Rode NT1-A Malfunction?

I am just thinking out of my head and clutching straws here but I can tell you what I have experienced.

I owned a Focusrite briefly. The odd time I hit a snag and through my inexperience couldn't figure it out. I decided to sell it for something that was supposed to be better.

Later and completely unrelated, or maybe it was. I hit another snag with something else. It was some noise picked up on the meters although nothing like yours. By swapping sockets and mic cables, I discovered that these can also contribute to some low end noise to various degrees. Why? I simply have no idea because my electrical knowledge is basically zero.

My point is........ By elimination with the cheapest means first may put you on the right track. I do own a Rode NT1A and it is quiet. I should imagine with noise like yours on the meters it would easily be audible in playback. But it isn't, which is strange.

Reaper and Audacity............ It is a comparison which will cost you nothing, but may help point you in the right direction to your problem.
 
You DO have the 48V on with the NT1a, right? I was going to assume that the cable is good, but then, I had one recently that had a bit of wire which was going across two pins at the plug. It was only 2 strands, but it completely screwed up the cable until I tracked it down. Get a cheap multimeter (Harbor Freight has some for about $6) and check continuity for the pins, and for shorts.

I'm not sure where you're located, but if you can borrow another condenser mic, you should get a good comparison, both being similar in sensitivity. Doesn't have to be an expensive one, a cheap MXL would be fine.

Usually Sweetwater is pretty good with support. If you don't have anyone local that you can use for comparison, I would call them back and see what they suggest you do.
 
To me the sound I hear is air movement like a fan or A/C rumble.

Most noises made by mics when they are defective is going to be higher frequency noise like hiss or crackle.
Issues like moisture buildup or bad caps will sound like frying eggs...LOL

The NT1A has a much broader range of frequency response than the 58 (particularly low end extension where the noise is located) and it sounds identical to A/C rumble.
I bet if you High Pass (Low Cut) the recorded sound at around 60-80 Hz the sound would totally clear up.
In my first recording space I had to turn off all fans and HVAC when I recorded because I was getting a very similar sound in my recordings.
 
Wouldn't you have to eliminate the room to troubleshoot problems specific to the mic? Run the mic to a small closet (or similar) and revisit. The whole room/noise floor problem, with sensitive condenser mic's is an old one.
 
The MO I ask folks on forums to adopt when they post about mic/pre amp noise is,..

Setup mic for -20dBFS in DAW on speech at say 300mm for a capacitor mic. Take mic into bedroom and roll it up in a duvet. Go back to interface and record 20 secs or so of that keeping TFQuiet all the time.

If the pre amp noise needs checking, leave gains set as per voice test but unplug XLR from AI input (balanced inputs do not get significantly noisier when O/C.) That is not a problem in OP's case of course.

Dave.
 
gecko zzed said:
What I would like to hear now is the Rode set to a recording level, with a few seconds of silence, then a few seconds of talking. And then do the same for the Shure.
Click to expand...
+1 to that.
It's easy to end up down a rabbit hole comparing measurements and readings without having meaningful context.
Two mp3s..both no talky, then talky. (y)
 
I like what Dave said...

and the OP mentioning not knowing a condensor can be so much more sensitive than a 58, is something I said years ago on my first LDC! I was hearing my attic ac fan through the ceiling fans sounded like a train... wild, like super magnified.

the pillow thing, duvet aka comforter blankets wrapped up tightly and try to turn off ALL fans and ceiling fans too....in my house a downstairs ceiling fan gets picked up with my condensor mics upstairs as a low rumble....

on my KSM44 and the new NT2 I put the pad on..I find for me I like 8 to 14mv/pa LDC...and not the 28mv/pa...
..and in the track playback a Gate plug usually too. Close mic stuff helps. A lot of U87 (8mv/pa) vs U87AI (28mv/pa) sensitivity differences are noticed a lot when the clones are compared to the new AI, or compared to the i....

What is Sensitivity?

That’s what people mean, when they talk about “hot” or “loud” microphones. In data sheets, this property is documented as “sensitivity”.
www.neumann.com www.neumann.com

SM58 is 1.85mv/pa and the Rode NT 1A is 25 mv/pa.!!....so a huge difference imo.

But still might not be this problem root cause.
 
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Alas, we will probably never know the end result, since the OP hasn't returned for a year. Hopefully some of the suggestions will help some others with similar questions.
 
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