Audacity Forum

Thanks for your help on this forum.
I'm brand new to ANY recording system. I'm trying to record acapella music. I am using the following equipment:
Audacity 2.1.3 for Windows. Using Window 10 on my Dell Inspiron desktop. Just bought an Exelvan BM-800 microphone.

I feel like I've gone through the correct setup. Mike is plugged in to the correct plug. I have the mike volume all the way up.

When I record, the waveform on the display is VERY small, nothing like the tutorials at all. Play back is VERY muffled and quiet. Nothing like the tutorials.

I've gone through this forum about similar problems but haven't found a solution. Please feel free to be as simple, basic and direct in your answers. I'm VERY new to this whole world.

Thank you again for your help

Dawacs

Dawacs wrote: ... Just bought an Exelvan BM-800 microphone.

Looks like that needs something called "phantom power" : a separate 48 Volt power-supply unit ...
https://www.amazon.com/Excelvan-BM-800- ... B00KMKIR9Y

It looks like you bought the wrong mic...

Exelvan BM-800 microphone

I didn't find the manufacturer's specs (I wouldn't expect much from a "cheap" mic.) But I found some pictures and this on Amazon:

1. 48V phantom power adapter is not included.
2. Not suit for mobile phone and tablet computer.
3.Please put the microphone away from the amplifier while recording to prevent noise recorded.
4. Connecting with desktop computer, it can be used separately; But if with laptop computer, please connect to electrical outlet or use a 48V phantom power supply to make the sound much clearer and higher.

I don't know what they mean by "connect to an electrical outlet"... PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THAT!!!!

And the mic input on a laptop is the same as the mic input on a computer with a soundcard, except some newer laptops/tablets have a different "combo" connector with mic & headphones combined, and that takes a different plug or an adapter cable.

The "pictures" show something that looks like a 3.5mm connector for a computer mic input. That kind-of implies it will work with a computer, but computer's don't supply 48V phantom power.

Stage/studio mics are low impedance balanced (3-wire) with an XLR connector.

Computer mics are unbalanced (2-wire) with a 3.5mm TRS connector.

The two are NOT interchangeable! You might get some sound with a mismatched mic, but it's not going to work properly.

Condenser mics require power. Dynamic mics (such as the famous Shure SM58 vocal-stage mic) do not require power.

Electret condenser computer mics get 5V from the soundcard. Virtually every "computer mic", is this type of mic.

Studio condenser mics get 48V phantom power from the mixer, preamp, or interface. Some stage electret condensers have a built-in battery and some use phantom power.

There are very few high-quality computer mics, and the preamps built into regular consumer soundcards are often low quality and noisy.

If you want quality recording, you have a couple of options:

The simplest and easiest solution is a "studio style" USB mic. A USB mic essentially has a "soundcard" built-in so your existing soundcard is not used. Some of these have a built-in headphone jack for direct-hardware monitoring so if you're monitoring yourself with headphones while recording you don't have to deal with latency (delay) through the computer. Another nice feature to look for is a volume/gain control.

The biggest downside to a USB mic is that you can only use one at a time. So no stereo or multitrack recording. And, you can't use it with a mixer or PA system. And, some people complain of noise with "podcast" mics. Presumably this noise comes from the computer's USB power, which is powering the preamp & ADC inside the mic.

The other alternative is a studio condenser mic and a USB interface with the proper XLR microphone inputs. You can also get interfaces with zero-latency hardware-monitoring.

Well, thank you for the quick replies.
Many reviews I found ( it was on the internet so it MUST be true). Said it was a high quality, low cost mike.

Guess I'll get the Phantom boost and hopefully I'll be on my way.

Thanks again

Dawacs

I agree, but one reviewer managed to put it through test with just 5 volts.

This microphone states that it requires 48v of phantom power, however, I have completed multiple tests using a USB audio adapter (which provides a maximum of 5v to the microphone) and it seems to work perfectly fine. It DOES require some amount of power to function, and plugging it directly into your computers microphone port will not work (at least that's what I'm told from many viewers).

Apparently, the instructions are a little fuzzy on how to do this.

It's fuzzy on other points as well.

Excelvan BM-800 Condenser Microphone Sound Recording Dynamic + Mic Shock Mount
Neodymiun magnet for high signal-to-noise ratio.

Condenser microphones don't have Neodymiun magnets. I think this may be a Dynamic (moving coil) microphone masquerading as a condenser (moving plate) microphone.

Then, further down the product description:

48V phantom power adapter is not included.

I can't get anybody to admit the instruction manual exists, so all we have is the Amazon product description which is a bit scrambled.

I've had reasonably good luck with the Behringer UM2 USB preamplifier with 48 volts phantom power. I expect this microphone to work with that USB adapter. Other, more expensive units are available. Many people seem to like this one.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ScarlettSoloG2

I would not just buy a 48v adapter and depend on the soundcard for the voice boosting. Soundcards are usually too noisy and low volume for that.

Koz

One more thing...

Muffled/low recording...

It's a directional mic. And, most studio condensers are "side address" directional mics. That means you talk/sing into the front-side, NOT into the end like a typical hand-held stage mic. If you speak/sing into the end or into the back, the sound will be attenuated and muffled.

And if you're on a laptop, it's also possible you're really recording on the laptop built-in microphone by accident. You can try the scratch test.

http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/clips/ScratchTest2.mp3

As a fuzzy rule, you speak into the side with the logo or lights.
Koz

Once again, thank you for your inputs (even though you made fun of my mike choice )

I'll provide an update after I get the boost system.
1. From what I've read lately, while some say you don't need the boost for a table top, this USUALLY is NOT the case.
2. The Amazon information on this mike is sketchy at best and the "info pack" on delivery is next to worthless.

Dawacs

Ok....got the 48V Phantom boost and..........NO CHANGE.

The paper work on the NEEWER NW-100 says the boost does NOT increase mike volume.

Any other suggestions ya'll??

Thanks

Dawacs

Two different things.

Condenser microphones have electronics inside and some method has to be provided to run them. I have field microphones that take batteries. Studio microphones generally require Phantom Power, so called because power goes up to the microphone and sound comes back down on the same wires without interfering with each other.

I have a headset microphone that can use either one.

That has nothing to do with sound volume. If you apply 48 volt phantom power, it turns your dead device into a microphone. Now, regular microphone rules apply. Electronics are needed to boost the sound loud enough to be useful.

So you can plug it into the Mic-In of a sound mixer and boost it that way.



Or the Mic-In of a USB adapter like my UM2. That's it on the left.
And etc. Of course, we're still not entirely sure what you have there since the instructions are so scrambled.

Koz