be perfectly acceptable if when you plug in the mic, that noise is way, way down, but if when you plug the mic in the audio from the mic is only just overcoming the noise, then it's unacceptable. A good test is to take your 320 (a mic not know for it's high output level) and put your lips to the grill and adjust the gain so that when you say 1-2 in a normal speaking voice, the peaks are at say, -6dB. Then stop speaking so we can hear the noise. The difference between the loud speaking and the hiss is the vital thing. Adust the gain, press record. speak a bit then pull the mic plug out. five secs later, press stop. That will make much more sense.
 
Could you be recording the instrument input at the same time as the mic input? How much noise do you get with the gains turned all the way down?
 
How high is your mic gain turned up. The trouble is all noise is based around signal to noise ratio. You say that's a violent hiss, but here when I play it, I expected a huge full level hiss and got a nice gentle one. That could be perfectly acceptable if when you plug in the mic, that noise is way, way down, but if when you plug the mic in the audio from the mic is only just overcoming the noise, then it's unacceptable. A good test is to take your 320 (a mic not know for it's high output level) and put your lips to the grill and adjust the gain so that when you say 1-2 in a normal speaking voice, the peaks are at say, -6dB. Then stop speaking so we can hear the noise. The difference between the loud speaking and the hiss is the vital thing. Adust the gain, press record. speak a bit then pull the mic plug out. five secs later, press stop. That will make much more sense.
All the above except Rob, I was the same as you in thinking the 320 was a weak sister? It is in fact some 6dB more sensitive than an SM58.
I too could barely hear the noise in that clip*. It has to be said, that UM2 is about as far down the AI food chain as it is possible to go but, if the "Xenyx" pre amp is the same as the ones on my ill fated Berry BCA2000 they are pretty good and I would expect a very decent signal to noise ratio from normal speech an inch from the mic.

*Please! Attach clips as 320k MP3. Makes it SO much easier to drop them into DAWs!

Dave.
 
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