No Signal from MXL 990 Condenser Microphone

[Alanine10]

Hello,

I am new to recording. The equipment used is:
-MXL 990 condenser microphone w/ shockmount on mic stand
-Sterling Audio PHP1 Phantom Power 48v and the power plug/supply
-XLR Mogami Cable
-Another XLR cable (from my brother's friend, don't know the brand)
-Pro Tools Recording Studio: M-Powered Essential audio software with M-Audio Fast Track USB interface/box
-USB cable
-Toshiba Laptop from 2011 with Windows 7 64 bit

This is how I think it is supposed to be set up: Mogami XLR cable goes from condenser mic to the input of the phantom power. So female end of cable is in the mic, then the male end is in the input of the phantom power box. Then the other XLR cable's female end is plugged into the output of the phantom power supply, then the male end is in the M-Audio Fast Track USB box. The USB cable then runs from box into laptop. The mixer is in the program, which means I do not need an analog mixer. The program is designed to be for beginners, which means it should be easy to use without having to do too much extra technical work.

I've tried recording and I did not receive any signal or audio from my microphone. The program has the input/output set to input 1, which is the only input the M-Audio box has. I have tried switching XLR cables, updating all drivers, adjusting gain in the program, and using different USB ports on laptop. I don't think my microphone is broken since I just bought it last year and it has been in its case, closed since then in a room with room temperature.

Is there something that I did not set up properly or something I am missing?

 

[ecc83]

Do you get a signal LED level indication on the M-Audio box?

Can you hear the mic in headphones?

Dave.

 

[Alanine10]

Nope, no signal from the box and zero audio from the mic. I also own the 991, which was also a part of the bundle. Even with that microphone I still receive nothing. I have been able to record in the past with the same setup using a cheap dynamic mic. I no longer own that microphone. There was an old cable that I was using so today I replaced it with a new one but still no results. The microphone sat in my closet for a year, at room temperature, in a closed case. It has never been dropped or mishandled in any way.

 

[Tadpui]

Since the dynamic mic worked and the condenser mics don't, I'd say that the prime suspect would be that phantom power supply unit.

Actually, doesn't the FastTrack have +48V on it already? Have you tried using that and leaving the external phantom power unit out of the chain?

 

[ecc83]

Since I and I am sure all the regulars here ar tired of me TYPING it!

Here I have attached a picture.

Dave.

 

[rob aylestone]

If you have a meter - then plug in the cable from the phantom power unit to the mic, but do NOT connect the mic, or the cable that goes to the interface - just the phantom box and the cable to the mic. with the phantom power unit switched off, connect your meter on the Ohms range between XLR 'holes' 2 and 3. You should see just over 13K Ohms. If you do, great - the cable is fine, if you don't, then pull out the cable and do the same test on the female socket on the PSU. If this then reads 13K or so, the cable is faulty. Next test, if this last one passed is to power up the phantom box, again - not connecting it to your interface. Put the cable going to the mic into the box again, and leave the end loose, as before. Put the meter onto XLR 'holes' 1 and 2, with the meter set to the volts range appropriate to 48V. Expect to get between 40 and 50V - it's unlikely you will find exactly 48V, this isn't a problem. If you get, say, 44V, then swap the test to 'hole's 1 and 3 and you should get exactly the same reading. If you don't, then repeat the test directly on the power supply box with the mic cable removed. If the voltages are exactly the same, then you have confirmed the PSU and cable are fine. This then leaves you with the conclusion that if a dynamic works on that connection, and the condenser doesn't - the condenser is faulty, as you will have proven the phantom power is at least getting there.

If you reach this conclusion, one further test you can do involves undoing the XLR female connector, removing the shell, and sliding the cord grip and shroud back down the cable, allowing you to plug it into the mic , with access to the solder connections. Then with a bit of dexterity, you could, with it powered up, repeat the voltage test, and see if the voltage has vanished on one or both of the test points (1-2 and 1-3). Phantom power supplies should be able to power even hungry mics without the voltage dropping very much, but there is a small chance the PSU is faulty and although there are volts under no load, they vanish when you plug in the mic.

This is pretty well all you can do. If you can make everything work with the dynamic, and simply swapping the connector to the condenser produces no sound, then this test will tell you why. Sadly, it won't solve it.

 

[gecko zzed]

From what you describe, it looks like you have set up everything correctly.

If you can't hear anything from the mike when you plug headhones into the Fasttrack's headphone jack (and you have gain up and input/playback control pointing towards input), then it seems that either the phantom power unit or the mike is not working. You've swapped around XLR leads, so they are unlikely to be the culprit.

I'm leaning to a faulty phantom power unit. Does its Led glow when you turn it on? As Dave suggests, a multimeter would come in handy.