So I have been having some issues lately with my home set up and I've hit my troubleshooting brick wall, I was hoping I could get help here.
First off my set up:
2.6 Intel Core 2 Duo iMac with most recent version of 10.5, 4 GB of RAM, Mbox2 with Pro Tools LE and the latest version of 7.4, Logic Studio 8 and an M-Audio Axiom 49. My mics include an SM57, an Audix OM2, and an MXL 2003. Monitors are M-Audio BX5A's with some unbalanced speaker cables. Unfortunately my power isn't the best it could be without a power conditioner and most everything (Computer, Monitors, and External drive) being plugged in to a power strip.
My problem:
The first issue I'm having is that I seem to be getting very low levels with my dynamic mics. I have to crank the pre on the Mbox2 almost all the way before I get decent levels but at that point my noise floor is very high and I'm usually clipping. I had an issue once occasion where I got almost no signal until the pre was slammed to the end and thats when my signal would "pop in". I restarted my system and checked all my connections and that problem stopped happening. I still however get very low signal until my pre is set to lets say between 4 and 5 oclock. I'm not sure why this is happening. I don't know if it's my mics, the Mbox, or my mic cable.
My second issue. I recently bought the MXL which is a large diaphragm condenser (http://mxlmics.com/condenser_mic/mxl2003/mxl2003.htm) from someone off CraigsList and was excited to come home and try it out. Everything worked fine and it sounded great. Fast forward a couple days to last night. I had some friends over to check out my new set up and we start messing with the mic, sounds fine. As we went on I was switching between Pro Tools, then Logic, then I'd open up Reason. I was definitely moving around a lot. While testing levels on the mic I noticed it started cutting out and there was a lot of noise. This problem persisted even when no one was talking in to it. It sounded like wind/rumble. My pre was set around 3 oclock on the Mbox give or take a little from time to time, phantom power on of course. Confused I checked that everything was connected properly, I tried switching DAWs, tried engaging the pad and filter on the mic, still the persistent problems. I decided to restart and log in to a profile I have set up that I use for dedicated music production that has no other apps running in the background. Still the same noises. It happens both in PT and Logic. I tried the second input and it still happened. It was even happening when the mic was just sitting there with no one speaking in to it or touching it. I don't have a pop filter but I don't think that's my problem. I'd also like to point out that while the mic was plugged in, phantom power turned on, and all DAWs turned off I saw the peak light on my Mbox flicking on and off as if it was still doing it although nothing was open. Also, my mic is in fact in a shock mount. My last bit of trouble shooting had me changing to my other mics to see if it persisted which it didn't for the time I spent trying it out.
So here I am. To help I have samples of the noise I'm talking about.
This is an example of what it sounded like when trying to record someone. Please excuse the silliness of what he's saying and I think he curses once but I'm sure most of you know talking off the top of someone's head can produce "interesting things", haha. It happens towards the middle to the end.
http://idisk.mac.com/xfrancox/Public/AudioProblems/Audio2_03.wav
This is an example of the noise as it was happening while the mic was just sitting there.
http://idisk.mac.com/xfrancox/Public/AudioProblems/Audio102.wav
I don't really know what to try next. Is it how I have things plugged in, is it the Mbox or its phantom power, is it my mic and if so why didn't it happen the few times that I tested it before? I'm going to try a different mic cable later but the one I'm using has been babied in my room always wrapped properly. And what ideas do you have as to why my levels are so low with the other mics? This is all disheartening because I just started building this humble set-up up and I've sold most of my other belongings to pay for it, haha. Any help/advice would be amazing.
First off my set up:
2.6 Intel Core 2 Duo iMac with most recent version of 10.5, 4 GB of RAM, Mbox2 with Pro Tools LE and the latest version of 7.4, Logic Studio 8 and an M-Audio Axiom 49. My mics include an SM57, an Audix OM2, and an MXL 2003. Monitors are M-Audio BX5A's with some unbalanced speaker cables. Unfortunately my power isn't the best it could be without a power conditioner and most everything (Computer, Monitors, and External drive) being plugged in to a power strip.
My problem:
The first issue I'm having is that I seem to be getting very low levels with my dynamic mics. I have to crank the pre on the Mbox2 almost all the way before I get decent levels but at that point my noise floor is very high and I'm usually clipping. I had an issue once occasion where I got almost no signal until the pre was slammed to the end and thats when my signal would "pop in". I restarted my system and checked all my connections and that problem stopped happening. I still however get very low signal until my pre is set to lets say between 4 and 5 oclock. I'm not sure why this is happening. I don't know if it's my mics, the Mbox, or my mic cable.
My second issue. I recently bought the MXL which is a large diaphragm condenser (http://mxlmics.com/condenser_mic/mxl2003/mxl2003.htm) from someone off CraigsList and was excited to come home and try it out. Everything worked fine and it sounded great. Fast forward a couple days to last night. I had some friends over to check out my new set up and we start messing with the mic, sounds fine. As we went on I was switching between Pro Tools, then Logic, then I'd open up Reason. I was definitely moving around a lot. While testing levels on the mic I noticed it started cutting out and there was a lot of noise. This problem persisted even when no one was talking in to it. It sounded like wind/rumble. My pre was set around 3 oclock on the Mbox give or take a little from time to time, phantom power on of course. Confused I checked that everything was connected properly, I tried switching DAWs, tried engaging the pad and filter on the mic, still the persistent problems. I decided to restart and log in to a profile I have set up that I use for dedicated music production that has no other apps running in the background. Still the same noises. It happens both in PT and Logic. I tried the second input and it still happened. It was even happening when the mic was just sitting there with no one speaking in to it or touching it. I don't have a pop filter but I don't think that's my problem. I'd also like to point out that while the mic was plugged in, phantom power turned on, and all DAWs turned off I saw the peak light on my Mbox flicking on and off as if it was still doing it although nothing was open. Also, my mic is in fact in a shock mount. My last bit of trouble shooting had me changing to my other mics to see if it persisted which it didn't for the time I spent trying it out.
So here I am. To help I have samples of the noise I'm talking about.
This is an example of what it sounded like when trying to record someone. Please excuse the silliness of what he's saying and I think he curses once but I'm sure most of you know talking off the top of someone's head can produce "interesting things", haha. It happens towards the middle to the end.
http://idisk.mac.com/xfrancox/Public/AudioProblems/Audio2_03.wav
This is an example of the noise as it was happening while the mic was just sitting there.
http://idisk.mac.com/xfrancox/Public/AudioProblems/Audio102.wav
I don't really know what to try next. Is it how I have things plugged in, is it the Mbox or its phantom power, is it my mic and if so why didn't it happen the few times that I tested it before? I'm going to try a different mic cable later but the one I'm using has been babied in my room always wrapped properly. And what ideas do you have as to why my levels are so low with the other mics? This is all disheartening because I just started building this humble set-up up and I've sold most of my other belongings to pay for it, haha. Any help/advice would be amazing.