XLR to 3.5 on laptop buzzing sounds

C

CandyShakes

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Here is my setup:

Shure SM7B > XLR > Cloudlifter > XLR > Alto ZMX52 > x2 3.5mm OUTPUT to Desktop PC "Line in" input port

The microphone works fine on my desktop PC. Now I've tried plugging it into the laptop.

1) I tried plugging my microphone direct into my laptop's headphone port (it doesn't capture any audio).
2) I bought a 4 pole plug (x2 3.5mm socket leads). One of the leads is for microphone input and the other is for headphone output. The microphone now captures audio, however there is a massive static/buzzing sound in the microphone when I try to record. I'm not sure if this static/buzzing sound is due to the new cable I purchased (the x2 3.5mm socket leads) or if it's due to the laptop.

What is the solution to removing this buzzing sound? Do I need a better x2 3.5mm cable or do I need an external sound card of some sort?
 
The cloudlifter needs 48V phantom - I didn't think the little Alto mixers had phantom power at all, so I'm surprised the cloudlifter is working at all.

Your snag really is that the real problem is the laptop - so many have really terrible quality audio inputs and buzzes and hums are very, very common. The 3.5mm input is expecting a headset for input, you have connected a mixer, so the levels are too high, the mixer may or may not be grounded - as in 2 or 3 pin connector to mains power, and this coupled with the switch mode power supply create a noise rich problem.

The usual solution for your SM7B and cloudlifter is to go into a proper USB audio interface - even a modest one with phantom is not expensive. This will plug into virtually any computer and be nice and quiet. This device also feeds your speakers - PCs when set to the audio socket on a laptop try to send the recorded back sound to it - and of course, you cannot hear it.

What are you using the mixer for? To blend a mic with a track or something? I think most people now would dump the mixer and buy an interface and so many problems will just go away.
 
I figured out that I went into control panel and reduced the volume input of the mic from 100 to 50 and it removed the hissing sound. This is just a temporary solution as I require my laptop for a trip and need to record on a one off. The challenge is to now play around with the settings until I get it to a nice point. 60 seems good. At 100 input in control panel's sound settings, I was literally clipping and had to turn the microphone down by an extreme amount.

Thanks for your response though. The issue had nothing to do with the mixer, I've been using the microphone with 0 issues with this setup for 4+ years on my desktop PC, it's an issue with the laptop itself.
 
CandyShakes said:
I figured out that I went into control panel and reduced the volume input of the mic from 100 to 50 and it removed the hissing sound. This is just a temporary solution as I require my laptop for a trip and need to record on a one off. The challenge is to now play around with the settings until I get it to a nice point. 60 seems good. At 100 input in control panel's sound settings, I was literally clipping and had to turn the microphone down by an extreme amount.

Thanks for your response though. The issue had nothing to do with the mixer, I've been using the microphone with 0 issues with this setup for 4+ years on my desktop PC, it's an issue with the laptop itself.
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Glad you are sorted. A proper interterface would be a better solution but perhaps you need the mixer for other purposes?

A good 'half way house' would be the Behringer UCA 202 RCA line to USB converter. Stiil cheap but way better than most laptop converters.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Glad you are sorted. A proper interterface would be a better solution but perhaps you need the mixer for other purposes?

A good 'half way house' would be the Behringer UCA 202 RCA line to USB converter. Stiil cheap but way better than most laptop converters.

Dave.
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Could you please explain why an interface would be better than my current setup? The mixer is doing the job fine as far as I know. Otherwise I know I have to spend even more money to buy a simple Focusrite interface. I prefer to avoid USB connection as XLR / 3.5mm gives best quality.
 
XLR to 3.5mm does not "give the best quality." It's notoriously inconsistent and unreliable. Sometimes it works okay, especially on desktops with separate input and output connections. But USB audio interfaces are not only less prone to the kind of problem you had, they consolidate all the needed functions into one device.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
XLR to 3.5mm does not "give the best quality." It's notoriously inconsistent and unreliable. Sometimes it works okay, especially on desktops with separate input and output connections. But USB audio interfaces are not only less prone to the kind of problem you had, they consolidate all the needed functions into one device.
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+1 I resisted suggesting an interface because that makes the mixer redundant. Unless, as I asked, you need that in the system?

The Behringer UMC 22 is not a lot more than the UCA 202 and another step up in utility. This is a most peculiar thread friend, a microphone that is quite expensive and one of the most often recommended types for speech, a very decent 'cascade' amplifier feeding a very budget (which to be fair is probably not doing much harm) mixer and then into THE worst possible input on a laptop!

Dave.
 
We are making assumptions based on the repeated question - posed for years by people in your position. Are you actually powering the cloud lifter with something? If we heard a clip of your OK version we'd be able to assess better your level of background noise. Laptops are infuriating with their randomness for producing good quality audio.

Your system is a low output mic, then extra amplification from the Cloudlifter, into the preamp of a very budget one mic input mixer, then, you are taking that into the computer at a higher level than it likes, and reducing the input gain to prevent distortion. Boost, then cut, then boost then cut is a poor way to maximise dynamic range and get noise free recordings, and laptop audio performance is very compromised - as they have to be able to cope with a low level mic from a headset, and people plugging MP3 players into the same socket - as a result, their performance is always compromised. Continuous hums and buzzes are common but also they are prone to digital bus noise, coming from the computer getting re-introduced into the audio - so odd whining that changes when the screen display moves, or the track pad gets wiggled.

I think your past 4 years has been pretty much down to pure luck - a happy computer and your hard work and effort. It's not, to be honest, normal!
 
Rob, the "very budget" mixer does have phantom power but I can find no reference to its voltage and many small, 'one lunged' mixers only provided 12 volts, 24V at best...But. OP says it worked fine for years into the 3.5mm jack of a desktop so we must assume the 7b/lifter/mixer is working pretty well. Now, desktop 'puters tend to have slightly better soundcards than lappies, might even be a PCI Sound blaster? Such cards are bit historical now but they tended to be pretty good audio quality and with reasonable headroom. For one thing there might even have been a dedicate line level jack.

Dave.
 
Dave, here are the specs for the ZMX52. I'm surprised that the Cloudlifter is operating properly, since the phantom is on 18V. I'm also surprised that the mixer doesn't include any type of USB connection. They stick USB and WiFi on everything these days.

Microphone Input: Electronically balanced, discrete input configuration
Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 22 kHz, +/-1 dB
Distortion( THD&N): ≦0.005% at +4 dBu, 1 kHz
Gain range: 0 dB to 44 dB (Mic)
Maximum Voltage Gain: 74 dB Ch. Mic Input → Main Mix out & Tape out, 80 dB Ch. Mic Input → Control room & phones
SNR (Signal to Noise Rate): ≧110 dBu
Phantom power (Mic Pin2/Pin3 and Pin1): +18 V
 
I am obliged for that Rich. The Cloudlifter is, I assume just a class A pre amp and so will work down to quite a low voltage but of course, its headroom will be severely limited. Not much of a problem with an SM7b tho'but!

And I do NOT believe that signal to noise figure! Even if A weighted.

Dave.
 
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