There is a ghost in the mic input indicator!

[Ojas]

Hi! I use Studio One as my daw,
the NT1A condenser mic is connected to the
M-audio fastrack pro usb interface with phantom power on.

When i assign an audio track to record vocals,
input signal reaches over the mid level without any sound going in the microphone.
When record without making any sound near the mic,
the waveform of the track also shows something is being recorded.

When i still sing in the microphone, the recording is full of hums, wind and low in vocal parts.

Hv tried everything adjusting the knobs on fastrack pro, trying another mic input, upgrading the drivers, nothing is helping to make a clean recording.

Pls help.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Nice illustration.

Have you tried a different XLR cable or different USB port? What's your OS?

 

[Ojas]

Haha thanks! Yes have already tried those options....What could be other reasons?

 

[Ojas]

Windows 7

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Can you try the mic with any other device?

 

[Mickster]

You don't mention whether or not the sound is there without the mic plugged in.

 

[Beerhunter]

Start removing gear. First unplug the mic.... is the noise still there... if yes, then remove the cable. Is it gone now? No? Unplug Fast Trak

Could be noisy pots

 

[c7sus]

You do realize there is "sound in the room", right?

Unless your room is an anechoic chamber.

What exactly is being recorded when you have the mic plugged in/turned on/ and there is no sound in the room?

Crackling? Heavy breathing?

Are you singing into the front of the mic?

Does your room have ghosts or other spirits?

I think you have the fast track input gain turned up too high. Your vocal should be peaking at about -18dBFS to about -12dBFS and no higher. There is no need to record hotter than that.

Telling us that the meter is going over halfway isn't helpful. We have no idea what the scaling is for your metering. If your room is fairly quiet you should register between -55dbFS to -60dBFS with the mic turned on and set at a reasonable level. How your vocal turns out after that depends on your technique and your room and a bunch of other factors.

Are you a really quiet vocalist?

 

[Ojas]

Thanks guys for the reply.. Ll try these things and also collect the data in numbers and get back to you soon.

 

[wtfuhz]

Usually when that happens to me, it's either a bad cable or a faulty xlr out on the mic. The only way to be sure is to test the whole chain

 

[ecc83]

Yes, there is a ghost and its name is Win 7!
The OS sets levels way too high by default. Yes, check your hardware but I bet this is the problem...Go,,

Control Panel>Hardware and Sound>Manage Audio Devices>Recording>Line In (be fast t pro) click on that>Levels and set from 100% to about 5% or less.

Note, a very handy and versatile AI is the Fast track pro, don't ever sell it!

Dave.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

And that's why I asked about the OS.

 

[JimmyS1969]

Yes, there is a ghost and its name is Win 7!
The OS sets levels way too high by default. Yes, check your hardware but I bet this is the problem...Go,,

Control Panel>Hardware and Sound>Manage Audio Devices>Recording>Line In (be fast t pro) click on that>Levels and set from 100% to about 5% or less.

Note, a very handy and versatile AI is the Fast track pro, don't ever sell it!

Dave.

Wait, why would 'Windows' have anything to do with the record/output level with an interface such as the Fast Track Pro? I have never had to deal with that myself. But then again, my internal soundcard is disabled completely. Still, how would that even be an issue if the ASIO driver for any particular device was enabled from within a DAW?

Just curious. I am not sure how this could even be an issue. Maybe I am just too new school? lol

 

[ecc83]

Wait, why would 'Windows' have anything to do with the record/output level with an interface such as the Fast Track Pro? I have never had to deal with that myself. But then again, my internal soundcard is disabled completely. Still, how would that even be an issue if the ASIO driver for any particular device was enabled from within a DAW?

Just curious. I am not sure how this could even be an issue. Maybe I am just too new school? lol

I have NO idea James! I just push buttons. I have had this issue with several usb interfaces. The first time it cropped up was with my A&H ZED10. I tried it out using usb (it normally drives a 2496) and found I had a "whine" at about 6kHz and neg 40. A&H were on it like a rash (are you listening Native I???!) and gave me the instruction I have just posted. This did not fix the whine but pushed it down to an inaudible -75or so. You can still find it with a RTA.

Dave.

 

[JimmyS1969]

I have NO idea James! I just push buttons. I have had this issue with several usb interfaces. The first time it cropped up was with my A&H ZED10. I tried it out using usb (it normally drives a 2496) and found I had a "whine" at about 6kHz and neg 40. A&H were on it like a rash (are you listening Native I???!) and gave me the instruction I have just posted. This did not fix the whine but pushed it down to an inaudible -75or so. You can still find it with a RTA.

Dave.

Did you just call me James? My momma called me James once. Once...

LOL!

I am just curious how OS audio would make a difference to an ASIO driver that was used directly with a DAW. Unless he was using the internal card, and not the outputs of the FT pro. Which would change everything... Oops.

@ OP; don't do that!

 

[moresound]

Ghost is the strangest people.

 

[mixsit]

Subscribing (ol'school minds want to k-no. Besides, got nothing else goin on for an hour- making a 'C drive image..
I think

 

[JimmyS1969]

Subscribing (ol'school minds want to k-no. Besides, got nothing else goin on for an hour- making a 'C drive image..
I think

Is it just me, or is everyone on this site drunk and forgetting to use quotes or parentheses correctly? -

lots of '-' also.

 

[mixsit]

Is it just me, or is everyone on this site drunk and forgetting to use quotes or parentheses correctly? -

lots of '-' also.

true.. Well the drunk-ish part
Hmm. I use ' - ' a lot. When the ' , ' pause' doesn't seem to have the right tempo ?
Like a 'doted comma?
Probably shouldn't..

 

[ecc83]

Is it just me, or is everyone on this site drunk and forgetting to use quotes or parentheses correctly? -

lots of '-' also.

I have been warned off the booze by the doc for many years now so nary a drop! My punctuation is crap because of a lack of attention at school I suppose, I only ever paid attention to the science!

And sorry Jimmy! I dislike being called "David". I tell those that do "only my mother and much older sister did that and they are both dead!"

As to W7 forking about with audio? This happened in XP. Even tho' I was running a 2496 and had the internal sound stopped in BIOS the sliders in Audio & Devices would still alter the level of MIDI out....AND! XP would turn things down once a month or so!

Dave.