Upgrading Mic Quality

[arcaxis]

Alright, gonna order this one if the battery works better. looks better than the neewer one by far.
Behringer PS400 Micropower Phantom Power Supply | eBay

That one appears to be from Canada and there is no picture of the AC to DC adapter or mention or the mains voltage it takes or type of plug. The US adapter for mine is not multi-voltage and only accepts 120vac. I was assuming you're in Europe where the retailer Thomann is located(?)

 

[ecc83]

Alright, gonna order this one if the battery works better. looks better than the neewer one by far.
Behringer PS400 Micropower Phantom Power Supply | eBay

A phantom power supply put virtually nothing in the signal path except a couple of electrolytic capacitors and even Neve have to have them!
Whatever you get, plug it in straight away and check mic function. Set for a good level of gain (hear clock ticking on cans ) then unplug the mic. The result should be silence. Obviously the supply cannot IMPROVE the system noise but it should not add to it. I have bought two different brands in the 'last year or so. One, a 'Chord' make was rubbish, could not deliver anything like enough current. The other name of which escapes me, was fine but both were commendably quiet.

Yes, Mark is on the money! Watch the mains voltage!

Thinking about things (As I am wont to do) Why does nobody AFAIK make a USB phantom power unit? There is 5V at 500mA (900 for USB 3.0) available and bus powered AIs generate it ok. Will pop an email to Messrs Orchid later!

Dave.

 

[Yotam Tiroche]

That one appears to be from Canada and there is no picture of the AC to DC adapter or mention or the mains voltage it takes or type of plug. The US adapter for mine is not multi-voltage and only accepts 120vac. I was assuming you're in Europe where the retailer Thomann is located(?)

Alright, about Thomann, I live in Israel and the shipping alone is €50, so that's out of the question.
I looked around on eBay, they all come from UK, Canada or US, which are not the plugs I need, so back to the neewer, I found one with an EU plug on Aliexpress (it's in Hebrew just look at the pictures and the specs below):
GEVO אספקת כוח פנטום 48 V עם מתאם האיחוד האירופי 3 M אודיו XLR כבל עבור אולפן מיקרופון הקבל קול מוסיקה ציוד הקלטה ב-GEVO אספקת כוח פנטום 48 V עם מתאם האיחוד האירופי 3 M אודיו XLR כבל עבור אולפן מיקרופון הקבל קול מוסיקה ציוד הקלטה מתוך מיקרופונים באתר AliExpress.com | Alibaba Group
But the XLR cable is probably shit, isn't it?

 

[Yotam Tiroche]

A phantom power supply put virtually nothing in the signal path except a couple of electrolytic capacitors and even Neve have to have them!
Whatever you get, plug it in straight away and check mic function. Set for a good level of gain (hear clock ticking on cans ) then unplug the mic. The result should be silence. Obviously the supply cannot IMPROVE the system noise but it should not add to it. I have bought two different brands in the 'last year or so. One, a 'Chord' make was rubbish, could not deliver anything like enough current. The other name of which escapes me, was fine but both were commendably quiet.

Yes, Mark is on the money! Watch the mains voltage!

Thinking about things (As I am wont to do) Why does nobody AFAIK make a USB phantom power unit? There is 5V at 500mA (900 for USB 3.0) available and bus powered AIs generate it ok. Will pop an email to Messrs Orchid later!

Dave.

Yeah, sounds simpler and cheaper.

 

[arcaxis]

Alright, about Thomann, I live in Israel and the shipping alone is €50, so that's out of the question.
I looked around on eBay, they all come from UK, Canada or US, which are not the plugs I need, so back to the neewer, I found one with an EU plug on Aliexpress (it's in Hebrew just look at the pictures and the specs below):
GEVO אספקת כוח פנטום 48 V עם מתאם האיחוד האירופי 3 M אודיו XLR כבל עבור אולפן מיקרופון הקבל קול מוסיקה ציוד הקלטה ב-GEVO אספקת כוח פנטום 48 V עם מתאם האיחוד האירופי 3 M אודיו XLR כבל עבור אולפן מיקרופון הקבל קול מוסיקה ציוד הקלטה מתוך מיקרופונים באתר AliExpress.com | Alibaba Group
But the XLR cable is probably shit, isn't it?

That would likely work fine. As Dave said there isn't really a whole lot inside the box and the circuitry is pretty simple (a few diodes, resistors and capacitors are the main parts that create the 48 volts). Cheap XLR cables are usually are poorly constructed and won't stand up well to being pulled, tugged, or otherwise abused. For use on a desk like you may be doing it will probably be OK, but consider getting a good spare cable at some point.

Before you spend the money on the phantom box, do run the mic on the battery for a while to ensure the mic is working as it should.

 

[Yotam Tiroche]

Before you spend the money on the phantom box, do run the mic on the battery for a while to ensure the mic is working as it should.

Of course, huge thanks for the help guys i'll update after I check the battery.

 

[Yotam Tiroche]

Just checked the mic with the battery and it sounds way better, gonna order the neewer one from Aliexpress.
Thanks for all the help, it's really appreciated. just a small final question, which software would you suggest to record voice in high quality? I use Audacity just making sure I'm getting the most out of the setup.

 

[Mack Caster]

Just checked the mic with the battery and it sounds way better, gonna order the neewer one from Aliexpress.
Thanks for all the help, it's really appreciated. just a small final question, which software would you suggest to record voice in high quality? I use Audacity just making sure I'm getting the most out of the setup.

You can try the full version of Reaper for 60 days before you make a decision. It is 1000 times better than Audacity!

 

[ecc83]

If ALL you want to do Yotam is record your voice and maybe get it on the Web, Audacity is as good as anything else but it does have severe limitations for general music making and track building, it also does not support ASIO drivers.

By all means try Reaper, very powerful and popular but an excellent freebie IMHO is Samplitude Pro X Silver. Limited to 8 tracks but 'proper' in all other respects. Has a very comprehensive audio converter in it, MP3 and most of the others and you can set the quality from V best to V small file but ***T.

Beware in Audacity BTW that nothing else can play 'its' own files. Export as .wav

Dave.

 

[arcaxis]

Beware in Audacity BTW that nothing else can play 'its' own files. Export as .wav

Dave.

Dave, do you mean its 'project' files? Audacity can export in a few different audio formats (see below image). The Lame Encoder is needed for mp3.

Was looking for Samplitude Pro X Silver you mentioned and came across this.....
Free Digital Audio Workstation List – Recording Studio 9

 

[Yotam Tiroche]

You can try the full version of Reaper for 60 days before you make a decision. It is 1000 times better than Audacity!

Thanks! will do.

 

[Yotam Tiroche]

If ALL you want to do Yotam is record your voice and maybe get it on the Web, Audacity is as good as anything else but it does have severe limitations for general music making and track building, it also does not support ASIO drivers.

By all means try Reaper, very powerful and popular but an excellent freebie IMHO is Samplitude Pro X Silver. Limited to 8 tracks but 'proper' in all other respects. Has a very comprehensive audio converter in it, MP3 and most of the others and you can set the quality from V best to V small file but ***T.

Beware in Audacity BTW that nothing else can play 'its' own files. Export as .wav

Dave.

I saw some nice plugins for REAPER, removing background noise and stuff like that, so I think it's gonna work really good for me, I'll look at the one you suggested though.

 

[Yotam Tiroche]

Was looking for Samplitude Pro X Silver you mentioned and came across this.....
Free Digital Audio Workstation List – Recording Studio 9

Lists like this just confuse me, because all of them look good but I can't know for sure until I try them all which isn't realistic, that's why I'm asking here.

 

[Yotam Tiroche]

I Can't find how to delete a reply, I'm trying to reply to three quotes in one reply but I can't find how to remove the others

 

[ecc83]

Dave, do you mean its 'project' files? Audacity can export in a few different audio formats (see below image). The Lame Encoder is needed for mp3.

Was looking for Samplitude Pro X Silver you mentioned and came across this.....
Free Digital Audio Workstation List – Recording Studio 9

Perhaps I was unclear Mark? What happens (afaik) with Audacity is, if you just save a recording the DAW will save it to its own, unique format. To be fair IF you do this it does warn you about the fact. You can of course open the file again in Audacity and THEN export as .wav*

Studio 9? Yeah, MAGIX have a confusing gaggle of recording apps' . I strongly recommend peeps download the full fat Samplitude ProX (3 now?) trial and have a do with that (if you also grab the massive 'extra stuff' be prepared for a long wait!). If that suits, grab the Silver version if 8 tracks at a time is enough.

*I never got the LAME encoder to work but then I am but a simple valve amp jockey and 'puters confound me!
[MENTION=87146]yotam[/MENTION]: Reaper? Yes, V good but WRT noise reduction devices? Be careful they can make nasty noises. These days low noise electronics and good mics are SO cheap that such NR systems are pretty redundant unless you are forced to work IN noise?

Dave.

 

[ecc83]

I Can't find how to delete a reply, I'm trying to reply to three quotes in one reply but I can't find how to remove the others

I cheat and just copy & paste the bit I want to quote! (did not work for me for a long time anyway. Still don't get notifications sometimes)

Dave

 

[Mack Caster]

Lists like this just confuse me, because all of them look good but I can't know for sure until I try them all which isn't realistic, that's why I'm asking here.

Reaper also has a video collection for how to use it. IMHO it is worth thousands of dollars and is free for anyone to use regardless of what DAW you may use, they have very relevant information. REAPER | Videos

Thanks! will do.

Your very welcome.

I cheat and just copy & paste the bit I want to quote! (did not work for me for a long time anyway. Still don't get notifications sometimes)

Dave

Hey Dave, I can make a video on how to use multi quotes in VB if the Community thinks it would be a good idea. I have used this software for years and just recently dropped them when they stopped supporting the 4. x version. I hate the 5.x version and refuse to use it. I went back to phpbb.

 

[ecc83]

"Hey Dave, I can make a video on how to use multi quotes in VB if the Community thinks it would be a good idea. I have used this software for years and just recently dropped them when they stopped supporting the 4. x version. I hate the 5.x version and refuse to use it. I went back to phpbb. "

Thanks Mack but I think my kludge is about as much as I can manage! The forum itself had a problem. For a time I and others could not quote nor edit properly. (well! Probably mainly my fault but they 'tolerate' me quite well here! )

Dave.

 

[Yotam Tiroche]

Reaper also has a video collection for how to use it. IMHO it is worth thousands of dollars and is free for anyone to use regardless of what DAW you may use, they have very relevant information. REAPER | Videos

Thanks man ill check it out!