Microphone hum

C

coryj

New member
So I'm trying to record some stuff, however there is that anoying hum.....

Microphone: Peavey PVM-480
cord: Planet Waves Custom series microphone cord.
Interface: Tascam US-144mkII
laptop: 2009/2010 Macbook Pro

so pretty much before you even talk or make any sound into the mic you hear this humming buzzing sound. once I've recorded something and re-play what ive recorded on high volume, the hum is very loud. On large speakers in my basement the hum actually over rides the actually singing and guitar

HOWEVER, when i touch the metal part of the cable connecting to the mic, the humming stops, which leads me to thinking its a ground problem. went to the music store, they gave me a 3-prong to 1/4 inch drive converter thing, did not solve the problem, because i learnt that my interface 1/4 inch inputs dont support microphones. just guitars.

went back, the guy said to not plug in my laptop and just run off the battery because apperently thats sometimes a problem with laptops.

did not solve the problem. can someone please help me out?? i REALLY wanna record some stuff :)
 
Yeah, you can't (and don't want to) use an XLR-1/4" adapter as it won't supply phantom power to the mic.
I suggest:
Plug the mic into the second interface channel - does it still hum?
Try a different mic cable. If it still hums, you have just eliminated that part of the problem. Next try a different microphone.
If you just plug an instrument into the interface (no mic) do you get the hum?

See where I'm going? You need to isolate the SOURCE of the hum.
 
coryj said:
went back, the guy said to not plug in my laptop and just run off the battery because apperently thats sometimes a problem with laptops.
Click to expand...

This is true. I've experienced this before.

I've had it using interfaces that are buss powered, and interfaces with their own power supplies, but NOT with interfaces that take mains power, which leads me to assume that mains grounding the interface (and effectively laptop chassis) solves the problem.

I wouldn't recommend manually doing anything though, I'm just saying, this is what I've observed.

For me, running the laptop on battery power did help, but didn't completely remove the problem.

Move your stuff around the room, and away from lights. If you have dimmer lights or fluorescents , turn them off. See if any of these things increase or decrease the hum.
 
Take a look out your window as well. Anything on your street that would cause this problem? A friend of mine had a street light on the other side of the street that buzz horribly.
 
Lol. I swear, Sometimes I don't know if you're joking or not.

Keep an eye out for bees, humming birds and renegade fridges.
 
Could be that the microphone is failing have you noticed the volume at which the microphone was pumping out lower now than in the past?
 
hey guys thanks so much for the replies! i HAVE changed the cord so i KNOW thats not the problem. the microphone i bought used... :S maybe thats it? i read online that they are pretty solid condensor mics and some even say they are bullet proof, so i thought that couldnt be it?

i'll try moving it around the room.

i keep thinking back to how when i touch the metal the hum goes away....its like i'm creating the ground!

to be more exact the part im touching is the input into the mic. so that metal plug right at the bottom of the mic. hope thats clear enough.

any other thoughts?? is there like a 3 prong to 3 prong ground eliminator adapter??
 
Has the powerpoint in the room got an earth connected? It should Have.

Has the microphone cable got a disconnected shield (pin 1).
 
coryj said:
hey guys thanks so much for the replies! i HAVE changed the cord so i KNOW thats not the problem. the microphone i bought used... :S maybe thats it? i read online that they are pretty solid condensor mics and some even say they are bullet proof, so i thought that couldnt be it?

i'll try moving it around the room.


i keep thinking back to how when i touch the metal the hum goes away....its like i'm creating the ground!

to be more exact the part im touching is the input into the mic. so that metal plug right at the bottom of the mic. hope thats clear enough.

any other thoughts?? is there like a 3 prong to 3 prong ground eliminator adapter??
Click to expand...

Two guesses, from that: 1) the mic ground pin is disconnected; 2) the Tascam ground isn't working.
 
Well, As the answers are proving, there are a lot of possibilities, so I suggest replacing each part of the chain one by one if possible.

Try a different computer. If that doesn't help, go back to yours but try a different mic cable.
No good? go back to yours but try a different mic.

Different room, different power socket,,,,,,anything at all just to see if you can narrow it down.
 
HA! It's always hard to judge some things over the net. Would be very easy if I had the microphone right in my hands doing a few tests.
 
Steenamaroo said:
This is true. I've experienced this before.
...
Move your stuff around the room, and away from lights. If you have dimmer lights or fluorescents , turn them off. See if any of these things increase or decrease the hum.
Click to expand...

Oh - thank you!! I have a lamp plugged into the same socket as my equipment... I've been chasing down the source of the damn hum all evening. I read your post, flicked off the lamp and - boom - gone. I'll buy you a beer sometime!
 
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