Hiss on Playback - troubleshooting

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Andrew007

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- Heads up - I am brand new to recording audio with a mic prior to today I only used mic on my webcam.

I am trying to record audio using my audiotechnica 897 boom micorphone using garageband.

I have my microphone attached to my computer with XLR to USB cord:

Hosatech Tracklink Microphone to USB Interface, XLR3F to USB Type A, 10 ft

The problem is, when I playback the audio there is a hissing sound during the whole recording.

Any advice on how to adjust garageband to not get that humming sound?

Thank you,

- Andrew
 
Andrew007 said:
The problem is, when I playback the audio there is a hissing sound during the whole recording.

Any advice on how to adjust garageband to not get that humming sound?
Click to expand...

Hey there, Andrew.
The first thing to do is clarify what kind of sound you're hearing.
Hissing and humming are both common, but both very different with very different causes.

Maybe you can post an mp3?
 
Its definitely a hiss, here's a video I just recorded youtube.com/watch?v=Zxqr1ww-9qQ
 
Andrew007 said:
Its definitely a hiss, here's a video I just recorded youtube.com/watch?v=Zxqr1ww-9qQ
Click to expand...

"This video has been removed by the user."

In the mean time, is the hiss in the recording, or is it a fault of the playback system.
They best way to prove that is to drag a commercial mp3 into garageband and play it back.
Something nice and quiet that'll let you hear if there's hiss being generated within your system.
 
Oh dang wrong link, this is the one youtube.com/watch?v=S6rLpOpvFiQ

The hiss is on the playback of the recording I just put a mp3 song in garage band and it played back with no hiss.
 
Ok, I hear it. It's neither hum nor hiss. It's some kind of electrical/digital interference.

It's pretty common and I'd be almost certain that a higher quality audio interface would sort the problem.
It'd be worth unplugging your laptop's power supply to see if it makes a difference though. Sometimes it can.

Long shot, but if you have a powered USB hub, I'd be inclined to give it a try too.
 
Thy don't let me post URLs I have links to three products. I'll have to make then no look like links, remove spaces, use Google.
I just at could work for you is listened. You are using a way-cheap audio interface. We are hearing the electronic digital noise bleading into the audio. No way to fix this except to upgrade to a better audio interface. One that could work for you is..

1) Look at one of these: www . sweetwater . com /store/detail/AudioBox22

I Like this one over the lower priced "Audiobox" (see below) because the "VSL" one does 96K sample rate and has onboard compression/limiter. Worth the extra $50, I think.

2) if you don't want 96K here is what most people would tell you to get: www . sweetwater . com /store/detail/AudioBoxUSB/

3) another is this: www . sweetwater . com /store/detail/Scarlett2i2/
But I'm not sure if it has the gain you need (It likely does) and it lacks MIDI


Most people call the mic you are using a "shotgun mic" and yo can use it on the end of the boom. Can you call it a boom mic when it is no on the boom. It is not really what you wnt to use indoors with a computer. But I assume you plan you shoot some video and use the computer to record audio.

Even with the better audio interface you might still want a preamp. The mic will always sound better with a better preamp. The preamp that is built into the Presonus and the Focusrite boxes are good, and a huge step up from what you have. Try the audio interface and then later you can always add the preamp later
 
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Looks like your oDesk advertisement is gone....
 
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