Achieving Optimal Microphone Gain

[Normandy]

Good afternoon.

Let me first give a quick run-down of my equipment and software:

Interface: M-Audio Mobilepre USB, TC Helicon Voice Live 2
Microphone: Sterling Audio ST51
Computer: Dell Inspiron 1520, Windows 7
Software: Adobe Audition 3, FL Studio 9

I would like to record my vocals in Adobe Audition 3 for music I wrote in FL Studio 9. Unfortunately I am I running into a variety of issues all having to do with the fact that I am not able to achieve optimal microphone gain.

First of all, there's the humming issue. Whenever I make the gain louder, the humming in my headphones accompanies it.

Second of all, if I have it turned up nice and loud so that I can record louder than the accompanying music, I receive all kinds of a certain vocal static, crackling sound when I begin singing louder. This can also be a problem even if I'm singing quietly.

I'm pretty sure I'm receiving these problems because my microphone gain is set incorrectly. I have it hooked up so that my Sterling ST51 runs through my voice live 2 and then into my M-Audio interface and finally into my computer. I also always try to keep a reasonable distance from the microphone while singing, however it seems, in the end, I always run into one of the same two problems; I either get this vocal static or, if I set it quieter, I have to boost it in the end with Audition in the end and then I get the static after it's been boosted.

I would greatly appreciate any tips that I could get. I really am lost here. Is my original mix simply too loud? Is my distance between face and microphone wrong? Is something hooked up wrong? Or is it something else entirely?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Normandy

 

[Massive Master]

There are a whole host of issues/non-issues/unrelated things going on here...

If there's hum, find out where it's coming from and fix it. Could be as simple as a bad cable, could be a bad mic - Could be a bad preamp - Could be any of a dozen other things.

Getting the input gain right is the easy part - Everything at unity, set your 'loud parts' to peak at maybe -12 or -10dBFS. Maybe. Personally I stay a little lower, but I'm a whore for headroom.

If your headphone mix isn't right, fix your headphone mix. Recording "louder than the music" is up to your headphone mix. If the music is too loud, turn it down. Don't up the input gain on the preamp...

(RE-READ EDIT) Might want to get the chain a little more simplified at the start also... Mic - Preamp - Interface - Done with it. If you want to add goofy stuff later, add it later.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

First of all you need to get your terminology correct. When you say "static" I bet you mean distortion from clipping.

The hum issue is most likely a balanced/unbalanced cabling issue. I'll guess your recording levels are too high, starting with the tracks you are singing to. That has a cascading effect on your whole process leading to the distortion.

What kind of cables are you using to connect the Voice Live to the Mobile Pre? I mean the connector/cable format, not the brand. The Voice Live has balanced XLR and 1/4" TRS output. Are you connecting it to the Mobile Pre using a balanced cable or a regular guitar cable?

To address the distortion start with your existing tracks, what you are singing to. In Audition look at the the main output meter when playing the tracks. Make sure the peaks are not higher than -12dBFS. Now play them back while listening through the Mobile Pre and set the headphone level to a comfortable level.

Now, follow the Voice Live manual for setting the input gain for the mic. Apparently this can be done manually or automatically. Then go to the Setup Menu's I/O tab and set the level to Mic rather than Line. Connect the Voice Live to the Mobile Pre left channel input using a mic cable.

In Audition set up a channel to record your voice. Sing into the mic at least as loud as you expect to get, using the Gain knob on the Mobile Pre. The meter in Audition should never get above -12dBFS. Make sure input monitoring is off in Audition as you will be monitoring the input through the Mobile Pre using the Direct Monitor function in its control panel.

In the Mobile Pre control panel make sure Direct Monitor is not muted, and select Mono (Left Only). Put the headphones on and set the headphone output knob so you can hear yourself clearly. Play the backing tracks and adjust the level on the master fader in Audition or the Device Output level in the Mobile Pre control panel.

Start tracking. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Normandy]

Thank you both for the suggestions!

The whole problem turned out to be a bad microphone cable. As soon as I used the other XLR I have, the humming stopped and with it the distortion.

Thanks again and thanks for the info on setting gain.

This problem has been solved.