HELP: Signal noise in recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter Keaction
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Keaction

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Hi guys, I have an issue with white noise while doing simple recordings at home.

My current setup is Mic -> M audio mobile pre (discontinued) -> Laptop's USB -> DAW

If i want to get the signal to a good level, the white noise becomes extremely audible when I turn up the gain on the pre amp.

Now I understand that my pre amp is an entry level gear, but I just want to confirm if the M audio mobile pre really is the culprit or is there other influences? Say if I upgrade to a hight quality interface such as the RME babyface, will this problem be gone?

EDIT: I just checked the m audio mobile pre's manual and it says the pre amp's S/N ratio is 91 dB. Based on that number it shouldn't be so noisy should it?

I am using a good mic and good quality canare cable, so those 2 I've eliminated. But whats bothering me is that could it have something/anything to do with my laptop and it's internal hardware?

Cheers,
 
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May I have the sample of the recording? I may be your USB cable that is connecting to the computer, too.
 
View attachment test123.mp3

Ok the above is a short 10 sec clip of me talking into the mic thru the pre. The final 3 seconds is just me turning up and down the gain on the pre amp.

PS wear a pair of headphones
 
I can vouch for the fact that the room is extremely quiet. I'm pretty confident that the room would be the last thing to impart noise into the signal.
 
Keaction said:
I can vouch for the fact that the room is extremely quiet. I'm pretty confident that the room would be the last thing to impart noise into the signal.
Click to expand...

Welll if the room is extremely quiet, its probably your USB cable.
 
I'll have a listen to your clip in my morning...I'm not on a machine with decent audio just now.

However, just to say that I've had a Mobile Pre for ten years or so--I use it for location recording and also with measurement mics to check acoustics in live venues. I've never had a problem with noise. That said, you don't mention what mic you're using--in my case it's always condensers with relatively high outputs..
 
You are using too much gain. There is no need to be peaking at -3dBFS.

Your signal should be peaking around -18dBFS to -12dBFS.

Turn the amp down.
 
c7sus said:
You are using too much gain. There is no need to be peaking at -3dBFS.

Your signal should be peaking around -18dBFS to -12dBFS.

Turn the amp down.
Click to expand...

Perhaps I'm wrong but I've always thought that with digital recording, one should always record as close to 0 dBFS as possible assuming if there isn't need to spare out headrooms for major processing later on.
 
Well, it's usually better to record at lower levels to give yourself protective headroom while recording, not just for mixing later.

However, a quick experiment I'd suggest.

Record a test at -3 then zoom in on the waveform to get an idea of where the noise floor sits.

Then record another test at around -18, check the noise floor at that level, then normalise upwards to -3. Is the noise floor still lower than when you crank up the pre amp or does it go up to a similar level to the hotter recording?

This'll help with troubleshooting.
 
Bobbsy said:
Well, it's usually better to record at lower levels to give yourself protective headroom while recording, not just for mixing later.

However, a quick experiment I'd suggest.

Record a test at -3 then zoom in on the waveform to get an idea of where the noise floor sits.

Then record another test at around -18, check the noise floor at that level, then normalise upwards to -3. Is the noise floor still lower than when you crank up the pre amp or does it go up to a similar level to the hotter recording?

This'll help with troubleshooting.
Click to expand...

I've just done the test and it seems to me that the noise floor goes up to similar levels.

PS I'm from QLD too!
 
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