Noise - Level Settings

I am looking for help in identifying low level static noise when operating X-1 Studio.  I have disabled my internet connection, but I believe the problem is related to the overall gain in my system.  In order to hear through my headphones when doing overdubs (I am using the headphone connections on my M-Audio Fast Track Ultra), I have to have the headphone output almost all the way up.   Obviously I hear the noise when I raise the level on the interface inputs.  But I was wondering, if there a rule of thumb, should the interface level on the laptop be at 100% or less to start with?   
 
Recently I was using an old ribbon mic, and I was running the signal thru a Mackie VLZ Pro mixer as a mic pre, and the noise was more pronounced.  I can describe the noise of what I call ocean noise, it seems irratic, not metrical.  Is this a problem with the interface?   It seems like the headphone level is not very loud to start with. 
 
Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks.   

The ribbon mic may need power from the VLZ. 

I would concur on checking the power needs on your mics.

Can you try running things with no mics?  Just to try to determine if it is something there or something else?

Also, what is your driver mode, and if ASIO, what are your interface and X1 sample rates and buffer size?

Can you setup a simple project with just an imported audio file (MP3 or WMA) and see if you still have this issue?

Does this happen outside of X1?  (just running Windows Media Player)

I'm just firing off some things to help isolate the issue - maybe one of the above might turn up something of a clue.

It certainly seems that your system should have no performance issues, although maybe some background service could be causing problems.

Oh - one more thought - can you run DPC Latency Checker for a little bit to see if there are any latency spikes?  I have had problems in the past from really stupid things like a dying laptop battery that once physically removed eliminated the weird problems.

Bob Bone

Jimbo 88


Ribbon mics are noisey by nature....

DO NOT add Power (phantom Power) to a ribbon mic.   John,  that is a sure way to destroy the ribbon. 

Well it wont be noisy anymore.  I just checked you are right! I'm glad you caught that. 

+1 one on the brain exploding on a pair of cranked headphones that suddenly 'awaken'.

I just about REALLY hurt myself once - it was only that they were just sort of on the top of my head when it happened that I think I can still hear anything at all.

Bob Bone

+1 to all the above.  I'm not familiar w/ the interface, but impedence will have a marked effect on the volume of a headphone.  And a lot of budget oriented interfaces will, to put it politely, skimp on the power amp for headphones.  Combine that with headphones that don't match the power requirements and/or impedence and you get low volume.  That shouldn't be a problem if you aren't recording the noise, just hearing it.  Bothersome, but shouldn't overly effect your recording quality.

Many ribbon mics are passive, and need a lot of gain from the preamp.  Again, many lower cost interfaces don't have a lot of gain in their preamps, and the high side on the gain knob is often almost on/off instead of evenly adjusting the gain level.  This makes it doubley hard to get a solid signal.  Not much to do about that but get something like a Fethead to use or buy an external preamp.

@

The outs on the interface are line level outputs, you would need to buy a headphone amp to make that work. It isn't that the headphones are good or bad, just not the right set for the OPs interface headphone output.

John

Jimbo 88


Ribbon mics are noisey by nature....

DO NOT add Power (phantom Power) to a ribbon mic.   John,  that is a sure way to destroy the ribbon. 

Well it wont be noisy anymore.  I just checked you are right! I'm glad you caught that. 

OK I'm suppose to write "LOL!"  But I really did laugh...anyways yea, go ahead, ask me how I know about destroying ribbon Mics.   Been there, done that...