chasmcg
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USB Mics
Anyone have any experience with USB mics? I'm looking at a Shure PG42 USB and the review at Electronic Musician is not bad.
I'm thinking that if I connect the PG42 to my laptop, sing the vocal, this will remove almost all noise from my vocals.
My computer is noisy (fans) and I have no room treatment (no plans to get any at present). I can put the laptop and mic anywhere in the house as well for the best result, noise wise. Plus the end result will depend on the mic and not the soundcard either (my understanding). So I'm wondering if anyone has tried this and your end results. Thanks.
chasmcg Windows 10 64 bit - Intel Core I7 7700T - Cakewalk by Bandlab - Focusrite Clarett 2Pre USB - 16 GB Mem DDR4 “The desire for fame is the last infirmity cast off even by the wise” - Tacitus
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IK Obi
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I personally would prefer a separate mic/interface. You can still use your mic if you upgrade in the future or viceversa. You'll still have an interface if you want to upgrade your mic/signal chain.
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Kalle Rantaaho
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Having read about 5 posts a week during the past years about problems with USB-mics I would not recommend them to anyone. I don't quite understand why you think the USB mic would somehow be especially good noisewise. Of course, it depends on what kind of mic you've been using this far. Maybe with your Audiophile PCI card (desk top PC?) you've used a condenser, but with the laptop I suppose you've been using a dynamic mic if you've connected it to your integrated soundcard. Condenser mics, like PG42, are much, much more sensitive to room noise than dynamic ones, so your laptop noise will be more audible than with a dynamic mic. I doubt if the noisefloor per se would be any better with the USB mic compared to a dynamic mic/integrated soundcard. Maybe it is?? OTOH, I know there are happy USB-mic users, so I'm not saying it does not work. It might as well be a good choice for your purposes.
post edited by Kalle Rantaaho - 2013/04/02 19:30:27
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chasmcg
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Thanks, IK. I have a another mic for that purpose. Was just wondering if anyone had any experience with recording with a USB mic.
Kalle, I have heard the same thing about USB mics but after reading the review from Electronic Musician was wondering if anyone had used one of the later generation USB mics. Wasn't referring to internal noise, external noise from my computer fans. I currently use a Rode NT1-A mic and I get good results. Just curious what anyone with experience with USB mics had to say. Thanks for your reply.
chasmcg Windows 10 64 bit - Intel Core I7 7700T - Cakewalk by Bandlab - Focusrite Clarett 2Pre USB - 16 GB Mem DDR4 “The desire for fame is the last infirmity cast off even by the wise” - Tacitus
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IK Obi
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I do and have never really been happy with the results, at the very least a usb to XLR interface may be up your alley.
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tfbattag
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I was just going to add that you're getting a condenser mic and a converter for $250. It could sound good, but it seems pretty low cost. But, it also depends on the quality you're going after. I totally understand where you're coming from on the portability front. I live on a few acres and often daydream about recording outside to get a totally different sound. Now you may have talked me into trying it!
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Beagle
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if you're going to get a USB mic, get one with a headphone output on it and don't use any other soundcard with it.
the usb mic is considered a "soundcard" even the ones without outputs. when you try to use a usb mic with another soundcard you will have sync problems because they don't have the same clock and you can't use them as one soundcard.
if you get a usb mic with a heaphone output, you can use the headphone output to monitor while recording with the mic so you won't have sync problems that way. if you use a separate soundcard for monitoring - you WILL have sync problems.
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tfbattag
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FWIW, the reviews on Sweetwater are pretty positive. We might have on at work. If so, I'll check it out for you.
Thomas Battaglia :wq! ----------------------------------------------------------- Intel DP35DP, Q6600, 6GB RAM, Win7Pro x64; RME HDSPe RayDAT; RME ADI8-DS x2, RME ADI-2.
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IK Obi
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Post some clips if you do end up making the jump.
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chuckebaby
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I use a rode NT 1000 and I can understand about the noise floor. mine is phantom powered and if your is as well its a good chance they resemble some of the responses. they are great microphones and pick up sibilance and mouth noises like crystal glass. but the reason they are so wonderful is the same double edged sword that makes them lethal for surrounding noises as well. understand where your coming from. id stick with the rode. try a few different approaches toward sound removal. I know this is not what you wanted to hear or get in to but you may find a nice gobo will yield much better results. here, make one for 20.00, I did and it did wonders and I do stress wonders. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFVqcEpg6_c or this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWXfoSH-IJE these not only cut down on noise but also warm the signal, how ? im still trying to figure that out. anyway, I hope you do something soon because I do look forward to watching your videos, they're hysterical. I believe you have a good chance of making short skits for television. and getting paid for it as well. best Charlie
post edited by chuckebaby - 2013/04/03 23:32:27
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guitartrek
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Beagle
if you're going to get a USB mic, get one with a headphone output on it and don't use any other soundcard with it.
the usb mic is considered a "soundcard" even the ones without outputs. when you try to use a usb mic with another soundcard you will have sync problems because they don't have the same clock and you can't use them as one soundcard.
if you get a usb mic with a heaphone output, you can use the headphone output to monitor while recording with the mic so you won't have sync problems that way. if you use a separate soundcard for monitoring - you WILL have sync problems.
Electronic Musician That's what turned me off about USB mics. They become the "audio device". Then you have to worry about monitoring (that is if you want to hear your voice as you record it). If the Mic has a headphone output I would want it to have Reverb too so I can monitor my voice with reverb. If USB mic's have reverb, that would be good. But I think it would start to narrow down Mic choices. Now you have to worry about the best mic - for your voice - that has headphone monitoring - with reverb. There probably aren't too many to choose from. How a mic fits your voice is a very individual thing because all voices are different and all mics are different. Normally you want the widest choices possible to match your voice to the mic.
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chasmcg
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Thanks, guys, for the replies. Will keep all suggestions in mind. Still mulling it over. I'm happy with the NT1-A but thought I might get better results if I could get in a quieter place. I'm lazy (or impatient) so the easiest, fastest way to accomplish something is my ideal. This way with my laptop (I'm thinking) I could get in a closet or something of that nature to cut down on the noise coming back through the mic. With a desktop, for me, rearranging things for that is just too much trouble.
Charlie, thanks a lot for those compliments. Very nice.
chasmcg Windows 10 64 bit - Intel Core I7 7700T - Cakewalk by Bandlab - Focusrite Clarett 2Pre USB - 16 GB Mem DDR4 “The desire for fame is the last infirmity cast off even by the wise” - Tacitus
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bitflipper
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For only $80 you could get the Alesis MultiMix 4, and have two phantom-powered mic inputs plus two line inputs plus a headphone output. I don't know if it's bus powered or requires a wall wart power supply, though.
 All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. My Stuff
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chasmcg
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bitflipper, you just may have solved the problem. Plug my NT1-A into this and away we go. Thanks. Going to do some digging.
chasmcg Windows 10 64 bit - Intel Core I7 7700T - Cakewalk by Bandlab - Focusrite Clarett 2Pre USB - 16 GB Mem DDR4 “The desire for fame is the last infirmity cast off even by the wise” - Tacitus
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guitartrek
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The alesis looks great - however it does need a wall wart for power. I use a Line6 UX2 - it's powered by my laptop USB, and has phantom power for my mic. It is very lightweight. You have lot's of choices on reverb, compressors, etc. for monitoring, while you record dry (or wet) into Sonar.
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Beagle
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also, the alesis multimix usb uses the USB CODEC for drivers, they do not have dedicated drivers. that's the biggest thing that turns me off about it.
plus it's 2 in/ 2 out only. that might not matter much for just a "travelling" set up, but it's more info on the system.
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chasmcg
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Called Sweetwater about the Alesis, then read guitartek's post and realized that I have a USB M-Audio Fast Track Pro that has been sitting up for 2 years probably. Bought it, used it for a week or so and went back to my PCI M-Audio Audiophile 192. Put the Fast Track Pro up and it's just been sitting.
DUH! So that's how I will proceed. Thanks for all your feedback on the matter.
chasmcg Windows 10 64 bit - Intel Core I7 7700T - Cakewalk by Bandlab - Focusrite Clarett 2Pre USB - 16 GB Mem DDR4 “The desire for fame is the last infirmity cast off even by the wise” - Tacitus
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Beagle
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IMO the Fast Track would be much better than the Alesis or a USB mic! that's the best option, IMO!
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The Maillard Reaction
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A real nice 120' mic cable would solve most of the problems.
A handful of 25' stereo headphone extension cables would solve most of the rest of them.
A wireless keyboard and some key commands in your head would finish the deal.
I am an enthusiastic proponent of using the bigger, better sounding, spaces in your home when the opportunity is available. Go for it!
:-)
best regards,
mike
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IK Obi
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Sweet, I had a Fasttrack Pro, great interface.
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