Thinking About Upgrading My USB Interface, Need Your Help

  • Thread starter Thread starter ThoriumEx
  • Start date Start date
T

ThoriumEx

New member
Hi guys, I own a Shure SM57 and a crappy Lexicon Alpha.
I have managed to record with it some good stuff for a couple of years, but I think I cant take it anymore! lol!
The signal is really noisy, and full of bleed from the channels and from the playback.
The mic is acting weird...
If i put some headphones on and set the gain to around 2 o'clock,
i can hear someone talking in the other room, but if i crank the gain and put the mic like 1 inch from an acoustic guitar, i can bearly get a signal, and its full of static noise and room noise (from monitors).
Also, the sound is full of treble and high-mids.

So my question is, will a better usb interface solve my problems? Giving me better quality and sound?
How much of a difference is between different usb interfaces? I couldnt find any shootout video.
 
Moved to Newbie forum.

Sorry, but you can't post in multiple forums to get your point across.

Pick a thread dood.
 
jimmys69 said:
Moved to Newbie forum.

Sorry, but you can't post in multiple forums to get your point across.

Pick a thread dood.
Click to expand...
I posted in multiple forums because I don't know what forum my threat belongs to.
 
That is why us mods are here. We will move them to the appropriate one if needed. No need to multiple post.

It's all good man. No biggie.
 
To answer your question: maybe a decent interface will help you. Cranking the gain up will usually result in clipping and noise, never a good idea.
 
I believe a better interface will make a big difference to your recordings.

The SM57 is an insensitive beast, I have one. I also have an Allen & Heath ZED 10 mixer and that need to have the gain well advanced to get good results from the mic. To record acoustic guitar I need to have both my Native instruments and Focusrite interface mic gains near max to get to the magic -20dBFS average. This is fine because both AIs have really low noise pre amps. I do not believe a 50 pound interface is going to be in that class!

My reccy would be for the Steinberg UR22 or the Focusrite 2i4 but do let us know your plans and aspirations! Might be better to save up for something with more inputs.

Dave.
 
mjbphotos said:
To answer your question: maybe a decent interface will help you. Cranking the gain up will usually result in clipping and noise, never a good idea.
Click to expand...
Yeah obviously it causes noise.
But clipping? Not even close!
The acoustic signal is so weak!
Not even useable.
ecc83 said:
I believe a better interface will make a big difference to your recordings.

The SM57 is an insensitive beast, I have one. I also have an Allen & Heath ZED 10 mixer and that need to have the gain well advanced to get good results from the mic. To record acoustic guitar I need to have both my Native instruments and Focusrite interface mic gains near max to get to the magic -20dBFS average. This is fine because both AIs have really low noise pre amps. I do not believe a 50 pound interface is going to be in that class!

My reccy would be for the Steinberg UR22 or the Focusrite 2i4 but do let us know your plans and aspirations! Might be better to save up for something with more inputs.

Dave.
Click to expand...
Yeah im planning on the Focusrite 2i4, that's exactly what I need and even a bit more (for the future).
Can you do me a favor and take your Usb Interfaces and your Shure Sm57, and record an electric guitar plugged into an amp with distortion?
I want to hear how much of a difference there is in sound and quality between different interfaces, I couldn't find the answer anywhere.
I would be very greatful. :)
 
ThoriumEx said:
Yeah obviously it causes noise.
But clipping? Not even close!
The acoustic signal is so weak!
Not even useable.

Yeah im planning on the Focusrite 2i4, that's exactly what I need and even a bit more (for the future).
Can you do me a favor and take your Usb Interfaces and your Shure Sm57, and record an electric guitar plugged into an amp with distortion?
I want to hear how much of a difference there is in sound and quality between different interfaces, I couldn't find the answer anywhere.
I would be very greatful. :)
Click to expand...

Ha! You will have to give me a day or so! You do NOT want to hear MY guitar playing.
I shall have to rig a re-amp situation and find one of my son's clips.

I CAN tell you that son and I have used the following interfaces over the last 7 years or so....
Behringer BCA2000
Behringer Xenyx 802 mixer into M-A2496
A&H ZED10 into 2496
M-A Fast track pro
NI KA6
Focusrite 8i6 (son has not heard that_)

These all reproduced via Tannoy Reveal 5As and a mixture of live amp'ed guitar, acoustic guitar and MIDI derived tracks. In no case could we tell which converter set was in use, well, in the sense that we did not ever think ***k! that sounds S**T!

In all my years infesting forums I have never had anyone say that any AI above about 100quid was actually bad sounding. The sub £100 jobbies tend to be noisy.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
In all my years infesting forums I have never had anyone say that any AI above about 100quid was actually bad sounding. The sub £100 jobbies tend to be noisy.

Dave.
Click to expand...

^^^ +1
using an SM57 to record a distorted guitar amp, you woudl get more variation in sound from a slight movement of the mic than from different $150-400 interfaces. (I raised the top dollar as usually the more money at this level, the more inputs/preamps not better converters)
 
mjbphotos said:
^^^ +1
using an SM57 to record a distorted guitar amp, you woudl get more variation in sound from a slight movement of the mic than from different $150-400 interfaces. (I raised the top dollar as usually the more money at this level, the more inputs/preamps not better converters)
Click to expand...
Yeah you're absolutely right.
But, my interface is 60$, and I can't record an acoustic guitar with it...
 
ThoriumEx said:
Yeah you're absolutely right.
But, my interface is 60$, and I can't record an acoustic guitar with it...
Click to expand...

Right! Sorry! THAT is what all this guff is about...

You need a better one! (or possibly an SDC mic but I would go for an AI)

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Right! Sorry! THAT is what all this guff is about...

You need a better one! (or possibly an SDC mic but I would go for an AI)

Dave.
Click to expand...
Can't even use a condenser mic because my interface doesn't have Phantom power.
 
ThoriumEx said:
Can't even use a condenser mic because my interface doesn't have Phantom power.
Click to expand...

Show what a pile of cr....SORRY! You can get very good back electret battery powered mics but don't, get a good AI.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Show what a pile of cr....SORRY! You can get very good back electret battery powered mics but don't, get a good AI.

Dave.
Click to expand...
I didn't know that there are good, cheap battery-powered condensered mics out there :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top