Microphone problem(s), need to make a decision

[b0ne123]

Hello everybody,
First of all, I wan't to explain the use of my microphone and my current setup.

I wan't to record my acoustic guitar, record podcasts and wan't to talk in live streams with the mic. My demands for this mic aren't that high, but it should do it's job (especially the guitar recording) kinda nice without static noise in the background.

my setup:
I have a MXL 2006 condenser microphone which is connected with a Tube Mp preamp through an XLR cable. The Tube Mp preamp is connected through a XLR to 3,5mm jack cable into the line-in input of my computer.

2 things about my setup are bothering me:

1. the most important thing: i get constant signal noise even by just pluging a cable into the line in of my computer without connecting the rest of the setup. I assume the thing i hear is like a electricity flow or something.

2. I have a latency that is about 170ms

A friend told me that I should get a Hum Destroyer like the behringer HD400 to fix my static noise problem. He also said that if I wan't to improve the latency, I also got to buy a dedicated soundcard.

I am thinking about buying the behringer hum destroyer or just selling my equipement that i have right now and to buy a usb mic like the blue yeti or the Audio Technica AT2020 instead. Or would be a usb interface like the Tascam US-122 Mk2 also help me out, as far I understand the background noise would be completely fixed and the latency should go down a bit (if i use the usb method on that interface)

What do you guys think about this?



Ive attached a test audio example of my static background noise in different setups.
1. Line-in on a turned off preamp (power off)
2. Mic-in on a turned off preamp (power off)
3. Line-in with just the cable (nothing connected to the other end)
4. Mic-in with just the cable (nothing connected to the other end)

 

[mjbphotos]

Yes, you need an audio interface. the d-to-a converters in computers OEM soundcards are not up to the challenge for music recording.
A USB microphone would be a quick solution, but ultimately it will not allow you do to do anything different later (maybe you'll want to use 2 mics in the future, for example).

 

[b0ne123]

Thank you for your answer, im going to buy a interface then, because you are right by saying that a I can't use a usb microphone for advanced recordings (like an e-guitar for example) in the future. Thats a big step further in the direction for what I actually need, thats great. I just need to find a good interface that matches my needs like the tascam us-122/144 mkII or the m-audio m-track or maybe even the Focusrite 2/2 now.

 

[ecc83]

Thank you for your answer, im going to buy a interface then, because you are right by saying that a I can't use a usb microphone for advanced recordings (like an e-guitar for example) in the future. Thats a big step further in the direction for what I actually need, thats great. I just need to find a good interface that matches my needs like the tascam us-122/144 mkII or the m-audio m-track or maybe even the Focusrite 2/2 now.

Hi. The Tascams are are err, ok if you are strapped and looking for secondhand but otherwise a bit long in tooth now.

M-Audio USED to be good and probably still are but since their mauling by Avid the "company" (whichever bit you are talking about!) seems to have lost the plot a bit?

Focusrite, yes, gets generally good reps, been some clipping issue using DI guitar. Latency/drivers have been a bit of an issue?

AFAIK the Steinberg UR22 (I wish!) has a clean slate. Super clean pre amps and great value for money.

Top bllx for me and with greater connectivity is the NI Komplete Audio 6.

Dave.

 

[Bobbsy]

Agree with the above. I'm probably not as down on the Tascam as ecc83--it's a good workhorse. The Focusrite probably has a slight edge but, at least down here, it costs rather more.

A couple of general things to check when you're looking at interfaces:

-Dedicated ASIO drivers to reduce latency. MME won't do.

-"Direct hardware monitoring" so you can hear your voice or guitar without it doing a round trip via your computer.

Obviously you'll have to consider things like channel count, phantom power (in case you don't want to use your pre amp and so on.

 

[ecc83]

Hi Bobbs,
Not down on the Tascams mate, just observing that they are a bit old like that other excellent workhorse, the Fast track pro?(et moir!) Then, I have not used the mk2 144 better?

OP. See my attachment of your test sample. Weird that chop off at 10kHz and you have a serious 50Hz hum problem.

But then I don't know how an MP3 encoder forks a noise signal? I think "test" signals should be attached as .wavs, I only need a 10 second clip for Right mark Anny.

Dave.

 

[Bobbsy]

I just had a look at the test file and see much the same thing as ecc83.

However, the sample doesn't tell us much--the whole file is 283 kb for a 36 second test which means a very low bit rate MP3 coding was used. That would explain the steep roll off at 10kHz and probably some of the noise. (FYI, the noise floor sits at about -48dB). However, some of it also sounds like the typical noise you get from cheap internal sound cards in the noisy environment of a computer.

So...it's not possible to be very specific but there's every reason to believe that your issue is to do with plugging straight into the cheapie sound card in the computer. I certainly wouldn't be buying a hum bucker coil--there's every reason to expect that a proper interface could cure everything at one fell swoop. However, on top of that, work exclusively in wave and never use such a low bit rate for your MP3 copies.

 

[ecc83]

Thank you Bobbsy.
Re MP3 and its varying qualities. The free Samplitude Silver has a free MP3 encoder in it and allows you to set any degree of quality. There is also a Cloud "publishing" system that I have not as yet tried (not a mooosician!) but that looks pretty easy to grasp.

Dave.

 

[b0ne123]

Thank you for your answers, i ordered a Tascam US-144 MKII now, it also has many features that I apprectiate (no latency headphone monitoring for example). I will give an update on my situation as soon as the interface arrives (hopefull wednesday or thursday)