Loud white noise and cracking sound when recording vocals

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NicolasNeilson

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This is my set up :

Audio interface : Focusrite Scarlett Solo

Mic: Audio Technica at2020

This is the audio I tested :

when I try to make the noise to stay below -60db, my peak can only go up -30db so I have to crank the gain up till i have healthy signal but I got really loud white noise.
I don't know what happened. I tried changing the cable but it doesn't work. is there something wrong with my microphone?
I have this mic for 2 - 3 years and it used to be cleaner
 
I suspect it's coming from the mic. It's not white noise - white noise is that noise you get between radio stations on FM broadcast, or a two way radio with squelch open. Yours is a puttering noise that is usually a fault where the mic capsule gets damp, or the phantom power is very low voltage. Put the microphone somewhere warm for a couple of days and see if it goes away - this cured a few of mine. You really need a different condenser mic to swap it for to determine if it is the mic or the power supply.
 
I only get that cracky noise when i move my mic but when i put it on a mic stand it only have static noise which is still pretty loud.
This is an audio with only -12db peak.

 
rob aylestone said:
I suspect it's coming from the mic. It's not white noise - white noise is that noise you get between radio stations on FM broadcast, or a two way radio with squelch open. Yours is a puttering noise that is usually a fault where the mic capsule gets damp, or the phantom power is very low voltage. Put the microphone somewhere warm for a couple of days and see if it goes away - this cured a few of mine. You really need a different condenser mic to swap it for to determine if it is the mic or the power supply.
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I only get that cracky noise when i move my mic but when i put it on a mic stand it only have static noise which is still pretty loud.
This is an audio with only -12db peak.

 
Very noisy. Do the warm place and try that first, borrow another mic and try that too.
 
Use a compressor/limiter in your DAW.
Turn down the gain on your interface, turn up the output/input volumes on your compressor 8-)
 
Sounds like an analog noise, almost like a dirty potentiometer.

I'm assuming you are going AT2020>Scarlett Preamp>DAW, and nothing else in between.

With the microphone disconnected, try twisting the gain knob from 0 to max, back and forth a dozen times or so. Do that on both channels, and push the phantom power button in and out a a few times just for good measure, although it's not likely to be the phantom power switch.

Also, unplugging the mic cable from the Scarlett, and plugging back an a few times is worth trying, if the contacts are possibly dirty.

If that does nothing, and you've tried another cable, I suppose it could be the mic. I'm guessing you don't have another condenser mic to try, or you would of?

EL
 
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Eric Malone said:
Sounds like an analog noise, almost like a dirty potentiometer.

I'm assuming you are going AT2020>Scarlett Preamp>DAW, and nothing else in between.

With the microphone disconnected, try twisting the gain knob from 0 to max, back and forth a dozen times or so. Do that on both channels, and push the phantom power button in and out a a few times just for good measure, although it's not likely to be the phantom power switch.

Also, unplugging the mic cable from the Scarlett, and plugging back an a few times is worth trying, if the contacts are possibly dirty.

If that does nothing, and you've tried another cable, I suppose it could be the mic. I'm guessing you don't have another condenser mic to try, or you would of?

EL
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Yes thats right. its only mic > interface > laptop. there's no ground loops.
I just bought a new cable and it does nothing. I also don't have another mic to try. Do I have to buy a new mic? or is it fixable?

Additionally I got that cracky noise only when I handle and move the mic around but when I put it on a mic stand with pop filter it only have loud static noise.
This is the audio I tested:
 
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I think rob aylestone is probably on to something. Give his suggestion a whirl. It's in the thread you cross-posted.

I had a cheap Chinese mic years ago (I think it was a MXL V67, the green mic) that had a similar intermittent sound much like this.

EL
 
Eric Malone said:
I think rob aylestone is probably on to something. Give his suggestion a whirl. It's in the thread you cross-posted.

I had a cheap Chinese mic years ago (I think it was a MXL V67, the green mic) that had a similar intermittent sound much like this.

EL
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I'm currently living in Thailand which is a really hot and humid country so idk where to find a hot and dry place to try that.
I try putting the mic in a box with a pack of silica gel. Idk if its gonna work or not.
 
Morning Nicolas, I sent my son in France a pair of Behringer C2 capacitor mics and one of them suffered the very same noise.
Definitive test. Setup as normal and set gain for -20dBFS on speech then pull the XLR plug out of the Solo. The noise floor should descend to around -100dBFS and if it does you have a faulty microphone. Even if you had a 'dirty' phantom power supply that would still show up.

If money is tight. pro tem you could buy a Behringer XM8500 dynamic, not at all bad for $30 US or so. You will need to sing within 100mm of it but the 2i2 has a pretty low noise pre amp...better than what you have at the moment anyway!


Dave.
 
Find something that runs hot. Cupboards with hot water pipes passing through, amp racks, light boxes, even refrigerator compressors. Put the mic and the silica gel in a turn of light fabric and put it close to the heat source. The warmth usually does the trick. If you have wet shoes, where do you dry them?
 
rob aylestone said:
Find something that runs hot. Cupboards with hot water pipes passing through, amp racks, light boxes, even refrigerator compressors. Put the mic and the silica gel in a turn of light fabric and put it close to the heat source. The warmth usually does the trick. If you have wet shoes, where do you dry them?
Click to expand...
Microwave...NOT mics though!

Dave.
 
I put it in a zip lock plastic bag with a silica gel and I put it outside to get sun exposure for hours. now it seems like it works.

this is the audio i just test:


I had been struggling with this issue for a while. thank you guys for helping me.
Do you have any recommendations to avoid the problem to happen again?
 
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result!
Seriously though - what they don't like is not high humidity, but changes in humidity, so the moisture condenses out inside the mic capsule - so try to avoid the changes. if I put one outside here today in the UK, it would probably not even get warm. It's damn cold!
 
rob aylestone said:
result!
Seriously though - what they don't like is not high humidity, but changes in humidity, so the moisture condenses out inside the mic capsule - so try to avoid the changes. if I put one outside here today in the UK, it would probably not even get warm. It's damn cold!
Click to expand...
Thank you for the recommendation, I really appreciate your help. You're really a life saver!!
 
NicolasNeilson said:
I put it in a zip lock plastic bag with a silica gel and I put it outside to get sun exposure for hours. now it seems like it works.

this is the audio i just test:


I had been struggling with this issue for a while. thank you guys for helping me.
Do you have any recommendations to avoid the problem to happen again?
Click to expand...

Here's an idea...I have a USB powered 40mm magnifier and it gets just faintly warm. Buy similar and keep the mic on a stand with a cloth bag over it and the light underneath. Bit of a bother I know but if you will live in a rain forest! USB 'plugs' are very cheaply available.
https://www.temu.com/ul/kuiper/un9....bLkDejPoui_WsLm2k8X1vTBKTaieCAp8aAhwxEALw_wcB


Dave.
 
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