Has my microphone gone bad? Maybe some other piece of equipment?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Purebe
  • Start date Start date
P

Purebe

New member
I use an MXL-2003a patched through to an m-audio fast track 2 on Windows 8 (with a clean install of the latest fast track Windows 8 drivers.)

When I turn my mic on and listen to it via direct monitoring (or software monitoring) the first minute or so when I plug it in there is a terrible sound, almost like loud wind is blowing into the mic. Once that calms down there is are pops or crackles every 5-15 seconds that aren't overly loud but loud enough to be a large distraction from the recording. On top of that, once in a while, the insanely loud "wind" comes back.

I keep the mic in the travel case that came with it along with several fresh silica gel packets, and I put keep that inside of a drawer. I used to just live it out on the stand, but once this problem started happening I thought it might be due to humidity (my room is connected to a bathroom with a shower, so sometimes the area gets water on the walls/etc from the humidity.) I've read a lot about LDC mic's and understood that humidity could affect them, but that it wasn't a big deal if you just let the mic dry out or stay plugged into phantom power for a while.

I can't seem to find much information about this or how to troubleshoot it. Does it sound like the mic? The cord? The audio interface? Something else entirely? Any help at all would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
 
Mic---connectors----phantom power..........start there.

If you're wiping water of the walls....mmmmmmmmm
 
Is there any way to test that stuff out, without replacement parts?
 
Well..if you have another mic, another cable, etc....start swaping out and try to narrow it down.
 
On Sunday or Monday I'll be able to try using my old $30 behrinnger c-1 microphone (I don't have it with me currently), but that's the only other piece of equipment I have. If it turns out it's not the mic, I guess my only option is to try another cable since those are fairly cheap, and if it's not that then it's almost certainly the interface? That's my current plan. Sound reasonable?
 
Try also cleaning all the contacts with some deoxit...or if nothing else, some isopropyl alcohol and a Q-tip. That should at least "dry" out the connections on the mic and the cable and the interface....but man, if you have that much humidity in the room that there's water on the walls....that ain't healthy for electronics.
 
Just to be clear - the contacts would be the XLR pins? And yeah I know, the humidity is terrible. I live in a dorm room with a connected bathroom that has 4 people using it. It's somewhat rare for the humidity to get that bad but it does probably once or twice a month when someone takes a really long and hot shower.

On the bright side I only have like two more months before I can move into an apartment. Woo.
 
A rushing, wind noise is very often the result of the mic capsule getting damp--but I mean really damp. It's a sound I know all too well from doing live audio on traditional British "pantos" where things like impromptu water fights are all too common.

Usually, gently drying the mic with warm air (for example a hair dryer a couple of feet away) will restore the mic with minimal damage, though some high end detail may be gone forever.
 
Hmm... wouldn't that dry on it's own over time? Especially since I've been keeping it in a sealed case with lots of silica gel?

Or is there something else going on? Also, how long would I want to keep it under the hair dryer for? 10 seconds or so?
 
I don't know how effective the silica gel would be if it's really damp (and that's a genuine "don't know" rather than a polite "it won't work"). For live I've never had the luxury of being able to wait a few days--I usually need the mic back fast.

I find that, depending on the mic, it tends to take 10 or 15 minutes of gentle wafting from a long way away. Wave the dryer back and forth slowly to avoid any sort of blast of air on the capsule/diaphragm.

As others have said, there are other potential causes as well...but knowing the capsule is dry would eliminate one potential issue.
 
KK, thanks for the responses and help, I really appreciate it! Before I take the hair dryer to my mic I will wait until Sunday or Monday when I can test another mic. Mainly because the audio interface keeps messing up (mass static on playback of any sound through it now and then, even system sound with no mic plugged in. Mildly annoying but it doesn't seem to interfere with recordings, just ASIO monitoring or any other playback through it, so I just use the built-in soundcard when it happens.) Again, thanks for the great responses!
 
Bobbsy said:
A rushing, wind noise is very often the result of the mic capsule getting damp....
Click to expand...


DITTO....
...and also sometimes a tube going bad.
When I saw this thread, I checked first if he was using a tube mic, but saw that it wasn't one.

Also seen cases of dampness affecting the XLR connectors, and you get little clicks/pops from them if the fit is not super-tight.

Anyway...sounds like there's way too much moisture in that space.
Is there an exhaust fan in the shower....they are meant for pulling the steam out...? If not, open the door to the room and let it air out when everyone is hitting the shower.
 
I went out and got some tupperware to store the mic/xlr cable in along with a bunch of silica gel packets. That should work to prevent them from being affected by the shower moisture anymore (since I won't have them out unless it's dry) and the only thing left out is the interface with a pack of silica gel in front of it's XLR input. I have my doubts as to how useful that silica gel packet will be but maybe it will be helpful? :x

There isn't any fan in the shower although there is a shitty vent, it doesn't really do much except aid in the drying process. I keep the bathroom door shut whenever the shower is in used and for several hours after, although I can't always be here and sometimes the door gets left open. I hadn't thought to open my room door as well - that's probably a good idea since the the shower is pretty close to the hallway.

Thanks for the ideas! And yeah, little clicks/pops is what it sounds like besides the wind. I'm going to have access to some isopropyl alcohol and q tips soon so I'll use those on all the connectors as well. And test out the second mic. And hopefully that will fix all the problems without resorting to the hair dryer. Mainly because that is just a scary thing to take to a microphone lol :x
 
I had an MXL 2001 mic that had the same exact problem a few years ago....it wasn't a humidity type of issue that I could tell...at least, doing the standard "drying" techniques , did not correct it. I could not find anything obviously wrong inside with connectors, wiring, or the circuit boards.

I assume some component failed, but it was not something that was identifiable by just looking at it.

As the mic was cheap, I ended up just giving it to someone who was going to try to fix it, but I don't believe the person ever did anything with it.

Good luck.
 
I would wrap the mic in a clean,dry gents hanky, secure with lakky band, and leave it in a dry place on phantom power overnight.
The cloth will ensure that mic gets slightly warm and will allow out any moisture.

If it still whooshes in the morning you have a bad capsule or a noisy FET amp.

Dave.
 
For some 95% problem is in Asia made leaking capsule.
It is rather easy to check: add humidity - for example carefully breath on capsule (it is not recommended to do strong and/or often :), and listen - if problem becomes forced - it is capsule.
Then carefully use hair dryer from some 1m distance on capsule, if problem is reducing back - it just confirms above.
Not-leaking capsule isn't reacting on such manipulations.
Asia made capsules are unstable in many aspects - leaking from humidity and/or inside/outside dirt, wrong tuned or unstable in tuning (diaphragm material quality problem - going down with time), resonances, lost capacitance (lost gold coating), sticking to backplate, etc.
Stamped mass product - price is adequate to quality...
If capsule is leaking - it must be removed, carefully checked for leaking reason (maybe outside dirt somewhere), cleaned around (do not touch diaphragm!), it is work for experienced service.
Most case easier and less expensive is to replace it.
 
Well you know silica gel packets due saturate and become useless at some time. I use a device called a dri-box from Sorbent systems that can be regenerated in the Microwave. The problem sound to me like a bad capacitor. I am not familiar with that mic but if it is a Condenser it could be power supply or moisture in the head unit. Another place to dehumidifty an item is in the refrigerator but then when the item warms it can get condensation. A sealed bag that is air tight and the dri box would pretty much make sure the mic was without moisture- UI have been drying sticky tapes this way for some time.
Look up Sorbent systems here in the USA and then dri box to get these items. They sell large foil bags that are light proof and air tight. They also sell the packets you are referring to.
 
May be the POWER

I know there is all this talk about dampness and xlr's getting wet. But have you considered this MAY be a power issue??? These "hums" plagued me for a long time. Just started happening to my board and my mic one day. Then... Out if no where, these little "snaps" and "pops" invaded my recordings. I cleaned everything and reran every connection with new xlr wires. Still there. Then, I realized my flourecent lighting in my studio and the outlets were the culprate. Bad grounds, voltage spikes, and uneven currents was the MAIN cause. I got a voltage conditioner and it pretty much fixed it. Just thought I would throw that in there.
 
Purebe said:
I use an MXL-2003a patched through to an m-audio fast track 2 on Windows 8 (with a clean install of the latest fast track Windows 8 drivers.)

When I turn my mic on and listen to it via direct monitoring (or software monitoring) the first minute or so when I plug it in there is a terrible sound, almost like loud wind is blowing into the mic. Once that calms down there is are pops or crackles every 5-15 seconds that aren't overly loud but loud enough to be a large distraction from the recording. On top of that, once in a while, the insanely loud "wind" comes back.

I keep the mic in the travel case that came with it along with several fresh silica gel packets, and I put keep that inside of a drawer. I used to just live it out on the stand, but once this problem started happening I thought it might be due to humidity (my room is connected to a bathroom with a shower, so sometimes the area gets water on the walls/etc from the humidity.) I've read a lot about LDC mic's and understood that humidity could affect them, but that it wasn't a big deal if you just let the mic dry out or stay plugged into phantom power for a while.

I can't seem to find much information about this or how to troubleshoot it. Does it sound like the mic? The cord? The audio interface? Something else entirely? Any help at all would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
Click to expand...

I had the same problem and it was the M Audio, no matter what I did I could get around it, got another audio interface and the problem was fixed, have heard others having the same trouble don't know if it was the drivers (I tried all I could find) or the unit itself.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top