Upgrading Mic Quality

Y

Yotam Tiroche

New member
So, I have a weird setup because I got some parts from a friend that didn't need them anymore but here it is:
Rode M3
Xlr to Xlr - from Mic to Preamp
Preamp - Behringer MiniMic Mic800
1/4" to RCA - from Preamp to Audio Interface
Audio Interface - Native Instruments Audio 8 DJ
Audio Interface to PC through USB

so, I got the Mic and the soundcard from a friend who used to DJ,
and he had the mic connected to a mixer and the mixer connected
to the soundcard because the soundcard doesn't have phantom power
for the consender mic, but he couldn't find his mixer so I needed a solution to use the current setup as cheap as I can.
So I got the Behringer Preamp and it worked fine for a few months, but now I can spend more on an upgrade and I know this mic can sound way better.
I'm a complete noob at this, but I think the preamp is the bottleneck, I was thinking of getting a mixer like the Q502USB that has phantom and some more stuff I could use.
what would be the best way to go about it? maybe something cheaper than the mixer I suggested?
Sorry for asking such basic question and about my English, it's not my first language.
Thanks in advance
Yotam
 
The Q502USB only has 15v phantom. May not power the M3 properly which appears to need at least 24v per the site below. It will work on 9v battery power.
ROEDE M3 | RecordingHacks.com

Get a real USB interface, not a USB mixer, unless some compelling reason you need to mix various audio sources.

What is your budget $$$$?
 
I already have a good sound card so I want to use it instead of replacing it with an interface, I don't have the money for one too, 50-100$ is my budget.
What is the cheapest way to upgrade the sound? get a better Preamp?
 
My error, didn't realize the Native Instruments Audio 8 DJ had USB connection to computer. Was thinking you wanted the Q502USB to provide USB connection to a computer.

- What is it you're attempting to do? Singing, voice-over, etc?

- What is it you didn't like about the sound that you are trying to improve?

- A preamp won't necessarily 'improve' the sound.
 
I use the mic mostly for recording talking, and just having a professional sound when talking to people, about the sound, i was listening to some tests of the mic on youtube and it sounded way clearer and richer, dont know if it makes sense.
 
How does the M3 sound if you put a 9 v battery in it and plug it into the Native Instruments Audio 8 DJ? Most of the 'quality' will be from the mic and how you use it and a cheap preamp likely may not help much. Have you tried varying the distance to the mic while speaking and see if that changes what you hear?
 
arcaxis said:
How does the M3 sound if you put a 9 v battery in it and plug it into the Native Instruments Audio 8 DJ? Most of the 'quality' will be from the mic and how you use it and a cheap preamp likely may not help much. Have you tried varying the distance to the mic while speaking and see if that changes what you hear?
Click to expand...

thats a good soulution, but every week i need to replace the battery and those are pretty expensive so in the long run it will cost me less to just buy an interface

---------- Update ----------

mjbphotos said:
You definitely will NOT improve the sound with a $50-$100 mixer in the chain.
Click to expand...

what about a better preamp?
 
Yotam Tiroche said:
thats a good soulution, but every week i need to replace the battery and those are pretty expensive so in the long run it will cost me less to just buy an interface

---------- Update ----------



what about a better preamp?
Click to expand...
The M3 supposedly has an life expectancy of >200 hrs. 24 hours, 7 days a week is 168 hours. Do you sleep, eat, or work? :) The M3 does have a switch for the battery so it can be turned off when not in use.

m3.jpg

Won't get a decent preamp on your budget and the RCA connections on your interface aren't particularly suited for connection to what I would consider a decent preamp.
 
arcaxis said:
The M3 supposedly has an life expectancy of >200 hrs. 24 hours, 7 days a week is 168 hours. Do you sleep, eat, or work? :) The M3 does have a switch for the battery so it can be turned off when not in use.

View attachment 100294

Won't get a decent preamp on your budget and the RCA connections on your interface aren't particularly suited for connection to what I would consider a decent preamp.
Click to expand...

So the best way to go about it would be with the batteries? still, 2-3 weeks isnt much, but if ill buy an interface which one would you suggest, something with quality but not super expensive? I might be able to sell the sound card i have and get an interface.
 
Yotam Tiroche said:
I use the mic mostly for recording talking, and just having a professional sound when talking to people, about the sound, i was listening to some tests of the mic on youtube and it sounded way clearer and richer, dont know if it makes sense.
Click to expand...
Now take that sound, and compare and describe it to how you're hearing yours. 'Tone problems, or 'splashy noisy -not tight clean' and direct?
Posting a sample would be best.
 
Grr! I cannot seem to find a user manual for that Audio 8dj but if it is anything like my NI KA6 it will do an excellent job. Not a cheap thing, rather surprised NI did not provide spook juice! Anyhoos...Amazon.com: Neewer 1-Channel 48V Phantom Power Supply with Adapter, BONUS+XLR 3 Pin Microphone Cable for Any Condenser Microphone Music Recording Equipment (8 feet): Musical Instruments

The above addresses your problem. I have something very similar and it works fine but beware of other 48V supplies. Avoid 2 channel devices (unless £50+) and ones with a 12V option. When you GET the supply, plug it up immediately and check it. If there is any sort of problem, hum/noise or distortion bounce it back to Zon.

BTW, I have read of some audio issues with the DJ8 and Win10. There is no problem with W7 and if peeps use ASIO drivers, none with W10.

Dave.
 
First off, using the battery option, plug the M3 straight into the mic input of the NI. How does that sound? You may find some improvement because the Behringer pre amp and all those adaptor cables won't be doing you any favours.

If the mic is okay that way then dump all the other stuff and get a proper USB interface. The Alesis iO2 Express will do the job for you and sells for around $99. If you put the DJ8 and Behringer pre amp on eBay or the for sale forum here you can subsidise that purchase.

However, if the mic isn't okay with battery power, straight into the NI, then you have a mic problem and are basically screwed. FYI, a few years back I did some trouble shooting for a company doing TV news editing and using an M3 for their VOs. After checking everything else in the chain, I got back to the mic and it's frequency response rolled off quickly about 8K making the sound very muddy and without detail. This was nowhere near the Rode spec but on more investigation, the mic had been used for a long while without any form of pop screen and the most likely problem was lots of little bits of spit and moist air exhaled. A new condenser with a pop screen fixed this.
 
ecc83 said:
Grr! I cannot seem to find a user manual for that Audio 8dj but if it is anything like my NI KA6 it will do an excellent job. Not a cheap thing, rather surprised NI did not provide spook juice! Anyhoos...Amazon.com: Neewer 1-Channel 48V Phantom Power Supply with Adapter, BONUS+XLR 3 Pin Microphone Cable for Any Condenser Microphone Music Recording Equipment (8 feet): Musical Instruments

The above addresses your problem. I have something very similar and it works fine but beware of other 48V supplies. Avoid 2 channel devices (unless £50+) and ones with a 12V option. When you GET the supply, plug it up immediately and check it. If there is any sort of problem, hum/noise or distortion bounce it back to Zon.

BTW, I have read of some audio issues with the DJ8 and Win10. There is no problem with W7 and if peeps use ASIO drivers, none with W10.

Dave.
Click to expand...

Sounds great, I'll look into it, but won't the neewer drop the quality? looks kinda cheaply made.
And its a US power plug but i cant find an EU one.
 
Bobbsy said:
First off, using the battery option, plug the M3 straight into the mic input of the NI. How does that sound? You may find some improvement because the Behringer pre amp and all those adaptor cables won't be doing you any favours.

If the mic is okay that way then dump all the other stuff and get a proper USB interface. The Alesis iO2 Express will do the job for you and sells for around $99. If you put the DJ8 and Behringer pre amp on eBay or the for sale forum here you can subsidise that purchase.

However, if the mic isn't okay with battery power, straight into the NI, then you have a mic problem and are basically screwed. FYI, a few years back I did some trouble shooting for a company doing TV news editing and using an M3 for their VOs. After checking everything else in the chain, I got back to the mic and it's frequency response rolled off quickly about 8K making the sound very muddy and without detail. This was nowhere near the Rode spec but on more investigation, the mic had been used for a long while without any form of pop screen and the most likely problem was lots of little bits of spit and moist air exhaled. A new condenser with a pop screen fixed this.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I have both a pop filter and the round cover that comes with the mic (don't know whats it called). Tomorrow I'll go get a 9V battery and check, but about the interface, I think ill stay with the 8 DJ, ecc83 suggested a cheaper solution.
 
Remember to try different distances to the mic to see what may sound best. Try about 150mm to start and either closer or further away. Too far away and the mic may start to sound thin and may pick up room reflections/echoes of your voice which won't sound good.

A good phantom box shouldn't alter the 'quality' of the sound. A cheap preamp may alter the sound and sometimes not for the better.

Do you understand what the two switches (PAD and High Pass) on the mic do? The manual does explain these. The PAD switch is hidden in the battery compartment you will probably want set to 'OFF/0dB' for normal speaking usage.

If you're not sure if the mic sounds the way you think it should, post a short mp3 clip of speaking normally to give us a listen.

Quoted below was in the manual. If for some chance you plan on not using the mic for a while or you get a phantom box, remember to remove the battery. If it leaks as they sometimes do, it will ruin the mic. I have a similar AKG battery powered mic and the battery does last a very long time.

'We recommend that you use a high quality alkaline
battery. Tests have shown a life expectancy for a high
quality alkaline battery used in the M3 to be in excess
of 300 hours. This is roughly the equivalent of 6 hours
usage per week for a year.'
 
arcaxis said:
Remember to try different distances to the mic to see what may sound best. Try about 150mm to start and either closer or further away. Too far away and the mic may start to sound thin and may pick up room reflections/echoes of your voice which won't sound good.

A good phantom box shouldn't alter the 'quality' of the sound. A cheap preamp may alter the sound and sometimes not for the better.

Do you understand what the two switches (PAD and High Pass) on the mic do? The manual does explain these. The PAD switch is hidden in the battery compartment you will probably want set to 'OFF/0dB' for normal speaking usage.

If you're not sure if the mic sounds the way you think it should, post a short mp3 clip of speaking normally to give us a listen.

Quoted below was in the manual. If for some chance you plan on not using the mic for a while or you get a phantom box, remember to remove the battery. If it leaks as they sometimes do, it will ruin the mic. I have a similar AKG battery powered mic and the battery does last a very long time.

'We recommend that you use a high quality alkaline
battery. Tests have shown a life expectancy for a high
quality alkaline battery used in the M3 to be in excess
of 300 hours. This is roughly the equivalent of 6 hours
usage per week for a year.'
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the detail man, yes I do know about the pad and its on 0db and the switch is in the middle.
About the sound - its not that its bad just not the sharp and rich sound I heard on youtube, probably just the cheap preamp.
But I can't seem to find any EU plug phantom power supply, and the voltage adapters cost a lot in my country, and this is the cheapest one I found that looks legit:
200W Compact Voltage Converter Transformer 220v to 110v Step Down Travel | eBay
Thoughts?
Edit:
or mabye this?
Travel 110V to 220V&220V TO 110V AC Power Voltage Converter 100W Transformer | eBay
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top