Phantom power - Noise problems -ACID Product Family

Subject:Phantom power - Noise problems Posted by: Lostdog Date:7/11/2006 5:02:39 AM Hello all For several years I have been recording vocals using a AKG C1000s (using the battery to power it) through my Boss BR8 into Acid Pro through an m-audio 2496 soundcard. This has worked fine, but I have been told you can get a better, more 'lively' vocal sound using higher quality mics. However, most of these require phantom power. Therefore, I bought a second hand Spirit Folio 14/2 mixer (with phantom power) and Samson C01 condenser. However, I found that the background noise was too high to make a decent recording with this setup. I tried putting the C1000s through the mixer, but found the noise to be equally high. Thinking it was a mixer problem, I recently borrowed a fairly new mixer and I had exactly the same problem. I then tried the 'tube pre-amp' route, and bought a Behringer MIC200 Tube ultragain. This was even noisier! Is this normal? Should I expect this extra noise using phantom power, or is it likely to be a problem with the quality of the mixer? Should I be using some kind of outboard fx to reduce the noise? Does anyone have a good setup they could recommend to give a quality, clear vocal sound (on a budget!)? - I'd heard the Audio Technica AD 2020 is a decent mic. Can anyone recommend a small mixer? Thanks LD Message last edited on7/11/2006 5:05:18 AM byLostdog.
Subject:RE: Phantom power - Noise problems Reply by: JohnnyRoy Date:7/11/2006 6:53:54 AM I use an M-Audio Firewire-410 interface and I have no problem with background noise with any of my microphones. The Audio-Technica AT2020 is a great little mic for $99. I usually use my AT4033 ($399) for vocal work but the AT2020 is still very impressive for the price. The background noise could be coming from your mixer or even the cables connecting the mixer to the Audiophile 2496 or even from within your computer itself (and picked up by the 2496). It is best to get an external audio interface so that there is no electrical interference from within your computer case if that’s what you think you might be experiencing. That’s why I got a firewire interface. If it’s just a constant noise floor then it may be the mixer. It is definitely not the phantom power. Make sure the only channel faders that are open are ones that you are actually using (unused channels with the faders up add to the background noise of the mixer). Also make sure the channel is trimmed properly. If the mic is not hot enough it will pick up a lot of background hiss because you have to turn the fader up more to get a good level. The Spirit should have given you good audio. Did you try recording nothing? Just the Spirit with an open channel without a mic. Is that noisy? If not, where are you placing your microphone? If it’s next to your computer, a condenser mic with phantom power is definitely sensitive enough to pick up the sound of your computer fans. My AT4033 picks up my fans quite nicely so I have to isolate the mic across the room. If you had it across the room in an isolated place then you should not be getting background noise from the mic. ~jr Message last edited on7/11/2006 7:03:46 AM byJohnnyRoy.
Subject:RE: Phantom power - Noise problems Reply by: Lostdog Date:7/11/2006 7:49:44 AM Thanks jr - I don't think it's anything within the PC, cos if it was I'd probably be suffering noise problems recording from the BR8. I'll try your suggestions and see what happens. LD

Subject:Phantom power - Noise problems

Posted by: Lostdog

Date:7/11/2006 5:02:39 AM

Hello all

For several years I have been recording vocals using a AKG C1000s (using the battery to power it) through my Boss BR8 into Acid Pro through an m-audio 2496 soundcard. This has worked fine, but I have been told you can get a better, more 'lively' vocal sound using higher quality mics. However, most of these require phantom power.

Therefore, I bought a second hand Spirit Folio 14/2 mixer (with phantom power) and Samson C01 condenser. However, I found that the background noise was too high to make a decent recording with this setup. I tried putting the C1000s through the mixer, but found the noise to be equally high. Thinking it was a mixer problem, I recently borrowed a fairly new mixer and I had exactly the same problem.

I then tried the 'tube pre-amp' route, and bought a Behringer MIC200 Tube ultragain. This was even noisier!

Is this normal? Should I expect this extra noise using phantom power, or is it likely to be a problem with the quality of the mixer? Should I be using some kind of outboard fx to reduce the noise?

Does anyone have a good setup they could recommend to give a quality, clear vocal sound (on a budget!)? - I'd heard the Audio Technica AD 2020 is a decent mic. Can anyone recommend a small mixer?
Thanks
LD

Message last edited on7/11/2006 5:05:18 AM byLostdog.

Subject:RE: Phantom power - Noise problems

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:7/11/2006 6:53:54 AM

I use an M-Audio Firewire-410 interface and I have no problem with background noise with any of my microphones. The Audio-Technica AT2020 is a great little mic for $99. I usually use my AT4033 ($399) for vocal work but the AT2020 is still very impressive for the price.

The background noise could be coming from your mixer or even the cables connecting the mixer to the Audiophile 2496 or even from within your computer itself (and picked up by the 2496). It is best to get an external audio interface so that there is no electrical interference from within your computer case if that’s what you think you might be experiencing. That’s why I got a firewire interface.

If it’s just a constant noise floor then it may be the mixer. It is definitely not the phantom power. Make sure the only channel faders that are open are ones that you are actually using (unused channels with the faders up add to the background noise of the mixer). Also make sure the channel is trimmed properly. If the mic is not hot enough it will pick up a lot of background hiss because you have to turn the fader up more to get a good level.

The Spirit should have given you good audio. Did you try recording nothing? Just the Spirit with an open channel without a mic. Is that noisy? If not, where are you placing your microphone? If it’s next to your computer, a condenser mic with phantom power is definitely sensitive enough to pick up the sound of your computer fans. My AT4033 picks up my fans quite nicely so I have to isolate the mic across the room. If you had it across the room in an isolated place then you should not be getting background noise from the mic.

~jr

Message last edited on7/11/2006 7:03:46 AM byJohnnyRoy.

Subject:RE: Phantom power - Noise problems

Reply by: Lostdog

Date:7/11/2006 7:49:44 AM

Thanks jr - I don't think it's anything within the PC, cos if it was I'd probably be suffering noise problems recording from the BR8.
I'll try your suggestions and see what happens.
LD