low volume and hum using mic

[Xerlome]

I do get confused. Which is true: The Shure is a great mic, but it won't work for me. Or: With the right preamp, or the right sound card, or something else, it should work okay.

Is there any way to test out what is causing the hum? And what may be wrong with my USB ports?

I'm also hearing in some of the posts that there are problems with using a USB mic. I'd better understand that before I scrap the Shure. I'm getting the impression that the store that sold me the mic and cable will only allow trade-ins.

What about the sound card? Should I get a different one?

[kozikowski]

I'm out of ideas... I don't know what's going on....

See? You have the Alice in Wonderland of sound problems.

"six impossible things before breakfast"

Just to get things off Top Dead Center. People have found the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 external soundcard to be valuable.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Scarlett2i2

I don't think we ever had complaints about sound quality from this thing although it can be a little finicky to get it to work. For one thing, it insists on recording in stereo and the microphone will only show up on Left or Right, not both. That's three key clicks to fix in Audacity.

It will manage your SM58 very nicely as well as any other XLR microphone including ones that need 48volt phantom power (don't worry about that).

One of two things will happen. It will work fine and you go on your way, or it fails to work, and clearly you need to fix your computer.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Yes, we have had complaints about the Scarlett. Just about all of them have to do with the stereo/mono thing I talked about and trying to use it on complex jobs for which it was not designed.

Koz

[Xerlome]

Thanks. But before I go buying the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, oughtn't I try to determine whether there is something wrong with my computer, or the USB ports? How might I do that? I'd rather not get it and still have the problem.

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is an external sound card? So I keep my other sound card and it still has its uses?

"it insists on recording in stereo and the microphone will only show up on Left or Right, not both. That's three key clicks to fix in Audacity."

Does this mean it's not a problem of concern for what I want, which is to record voice (which of course is mono, but the recording will go out stereo).

And does this take the place of (and is it better than) the ART USB Dual Pre ?

What about this XLR-USB cable? Do I need or want it? ($50 worth)

[kozikowski]

There certainly are other options.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... re#p256332

Both Steve and I do it with a dedicated sound mixer and USB adapter. Very highly recommended.



That's my Peavey PV6 mixer on the right. That mixer is $105 and the adapter is $30. You can also get the mixer with USB built-in. Behringer makes some very nice mixers (one in particular is not recommended. Check here first).

ART equipment tends to be very highly regarded on the forum. I don't own any stand-alone microphone digitizers except the Shure X2U. I would not buy another one. It has weak volume which is a fairly common complaint of USB microphones in general. Again, I don't have a Scarlett or a Dual Pre. The formal but small sound mixer doesn't have weak volume problems.

I keep my other sound card and it still has its uses?

I don't see how. They promise electrical impossibilities in their documentation.

not a problem of concern for what I want

They will all produce a single sound track. Some of them do it as half of a stereo show, some of them as a mono track. Converting to what you need is simple key clicks in Audacity. Note: Audacity will convert a single voice into "two track mono." One voice appearing on both left and right for the listener. That's technically not "stereo" but you can do that as well. You can cause your voice to slide left and right and also create "fake" concert hall effects. That's usually done for specific theatrical reasons. Never deliver a simple reading that way.

The dual channel systems will allow you to add a second matching microphone and do real stereo. If you want your voice to slide left, move your chair closer to the left microphone. That's usually disorienting for the listener and to be avoided.

If your computer is broken you should fix it or get a different one. This is a forum for Audacity and associated equipment. Computer repair may be getting too far into the weeds.

Please note the Zoom H2 produces a terrific sound track without involving your computer at all. The Zoom H4 will let you plug your microphone in and record that.

Also note that when you do finally get a working voice track, you will then be in a position to address microphone physical problems, consonant popping and room echoes. So don't promise anybody an audiobook reading so fast.

The Car Talk radio show decided to self-produce and stop paying WBUR radio station for studio time. I think that lasted two shows and it was so painful they went back to WBUR.

Koz

[kozikowski]

"It can't be this hard."

Ian has the longest posting on the Audacity forum. He wanted to record his voice for audiobooks in his Hollywood apartment. Bruno has the second longest. He was recording his acoustic guitar in his apartment somewhere in Portugal.

Koz

[Xerlome]

Thanks for the good info. A couple more things:

About the Scarlett 2i2 being an external sound card:

"I keep my other sound card and it still has its uses? "
"I don't see how. They promise electrical impossibilities in their documentation."

I don't know what this means, not sure we're talking about the same thing, I didn't say what sound card I have or its documentation. My original question was whether another internal sound card would be desirable in this situation.

If I get the Scarlett 2i2, it replaces my internal sound card? Same with the ART USB Dual Pre? Because I know nothing, does anyone have an opinion based on my situation which one might be better?

No, not to get into computer repair, but based on my issue, do you think the computer's USB is likely at fault? Not programming? It's a money thing, I could get myself in deep between repairs and equipment if I have no clue (just as I am from going off buying equipment I didn't understand).

[DVDdoug]

No, not to get into computer repair, but based on my issue, do you think the computer's USB is likely at fault? Not programming? It's a money thing, I could get myself in deep between repairs and equipment if I have no clue (just as I am from going off buying equipment I didn't understand).

At this point we can't tell you what to do. We are all just guessing and you won't know what the problem is until the problem is solved. That's ALWAYS the case... You don't know what the problem is 'till it's solved.

I think you've done just about everything you can do for free, unless there's a Windows Control Panel setting or driver update you haven't tried.

So, you can try buying some more equipment (you've been given lot of suggestions*) and hope the new hardware works better, or maybe buy another "cheap" computer to see if that helps. Again, we can't tell you what to buy. It's your money and you are the one taking the risk of buying something that doesn't fix the problem.

Or, take your computer (and the mic & Hosa) to a computer repair shop. I'd look for a shop that has a USB to XLR microphone interface and XLR mic on hand, so if they conclude the Hosa or Mic is the problem they can prove it with working hardware. I would assume a computer shop can diagnose the problem in an hour, and here in the U.S. that should cost you about $100 USD. (Most shops have will have a one-hour or half-hour minimum charge.) Then if you need to replace hardware, that would be an additional cost.


* Or you can shop at places that sell musical instruments and equipment such as Musician's Friend. You can find all kinds of USB interfaces, analog mixers and USB mixers, analog microphones and USB microphones, etc.

[kozikowski]

I don't know what this means

I assumed you were talking about your USB cable. "SoundCard" has taken on the identity of anything that handles sound whether it's a formal card that fits in your desktop computer or not. That's one reason it's good to use a lot of English words when you're describing a problem or condition.



If you're talking about an actual physical card that came inside your computer (above), that one stays put and you switch between that and your new external one in software, very much like you did with your USB Microphone Cable.

If I get the Scarlett 2i2, it replaces my internal sound card?

You switch to, or pay attention to it. The available equipment or device list in Windows and Audacity gets longer. Opening the computer case is not needed.

The ART unit has its features. You can run it from an internal battery or a wall-socket power supply neatly divorcing it from any possible computer power problems.

I recommend Googling complaints and then critically analyze the results. Googling recommendations is usually a love fest written by the manufacturer. One person complaining about a problem may just be a doofus not knowing what they're doing. The same problem by many different people is worthy of attention.

Also use the search tool at the top of the forum. Searching for Scarlett will turn up all the people shocked by the device only putting the voice on one side of a stereo (two track) show. That's correct. That's how this unit works.

Dragging this back to Audacity for a second. Plug the USB Sound Device in and then start Audacity. Audacity checks for new devices when it starts.

Koz

[Xerlome]

Okay, I'll pursue the options. Thanks for taking the time with this tough issue. I've learned a lot. If you keep the thread open, I can come back to report what happened (fyi) or if there is any Audacity related issue involved before it is solved. Thanks for all the help.