The adapter they sold me was Hosa Technology, TrackLink Microphone to USB Interface, XLR3F to USB Type A
That should be OK… You shouldn’t be getting such horrible results. I assume you turned-up the gain on the Hosa?
To Koz: Is using the small mic plug as desirable as the USB? Is it really advisable to use an adapter at all, rather than an actual USB mic?
You shouldn’t “need” a USB mic… Most “studio style” USB mics (AKA “podcast mics”) are condenser mics which tend to be hotter (louder) and they tend to have more high-frequency sensitivity for a more “crisp” sound. And of course, they are super-convenient.
The downsides are, you can generally use only one USB mic at a time (no stereo or multitracking) and you can’t use them with a mixer or PA system.
The SM57/58 is the most popular mic of all time., It’s a fine mic and it will last you a lifetime. It’s not generally used in pro studios (except the SM57 is used to record electric guitar and snare drums) but it’s used on stage everywhere and there’s nothing “wrong” with using it.
Also, they sold me Yamaha RH3C Professional Stereo Headphones. It has a large jack, no such outlet on my computer. Will an adapter cord work for this? If so, is USB or other outlet best?
I think your headphones already have an adapter and you just have to unscrew it. If not, an adapter like [u]this[/u] should work. (Although, I prefer the cable-type or an in-line extension cable so you don’t have a bulky assembly putting stress on the small headphone jack.)
Speaking of headphones… If you monitor yourself through the computer you can get latency (delay). Often this is can be minimized and managed, but it can become a “battle”. You’ll notice in Koz’s photo of the Shure X2u, he has ear buds plugged-in. An interface like that with “zero-latency hardware monitoring” will avoid those issues. Some USB podcast mics (such as the Blue Yeti) have a similar feature.
Do you get the flashing blue activity light when you speak with the volume control turned up? A Shure SM58 should certainly be able to trip a recording indicator. Has your SM58 worked anywhere else?
Windows has the ability to change the volume of USB connections. Is the connection turned up in Windows? (I have no idea how to do that).
The SM58 is a bulletproof, good quality “rock band” microphone. But it’s not impossible to kill one. See: black tape on mine. If you do manage to kill the case (I do not want to know how they did that) the shield will go open and sound like this:
It’s possible to kill the actual signal connections as well, in which case it may sound like yours. Weak and noisy.
If we don’t hit it with a few simple tests, take the microphone to the music store and get them to plug it into any music system and try it.
Xerlome: “The adapter they sold me was Hosa Technology, TrackLink Microphone to USB Interface, XLR3F to USB Type A”
DVDdoug: “That should be OK… You shouldn’t be getting such horrible results. I assume you turned-up the gain on the Hosa?”
The Hosa is just an a USB adapter cord. Or do you mean in the computer? I did raise the gain in the audio manager, as well as the input level in Audacity. I got the hum, but very little volume speaking, too low even when yelling. Is the problem maybe my settings? I use Realtek.
That + - thing is a thumbwheel and controls the volume of your microphone. Rub/Push toward + to get louder. The little switch on the side controls whether or not the Phantom Power is active (leave off).
It’s called Track Link Microphone to USB Interface, XLR3F to USB Type A, but it’s just the cord with no control like that, just a little blue light near the USB end.
So… It looks like it’s either the USB interface or the microphone. The USB interface plugs directly into the mic, right? There’s no other cable that could potentially be bad, right?
The normal troubleshooting procedure would be to try a different mic or a different interface. Or as Koz suggested, find a local music store where you can try-out your mic on a PA system.
It’s unlikely that the mic is the problem… But, I wouldn’t expect the Hosa interface to be dead on arrival either. And in any case, it’s weird to have a weak signal… If something was broken it’s more likely that you’d have no signal at all.
P.S.
One more thought… In Audacity, have you selected the USB device as your input? (It shows-up next to the microphone icon.) If you are recording “Stereo Mix” or something like that, the recording volume will be affected by your playback volume setting.
There’s only the one cord from mic to USB. Is the control part missing, or is this a different version, without controls? It cost $50, seems a lot for a simple adapter.
Microphone level set to 100 in properties. With Audacity record on, input volume on highest: If the mic is laid down, the input level meter fluctuates (below -36) as if music is playing, though there’s nothing on. If I pick it up and hold it still in silence, it goes to -24, very slight fluctuation. If I speak, normally, close to mic, the meter reads about -20. If I yell close up, it will go to -12, and if I shout loud, it will go to 0. Output volume doesn’t affect level. If I record there is a thick line (the hum) and on playback, there is a constant low hum. Apart form that, the voice sounds okay to me except for the low volume.
How could the mic be so sensitive to being held, and then hardly register a speaking voice? Where is the hum from?
DVDdoug: “If you monitor yourself through the computer you can get latency (delay). Often this is can be minimized and managed, but it can become a “battle”. You’ll notice in Koz’s photo of the Shure X2u, he has ear buds plugged-in. An interface like that with “zero-latency hardware monitoring” will avoid those issues. Some USB podcast mics (such as the Blue Yeti) have a similar feature.”
I don’t understand all of this. Would using a preamp or mixer solve the problem?
Most USB preamps and mixers include a headphone socket that allows you to hear the microphone with no delay.
Some USB microphones have a headphone socket for the same purpose, but many do not. If a USB mic does not have a headphone socket, then it will probably not be possible to listen to the microphone without a delay.
I think we shouldn’t wander from the problem. The Microphone/preamp/computer combination doesn’t work. The super high noise level that changes when you pick up the microphone and low speaking volume point to a defective microphone or preamp (cable). It’s also remotely possible that it’s a USB problem in which case a new USB microphone may not help.
My engineering training tells me to clear each piece of the system individually. Check the microphone (at the store), check the cable, check the USB connections. Well over 90% of problems are solved that way. The remaining 10% are killers. Those are the problems which only happen in combination. Those are the problems you pay someone to fix. That’s not first level maintenance any more.
Thanks. I’ll check out the mic and cable and get back to you. I will say I’ve had no problems with my USB ports for other things. I may not have the settings right, I’m known for that.
Thanks. You have, as we keep insisting, unexpectedly bad performance from what should be a simple microphone system, and we’re not talking AT&T Long Lines Interchange problems here. It’s three pieces.
If not, an adapter like [u]this[/u] should work. (Although, I prefer the cable-type or an in-line extension cable so you don’t have a bulky assembly putting stress on the small headphone jack.)
