NT1 microphone is too quiet?

kaszimir · July 23, 2014, 5:33pm

I have an ORIGINAL NT1 and I’ve had no mic experience in the past, but when I record it (to audacity of course cuz it’s the best software ever ) it sounds a lot lower than it should. I know for a fact this isn’t audacity because it sounds low on my stereo and computer in general as well. I have it connected to the phantom power box like it should be. I’m not sure if this is normal like over lighting a set, but if you guys could help me that’d be great, thanks

kozikowski · July 23, 2014, 6:44pm

connected to the phantom power box like it should be.

Whose preamp are you using and how are you getting it into the computer or music system?

Koz

kaszimir · July 23, 2014, 6:53pm

I’m using a rolls dual phantom power adapter pb223 and using an XLR to USB to take the direct output on the box and hook it into my computer

kozikowski · July 23, 2014, 8:06pm

XLR to USB

Model numbers? We can’t see what you’re doing and we may see something you’re doing wrong that you don’t see.

Koz

kaszimir · July 23, 2014, 8:27pm

It’s literally just a cord it doesn’t have a model number that I can see. Just a generic XLR to USB you’d buy for 10 bucks off ebay

steve · July 23, 2014, 9:51pm

That’s the problem.

The Rolls provides phantom power, but no “gain” (amplification). From their web page it looks like it is designed for use with a mixer (which have a lot of gain available on the input). If you don’t have a mixer, then a USB sound card with microphone inputs could do the job. At some point the microphone signal needs to be amplified quite a lot. That’s normal.

kaszimir · July 23, 2014, 10:10pm

That makes sense, it’s my dad’s mic and he used it with the turntables and mixer. So yeah I can definitely hook it into the mixer and then take either the headphone or master and put it into my computer, thanks!

kozikowski · July 24, 2014, 1:46am

the headphone or master and put it into my computer

That’s the step that kills many people. Most laptop computers (including the newer Macs) have no way to connect a stereo device or mixer.

You could get insanely lucky and have the Mic-In connection work (pink), but that’s really, really not normal. Most computers will record Left-Only with high distortion and low level.

You can get a USB mixer or an analog mixer and a USB adapter which is the way I did it.

Koz