Desperate 4 Help!! Recording levels very LOW

  • Thread starter Thread starter JusAuser
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JusAuser

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Equipment:
Audiophile 2496 (soundcard)
MXL 990 condenser mic (microphone)
Art tube MP StudioV3 (pre amp)
Acid Pro 4 (recording software)

Problem:
After tons of trial and error now I can't get recording levels to work properly with Audiophile soundcard and the mic pre amp. I have to yell in the mic, to even come close to accepting any signal. Also, no wave patterned is generated in Acid. Because sound levels are too low.

Current Setup:
Mic is plugged into the Pre amp (thru input slot)
Mono (unbalanced) output w/ adapter (from pre amp)is plugged into PC soundcard's input slot.
Monitors are plugged into soundcard's output slot.

Suggestion:
Don't know where to even try to fix this problem. Spent tons of time reading threads that come close but don't help. Can someone please help...I really don't want to go out and by another pre amp.

Also, no wave patterned is generated in Acid. Because sound levels are too low.

Thanks in advance!
 
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Have a look at the Audiophile Control Panel.

Are you seeing any meter activity under H/W In 1/2
 
Yea, I can see meter action....misc. noise when I increase the output on the amp. Just no vocal noise when I talk into the mic, but when I scream it picks it up. Also, when I gently run my finger over the mic, it picks up the sound perfectly, again just not regular sounds away from the mic unless I scream into it

thanks tho good try...keep'em those suggestions coming!
 
I know this will sound odd, but did you make it sure that you're singing to the correct side of the mic, I mean the side where's the MXL logo is. I made that mistake a while back with my Rhode NT1 :)
 
is there any way you could get your paws on another mic for a little while? you could try that and see if the same problem occurs. that way you could determine if the mike is defective or if another piece of your gear is faultyl. Perhaps your preamp is shot, i smell customer service....
 
I had similar experiences when I neglected to either turn the phantom power on or turn the mic on. (My NT3 has an on/off switch).

Very frustrating!
 
You're running digital input through the PC soundcard? Try going to "view" in the software and one of your options should be the computer's soundcard settings or the microsoft "mixer" ("mixette"). Double check to see if the digital input is muted or if the slider is way down. The digital slider should be maxed out - pedal to the metal....

You may need to do the same thing with the card's playback settings; mute everything but what you need and focus on that.
 
OK, NOW THIS DESERVES TO BE IN ALL CAPS!! I BELIEVE MY PROBLEM IS SOLVED!!

I sent a message to the Art Tube manufacture, and I was informed that I probably was using a unbalanced XLR cable from the mic to the preamp. He also stated that, phantom power cannot be transfered thru an unbalanced XLR cable. So in order to solve the problem I have to go and buy a balanced XLR cable! Also, with further research I discovered that the MXL 990 condenser mic disses out balanced signals.

lol, that would've helped if I knew what I was looking for before hand.

On tha real, I appreciate all of you guys input. I've become a little more educated on this type of problem. Hopefully, I can help you guys out one day. Man, you don't know how frustrated I was!
THANK GOD and THANKS FOR THIS WEB SITE! lol
 
That's a pretty screwy tech support response. All XLR cables are balanced unless somebody disconnected one of the pins. It would be good to make sure that the cable is working properly but nobody sells unbalanced XLR cables so it's unlikely you got one by accident.
 
TexRoadKill-

Unfortanately, I believe I did get an unbalanced XLR cable. I found out that typically if its not stated on the cord or anywhere on the package. I suppose that its considered unbalanced. Unless, on the cable with an 1/4" end you can physically see the difference as in mono or stereo (MONO, left & right=unbalanced signals, STEREO= balanced signals/ for those who don't understand). I can to that conclusion by phyically searching for balanced XLR cables and less options came up, than searching for regular XLR cables. (all this done on www.MUSICIANSFRIEND.com

Someone asked to explain the cable issue on another thread here's what I had to say:

Well, I'll try to explain it from my perspective...I did a little more research on XLR cables and come to find out, there is such a thing as a balanced XLR three conductor cable. So, far I only found 1!

Hosa Belden 110 Coax AES-EBU w/Balanced XLRs
Web address: Click Link

When he first stated balanced, I immediately thought that I had to run it from the mic as a XLR three conductor to the pre amp as a 1/4 inch.

In other words, there are two types of XLR cables in existence. UNBALANCED XLR's with a 1/4" end and one w/ XLR's on both ends. As for the BALANCED same type options. I don't know if I answered your question clearly...but all I know now is that unbalanced don't carry phantom power from what the tech support guy said.

My nonexpert theory:
But it does make sense cause the MXL 990 mic puts out balanced signals and is transfered to mono thru the pre amp to go into my soundcard.

As for before, the mic was loosing signal for trying to push power thru a unbalanced cable. Which could result in a tremendous loss of signal by the time it rreached the soundcard.

My bad, for writing a book, but hopefully u get what I'm trying to say.
 
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