what's wrong with my mic?

ErnAbr

New member
Hello,

my microphone was working a few days ago without a problem.

But today I decided to practice and the microphone makes crazy noises.

What might be the problem?

There was a huge windows update, but I don't think that it is the problem, I keep my system clean, please help!
 

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Do you have an audio interface and if so, what brand? What type of mic do you have e.g. condenser, USB mic, etc. and if it is condenser you need either a standalone preamp or an audio interface that can handle phantom power. USB mics are not ideal for recording.
 
I use FL-Studio with a Yamaha AG-03 mixer and a condenser microphone Takstar SM-10B.

I was doing everything like always, but somethings wrong, I pluged in a cheap head set microphone into the mixer and it works O.K, but the good mic is making noises.

is it possible that the microphone broke?
 
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Ditch the mixer and cheap mic. You don't need the former and for the latter research Rode, Audio-Technica, Neumann, Lauten Audio, Electro-Voice, etc.
 
Alright, but I'm interested why should I use preamp or an audio interface instead of a mixer which I have and it seems decent?
 
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ok, I understand the difference now.

But, I don't understand the next step on how to use preamps and audio interfaces. As I understand you connect your microphone to a preamp, then you connect your preamp via line inputs to your audio interface and then you connect your audio interface to your computer, right?
 
ok, I understand the difference now.

But, I don't understand the next step on how to use preamps and audio interfaces. As I understand you connect your microphone to a preamp, then you connect your preamp via line inputs to your audio interface and then you connect your audio interface to your computer, right?

YouTube
 
OK, I also have several more question if you may answer please:


so audio interfaces have pre-built amps, is it really necesery to use an external pre-amp? How does this increase the quality of my vocals?

Since I'm a beginner, shouldn't I be satisfied just with an audio interface with pre-built amp?


I see that my mixer has a knob that has GAIN function for the microphone channel and a fader for recording volume, isn't it the same as pre-build amp in an audio interface?
 
In the case of the Yamaha AG-03, this is a mixer that has both preamps and an audio interface built in. Also the mic doesn't seem to be that cheap? Most of the condensers in this price range are made in China anyway, and might even have more or less the same parts – of course the quality control for well-known brands might be better, but obvious product defects aside I doubt they're leaps and bounds better than "no-name" Chinese brands.

Anyway - hard to say what causes the noise. The diaphragm - the part that "picks up" the sound - is a pretty delicate part, and it's possible for it to become damaged from even something as simple as blowing hard into the mic. And of course dropping it or knocking it hard to something might do this as well. But the easiest way to verify whether or not the mic's broken is to connect something else to the mixer and see if it makes those noises - if it still does, it's not the mic.
 
The mic is several years old, but at that time it was worth around 150€ in my place. I think that the mic might be broken, anyway I think it would be a good move to invest into a new microphone, I had that in plans for a while.

I like my yamaha mixer, I think for my home studio purposes it suits me well, but I wonder can I connect external preamps or compressors to this Yahama AG-03 mixer, bacause it has one XLR/Line input? (using Direct box as in YT?)

And basically if I decide to go more advanced on hardwere, my mixer can get tricky to use and I should skip to an audio interface? <- Just the question
 
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I like my yamaha mixer, I think for my home studio purposes it suits me well, but I wonder can I connect external preamps or compressors to this Yahama AG-03 mixer, bacause it has one XLR/Line input? (using Direct box as in YT?)

Yes, if it's all inline. But as the article that OGBama posted says in the end - "if you're just starting out, forget about preamps and get a slightly more expensive interface instead" - I really like that an equipment manufacturer that doesn't do interfaces says that. The differences in preamps - even those expensive, "character" or "color" preamps are really subtle. Turning a preamp's gain up by a dB or two will make a more drastic difference (perceived difference, that is) than the character of a preamp ever will be. Not saying that preamps don't matter, but basically you might be in for a disappointment if you pair an external preamp with a low-endish mic and low-endish interface, especially if you don't have a great-sounding space to record in.

And basically if I decide to go more advanced on hardwere, my mixer can get tricky to use and I should skip to an audio interface? <- Just the question

At this point, if it works...why change? Change when you know you have a weak point, not because you think something new will somehow magically improve "stuff" :)
 
alright, I learned something new about music hardware and cables. Thanks a lot guys!!

As a beginner I don't need all that fancy stuff!! :D
 
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Do your microphone use an XLR-cable? These cables usually makes crazy noises after a while so investing in a slighty more expensive one is often good tip!
 
Do your microphone use an XLR-cable? These cables usually makes crazy noises after a while so investing in a slighty more expensive one is often good tip!

Frankly that's a weird generalization that "XLR cables make crazy noises after a while" - yeah, cheap cables can break. So can expensive ones. But they rarely spontaneously break, and I've had plenty of cheapo cables that have lasted for years and years - and I've had some better ones that gave up the ghost quickly because they got twisted or something. But yeah, just saying that do get a decent-quality cable by all means...but this doesn't have to be expensive at all.
 
Frankly that's a weird generalization that "XLR cables make crazy noises after a while" - yeah, cheap cables can break. So can expensive ones. But they rarely spontaneously break, and I've had plenty of cheapo cables that have lasted for years and years - and I've had some better ones that gave up the ghost quickly because they got twisted or something. But yeah, just saying that do get a decent-quality cable by all means...but this doesn't have to be expensive at all.

If you've ever been in a band-rehearsal, school music-class or perhaps in a 'spartanic' studio-session then you would know that XLR-cables are not to be trusted, having a few extra pairs laying around is a necessity more than a precaution.

But that is just my opinion.
 
If you've ever been in a band-rehearsal, school music-class or perhaps in a 'spartanic' studio-session then you would know that XLR-cables are not to be trusted, having a few extra pairs laying around is a necessity more than a precaution.

But that is just my opinion.

Not disagreeing at all, having a few spares is always good - but basically that goes for all cables in general. But since we're offering assistance and advice to a (relative) newbie, the advice needs to be understandable in that particular concept. And in my experience I've never had cables, nor specifically XLR cables, spontaneously make crazy noises - of course they break when you're in a space with multiple people and cables running on the floor and whatnot, but that's got little to do with the cables themselves :)
 
It's always worth checking the cable. I reocmmend investing in a decent one. If you've had updates I would also check for driver incompatibility issues.
 
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