low volume and hum using mic

[kozikowski]

One more note. Microphone cables like this:



...can be run for long distances assuming you don't go close to theater lighting wires or heavy electrical machinery or powerful, noisy stuff like that. Contrast that with the USB cable which is good for six feet.

Koz

[chris319]

The 50 dB of gain is from the Shure spec sheet.

[Xerlome]

The Dual Pre has no AC cord. I find no battery compartment.

If I were to use a different preamp, what are the chances the problem would be solved?

If I got a USB mic instead of the Shure, same question.

If I started over and asked what I should get and do on a similar budget, what would work?

[kozikowski]

The 50 dB of gain is from the Shure spec sheet.

Fascinating. I wonder where he got his numbers from.


You got this, right?
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/USBDualPrePS

It won't have an AC cord. It's clear you have to buy a separate power supply, probably a brick that plugs into the wall. A thin cable then plugs into the socket that says AC/DC. But the ad is semi-clear about being able to run it from a 9v battery. I thought it went inside. Consult your instructions.

I was doing a few tests a bit ago. How far are you from your internet wifi equipment? I can cause a high hiss level by being too close to my Linksys WiFi router. We know cellphones can cause noise. Where's yours?

Do we have a recent raw test clip with your microphone through the Dual MicPre, as good as you can do without filters or effects? If we do, point to the filename. My desktop is a blizzard of test files.

If I started over and asked what I should get and do on a similar budget, what would work?

I haven't been dark and depressing in a long time. The forum has a very high success rate, but we don't pull everybody out of trouble. Sometimes somebody needing high quality on a restricted budget should cast off the computer altogether.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/H1

It will record in 24bit 96000 which Chris loves and appears to have all the tools for a good, simple recording session. I have an H4 and it works remarkably well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcVec_RPwuc
That's a Zoom H2 between them.

Koz

[chris319]

I was going to recommend that Centrance device but checking around, they're out of stock/back ordered at several dealers, so I'm wondering what its future may be.

This one looks interesting to me. I like it because it's 24-bit and will thus normalize better. I have not used this mic but have used another model of MXL USB condenser mic and it's pretty good:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7 ... phone.html

Myself, I have a small Peavey mixer and an M-Audio FastTrack Ultra but that's outside your budget. The Peavey mixer gives me plenty of gain going into the FastTrack Ultra, which has been discontinued. M-Audio makes other interfaces, though.

I don't approve of 16-bit devices but here is the Blue Icicle for $31. http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones- ... B001EW5YQS

[kozikowski]

I have a small Peavey mixer and an M-Audio FastTrack Ultra but that's outside your budget.

That's what I'm messing with. My Peavey and UCA202 come in at around $130.



I hoped to shoot a natural sound clip, but I'm missing pieces in storage boxes.

Koz

[chris319]

Question for the O.P.: Are you using a "proper" mic cable as pictured at the top of this page with XLR connectors on both ends? If not, the mic cable/connection is immediately suspect.

I like those Peavey mixers -- just the analog ones. The USB mixers, not so much.

[kozikowski]

That's a PV6 analog.
http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/ ... ot-650.jpg
I bought the Mac series that has Stereo Line-In. No A/D converter.
Koz

[chris319]

Looking over the specs for this ART preamp on sweetwater, it has two combo mic/line inputs. If he's running his SM58 through an XLR to 1/4" adapter, he's going into the line input. We should rule out that possibility.

[Xerlome]

The 1st clip I sent was with the Dual Pre without filtering: audio test.wav

The red clip light does come on with Audacity stopped.

The cable pictured is the one I have, with XLR on both ends. My Dual Pre looks like the one you linked.

Was I supposed to have a power supply for the Dual Pre? Is this potentially my problem? Just so I don't go buying it unnecessarily.

Do you consider my filtered voice sample to be "high quality"? For me, it is acceptable, although it would be nice if I didn't need to use noise reduction. I don't expect perfection, it's just that I'm not clear on whether you think there may be a solution with this equipment, or if this about what I should expect from this equipment. I've been under the impression that it was the former.