I’m trying to use a windows 10 laptop with a blue Yeti to record normal speech, and I’m using audacity version 2.2.2. Whenever I go to record on my laptop I get a weird buzz. It’s not my microphone, because my mic doesn’t buzz like that on other computers. It also happens no matter what mic I’m using. I don’t think it’s coming from my computer itself because if I use the built-in recorder that came with my laptop it doesn’t happen.
That just leaves audacity. Does anyone know why this might be happening?
At first it was just happening because my laptop was on an old version of Audacity. I updated to the most recent version, and it was fixed for awhile, but then the buzz came back, and reinstalling didn’t help.
I can record on other computers, but it’d be nice to be able to use my laptop again.
Is it high-pitched? (Koz says “flying mosquitoes”.)
Noise is an analog problem. Typically (if it’s flying mosquitoes), that’s switching (electrical) noise on the 5V power coming-out of the USB port. It get’s into the preamp built-into the microphone or interface).
Some computers will have more noise than others (on their power supplies) and some USB microphones/interfaces are more immune to noise than others.
A powered USB hub may help (a USB hub with it’s own power supply). But that may not help because the power supplies that come with USB hubs are also usually switching supplies, and of course they not designed with anything analog in mind.
Frying mosquitoes. Whine combined with the microphone hiss
http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/clips/USBMicrophoneWhineClip.mp3
There is a tool for that. Most computers use a standard data service on the USB connection and it whines in predictable pitches. I need to look for the tool.
Koz
There it is. Scroll down to “Mosquito Whine.”
https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/audiobook-mastering-version-4/45908/2
Of course if this isn’t your problem, the filter won’t do a bit of good.
Koz
Thanks for the replies, but I’m not sure that’s my problem. It’s a similar sound quality to the Mosquito whine, but it’s lower pitched, and it also happens if I’m using my laptop’s internal mic, and not just my usb mic.
I also might have been using it wrong, but the mosquito killer didn’t seem to help, while noise reduction actually did have some effect.
Here’s a quick example of the buzz I’m getting. I thought maybe that would help.
I thought maybe that would help.
It helps us.
That’s not a known noise profile, so you have a broken computer or power supply.
Can you run your computer on batteries? Is it a laptop?
Noise Reduction is something of a juggling act. If the noise is low enough like background hiss on a microphone, you can suppress it and even the audiobook people can’t tell what you did. If you have a pronounced buzz, you’re in serious trouble. By the time you get rid of the buzz with Noise Reduction, (or any other tool) your voice will sound funny. You need to fix the buzz—or not use that computer.
Koz
Plain Blue Yeti is the least stable of the microphone systems. If anything goes wrong with the computer, it shows up in your recording right away. Even worse if your built-in microphone does it, too.
If running on batteries doesn’t solve it or change it, then you should use a different computer—or sound recorder. Nobody wrote you have to use a computer.
Koz
Running on battery doesn’t seem to help. I guess that’s probably be the problem. My laptop’s around 5 years old now, so there’s a good chance parts are going bad. I do have other computers I can record on, but the one I’ve been using is a desktop, and I was hoping to use my laptop so I could experiment with different rooms for better sound quality.
Anyway, thanks for all your help!