Audacity Forum

Okay, here's a short file recorded with the H4N Handy Recorder. Jerreth did it is a closet, which should have some good qualities, due to the closes already in there and the blankets she hung. I have not yet managed to get the H4N to recognize the Shure microphone. After some attempts we decided, at least, to do a recording with the native microphone. Though I need to learn more on how to operate this machine, I am encouraged that it is very straight forward and logical.

George

I believe I just got the Shure microphone to work on the H4N. Soon as I can get the wife off her other tasks I will have her do a test recording with the Shure microphone and a good set of earphones.

This will be my last post for this evening. It's getting late, so I'll have to work on this more tomorrow. Here's the best we managed with the Shure microphone. The volume is way too low.

George

This is an "adjusted" version of the Shure track, and yes, I found the same problem with my H4. This is odd because someone else claimed good performance using this H4 and I've used it for other jobs.

The first track with the built-in microphones is picking up hum and room noises. I wonder if you weren't speaking into the right end. I couldn't rescue that one.

The patched Shure track is just a touch off ACX compliance. The overall loudness is too low (no surprise there) but it didn't come up enough when I applied adjustments. I did have to use Noise Reduction and ACX doesn't like us doing that.

I can dump the correction details on you so you can do this, too.

Koz

Okay, well, I'm not sure where to go with the H4N at this point. I suppose I'll take it to work with me and work with it on breaks.
This evening (as in the next hour) I hope to try one more recording with the Samson microphone, Sampson Softpre program (Windows XP) on the Dell D800, to see if I get the clicking sound with any adjustments.

I am also going to see, if perchance I can install the Samson Softpre program on my wife's Windows 8.1 laptop. If I can, that might solve our problem.

Do you think I should ask Jerreth to try another recording with the built in microphone in the H4N? She told me that she was watching the screen when she did the other recording, which means it was not right up close to her mouth.

Then, if all else fails, I have a Gateway NE56R45u laptop with 6 GB if memory. It has a cracked screen, so I'll have to put it on an external monitor (which I have). I'm thinking of installing Windows XP on that machine, though I hate to totally lose the Windows 8.1. I may be able to partition the hard drive and make a dual boot system with Windows XP. But I know how Windows 8 balks at any change in partitions. At any rate, I could put XP on that computer and try the Samson Softpre and Samson microphone on it. Surely the more modern computer could handle the audio demands.

Going to get to work now and see what I can accomplish.

George

I've been speaking with the other elves and it's probably possible to produce a reasonable track with the Shure microphone and the H4n. Some of the tools are new in Audacity 2.1.0 and I don't have the swing yet. I used the obvious processing tools without bothering to tune the violin.

I can show you the spells and incantations. But yes, it is extra processing work instead of just pressing stop.

So you can count that as one way to produce vocal work and that can be the backup if you can't get anything else to work. The reason I liked that performance is the acoustics, breath, and presentation were good. I don't know what happened to the built-in microphones.....

And again playing Mr. Cold Water, that was an eight second clip. You'll have to keep that going at the same quality for a whole show.

Oh, and you can certainly use a WinXP license as long as the machine doesn't connect to the internet. Remember, no security updates....

Koz

Yes, of course! I wouldn't think of going on the Internet with Windows XP. I originally I purchased the D800 to set up solely to use for offline word processing, for Jerreth's translation and interpreting business. I just had to switch operating systems to try it with the Samson.

I can still work with the H4N then. But not tonight. I generally rise at 3:30 AM in order to do chores and prepare for work.

I tried another recording with the D800 and the Samson microphone. It clicked terribly. I'm going to discard that as a possibility and put the machine back to Linux and use it for word processing.

I did install the Samson Softpre program and drivers on Jerreth's Windows 8.1 laptop. It appears to work. What do you think? Once we have an acceptable option I'll have her do a longer clip.

Again, thanks for so much help!

George

I long for the days of test4_1_2015.wav Remember that one? "This is a test of Tom's mic.." That's the clip that made ACX compliance with just the slightest tiny volume adjustment. The clip with the ticks in it?

Windows8_Samson_Softpre_test4_12_2015.wav won't pass easily. It's too noisy. I can live with the small hiss (fffffff) but the frying mosquito whine and the power supply hum are a problem. If I had to guess at it, you were running the laptop from shore power — the wall brick, right? That's probably where the hum is coming from. The whine is a dislike some computers and USB microphones have for each other. There is no easy fix. Flynwill got rid of his noise by taking his USB device apart and redesigning it. I'm guessin' you're not up to that.

Noise Reduction can help, but that whine sound is like a baby screaming on a jet. The show can be "ACX legal" and I can still hear it.

Wasn't Test4... done with the straight microphone, sound mixer and the UCA-202? Is there anything wrong with moving that whole thing over to the new computer?

And way down on the bottom of the list, did you change anything in the room? It's not serious, but I swear I can hear more "broom closet" honk in that last clip. I compared it to other clips and they sound more natural and studio-like. We know you can do this because you did it already, so we should concentrate on getting the recording system working.

Koz

Here are four recordings using the Samsom microphone and Samson Softpre software and driver on Jerreth's Gateway NE56R45u laptop (Windows 8.1). In each recording my mouth was about 9" from the microphone. In two recordings Samson Softpre was set at 0 dB. In two it was set to 27 dB. Two were done in the old office studio. Two were done in the bathroom, with the sound proofing she set up. I think I hear more of a hollow sound in the old studio recordings.

Here's an image of the Softpre interface:

We're not getting the analog microphone back are we? I can force this clip to work.

"Selecting the whole clip" repeats itself, but after the first one, you just have to make sure it's still selected. Some of the steps do not have the whole clip selected, so you have to pay attention.

=================================================

SamsonMic_NE56R45u_SamsonPre_27dB_study.wav
2015-04-14

Import the clip in Audacity 2.1.0.

Select the whole clip by clicking just above MUTE.
Effect > Normalize: [X]Remove DC, [X]Normalize to -3.2dB, OK

Select the whole clip by clicking just above MUTE.
Effect > Equalization > LF Rolloff for Speech, OK

Select the whole clip by clicking just above MUTE.
Effect > Notch Filter: Frequency 80Hz, Q 6.0, OK

Drag-select 0.5 sec to 2.0 sec (room tone segment).
Effect > Noise Reduction: Profile
Select the whole clip by clicking just above MUTE.
Effect > Noise Reduction: Settings as in attached picture.


That clip sounds clear and passes all three Audiobook specifications.

Koz