Nice mic/ loud computer

Yep,  Well not most of the time but if I forget to kill my A/C system before tracking vocals I get a low hum in there from it.  No problems with my computer though.   I have delt with it via a combination of slip editing between lines and then using the VX 64 vocal strips Compander feature (comp & expander).  It works ok unless you are singing really softly.  Play with the expanders threshold (you're actually doing negative expansion this way I think) and cut out the noise floor below your vocal.   I hope that helps!

Fans in computers can be changed to (in the BIOS) quiet mode, performance mode, or perhaps like regular mode. If you are not running the CPU very much (which I do not seem to do even with my old, old computer) then the fan will be quieter. But actually I have not ran into a noise problem, because of the voiceworks (TCHelicon) hardware I am using for effects and harmony or whatever it does for singing. It has a noise gate in it (which is the main reason for this post) and it ends at 70dB, so anything below that level is not picked up. So I suggest using a noise gate for any mic and not picking up external noises (since I have a lot of those anytime I try and do anything). But then I am not doing acoustic guitar or any amp micing or anything like that either which means that I have to be closer to what I am trying to record (and I guess that is going to just be voice for me). That is all I can suggest - a noise gate, because there was nothing down there important but noise below where you set the noise gate to hear anyway, and the dynamics of the song was not going to allow more dynamic range without major upgrades to a room or ending up with a music studio made for any of it. There are no drop outs in the sound because it never gets down below 70dB anyway. (and I was standing up right at my computer a foot away while singing closer to the mic (because of outside noise also present at inopportune times.) That makes it more inconvenience but I do not expect to record like a music studio not having a music studio and room noise is just the same, because effects and manipulation of the signal is may occur anyway. So although I may hear the noise, it never shows up in the recording then, assuming that the input level of the mic on the device is set up properly also when tweaking the input to record the mic into the DAW. This is not a ideal done song but you probably heard it before - and there was the whispering in the mic also. I do not claim the recording is anything but done and about as done as I wanted to spend time on it anymore. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pZWB10p5-4 of course on the guitar I can almost play somewhat again, I was using a electronic box not an amp. Of course it could have been better, perhaps I will get better - next time if any.

Oh, and of course, only one pickup pattern on my mic - cardoid which helps cancels out noise coming from the back of the microphone. I suppose you can put a box around yourself, or have to figure out what pattern of the mic can be used or something else then.

That is actually one thing I do not have a problem with is the computer fan noise. I have every other noise going on, and like mentioned AC or Heat running, I have to wait, but that is that, along with other factors, just the computer fan noise was nothing for me. And i have a reflexion filter also which they say helps (I suppose it does a little).

Seems odd that a modern day PC would make enough noise to create a problem but if we're talking about voice-over work (or audio books or any spoken word type recordings with nothing in the background) then yes, I understand the dilemma. I record in the same space as my PC all the time. The problem of PC noise is so rare I don't even think about it any more. I have a rack-mount PC. Chose the quietest drives I could fine and the quietest CPU fan and PS fan and turned off the front panel fans completely. You have to get your ear up to the case to really hear anything. I'm not doing anything else fancy in terms of acoustical treatment around the box other than to keep it down around the floor area. I get more trouble from the air conditioning ha ha. But that's usually easily dealt with with a touch of expander or gate. When it's a rock band, nothing matters ha ha. The white noise from the crashing cymbals trumps everything lol good luck finding a solution. Don't understand why it's so difficult unless it's a diesel powered PC lol

Thanks for the response guys.  The issue is my computer was a custom built gaming machine orginally.  It has 7 fans.  Not extremely loud but with the new mic it would seem I cant get away from the noise no matter what I do. 

Recently I have done some VO work and it is killing me.  As well as any intimate acoustic recording.  I cut out all the noise between each section.  Process - remove silence - then I manually go in and remove more silience in fine detail.  The noise gate solution is what I have been relying on, but really I hate having to use them because it is always a comprimise on one of the ends.

I may have to box it in to some extent as Bit kind of suggests with the 703. 

Thanks Larry.  My thoughts exactly about the "soap ring".  Prior to my recent music gigs, I did/do 80% midi work so noise is usually not a factor.  I bought my machine 3 years ago for gaming and ending up jumping full bore into recording instead.  (Although prior to my baby 9 months ago I still was a gamer in my spare time)  So I did not plan out the whole 'quiet recording thing.  My next machine will be silent, whenever that happens.

Thanks again for the thoughts

Ah, there always the singing at 2 to 3 or so AM at night. That might work, although the hours may be bad for some. I was also first (since Sonar does that automatically) at 60dB reading out - no noise, and then set the meters at 78dB and really no noise, until I got to setting the meters at -90dB range to see what was really going on. A little noise there, but then it was in the middle of the night.

treating your room can help lowering computer noise a lot. As refections and such will tend to amplify the noise.

I'm pretty anal about computer noise as I like to do softer voc/acoustic stuff with the computer 4 feet away. Since I built my new computer and treated my room a little, it's almost bearable. At this point, I question the validity of being so anal and of really how important it all is in the grand scheme of things. But hard to say in your case because I can't hear your noise. 

Beyond that, there are lots of noise plugs that can help.

Let me ask you. Does this sound like there's a loud computer in the room?
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10901441


I can hear it but, to me, it is irrelevant anymore.

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cwestmont - You are correct, I have an expensive gaming card in there.  That's alot of the reason for the open case and fans.  The gaming case looks like this.  The problem I think is the open top which allows alot of circulation but also allows all the noise to get out.

Timidi - I really like your song, nice writing and production (as per usual).  Where the computer sits theres foam corner traps behind it and regular foam traps on the side.  My room is far from perfect I have some treatment but could use more for sure.  Above is my room with most of the gear removed guitars/amps etc.  I never had a problem with the fan noise getting into my recordings until I got this mic.  I was using a dynamic mic for all my recordings (you know the saying, when your only tool is a hammer..)  The condensor mic sounds fantastic but it can pick up a pin being dropped in the other room

Herb - I'm not sure the fans could be any quieter under the circumstances.  As you can see with the above picture (thats not my case but I have the same thing) the top and sides are open to allow maximum air flow.  I think the answer is going to have to be a new computer, "whisper quiet" as Jim and Scott say.

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions again guys,