mic levels

  • Thread starter Thread starter Layla Nahar
  • Start date Start date
L

Layla Nahar

New member
Hi there,

I'm just starting out recording with my little 'studio'. I have a Shure SM57 and a Tascam US-122. My recording levels are soooo sucky. If I have my lips on the mic and talk real loud, I will see the wave shape in my audio editing program (Audacity) but I'm only at about 1/3 of the max level possible.

This mic has an XLR cord coming out of the mic, but its other end is a 1/4 inch jack. I'm plugged into "guitar/line" in. If I put phantom power on I get a looot of hiss with this mic.

I'm guessing I got to get an XLR to XLR cable. Think I'm right? Any idea what is causing this ... phenomenon.

Layla
 
Yeah, get a real mic cable. BLUE Kiwi's are nice and you should be able to find one for about $30US online.

And leave the phantom off! That's for condensors and ACTIVE DI boxes.
 
Thanks for the quick response - now my next question - a dumb one -- I thought that XLR was all about phantom power, and I thought that if my mic didn't need a battery, it needed phantom power. Can straigten this out for me?

thanks
L
 
Hi, Layla.

XLR connectors are used for "balanced" connections. The three wires are used in a clever way to cancel out noise. The 1/4" connector is unbalanced.

XLR connectors are used for both dynamic and condenser mics. Your mic is dynamic, ie, it generates a signal on its own. Condenser mics, on the other hand, use the movement of the diaphragm to change the electrical properties of the little system there. So to get something out, it needs some power. That power is called phantom power and it supplies 48V to run the little circuit inside the microphone.

You really ought to think about plunking down some $ and getting a good condenser microphone. You won't believe how much better it will sound. There are models available from Studio Projects, Rode, and Oktava.

Please listen to my recording at

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=118786

and post a comment or two there. I made it with a US122 and Rode NT3 microphone. I picked up the mic on clearance for $100. I am very happy with both.
 
apl said:
Hi, Layla.

You really ought to think about plunking down some $ and getting a good condenser microphone. You won't believe how much better it will sound. There are models available from Studio Projects, Rode, and Oktava.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that nice clarification.
A better mic is on my list.
 
I think that you just have the wrong cable for your mic. I would buy an inexpensive XLR to XLR cable and plug into the XLR input and see if that works. Turn off phantom power. While you are saving up for a good mic, you should be able to do fine with you SM57.
 
What Albert said. Mic level is mic level, and line level isn't. Get a mic cable XLR to XLR.-Richie
 
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