Old 02-01-2016, 03:18 PM   #1
NoCynics
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 6
Default Horrible mic distortion :[

Hey, pals. Hopefully this is the right place to post this.

I goofed around in Reaper from time to time from about 2013 to 2015 using Windows 7 64 bit and a Blue Yeti USB mic, mostly doing vocals and acoustic guitar into the thing. I went traveling for a few months, came back, updated Reaper, and now my recordings sound really gross. I got ASIO4All and messed with the settings in every way I could think of, to no avail.

Pertinent info that I'm not well-informed enough to know how to interpret: Sometimes, if I start a clean project, I can record just fine, but if I change the project settings or turn on the metronome, the recording will go haywire again, even if I undo the changes.

If anyone can help me diagnose this, I won't have to record in Audacity and then import everything to Reaper. What a drag that life would be.

In case anyone's a static whisperer, I've uploaded a sample of the junky recording here: https://soundcloud.com/nocynics/this-sounds-bad
NoCynics is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2016, 03:47 PM   #2
ivansc
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near Cambridge UK and Near Questembert, France
Posts: 22,754
Default

Try the soundcloud upload again - linky no worky.
__________________
Ici on parles Franglais
ivansc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2016, 04:01 PM   #3
NoCynics
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 6
Default

Should be better now. I had made it too private.

I'll also mention that this recording only has some general hissiness. It can get way cracklier.
NoCynics is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2016, 12:43 PM   #4
NoCynics
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 6
Default

Okay, it's pretty much just the hissy distortion now - I haven't been able to get it cracklier for an example. I guess maybe that's progress.

Still, I'm hoping someone's got some ideas concerning this, because it's making my recordings sound like junk and I don't know what to do about it.
NoCynics is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2016, 01:35 PM   #5
ivansc
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near Cambridge UK and Near Questembert, France
Posts: 22,754
Default

I assume you are on a laptop.
Have you tried unplugging the mains adapter from the computer to see if that makes any difference?
Sounds like typical cheap crap laptop power issue to me.
__________________
Ici on parles Franglais
ivansc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2016, 02:11 PM   #6
clepsydrae
Human being with feelings
 
clepsydrae's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,409
Default

Yeah, sounds like a hardware thing to me: power supply interference or an issue with the mic. I'd be surprised if it had anything to do with asio4all or reaper, though I suppose stranger things have happened.

I would try another mic, and i would try disconnecting the power supply as ivan suggested. Perhaps try alternate usb ports as well. Take note of cables that may be overlapping each other.

This may be germane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyqI9hE5PYU
clepsydrae is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2016, 02:12 PM   #7
NoCynics
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 6
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ivansc View Post
I assume you are on a laptop.
Have you tried unplugging the mains adapter from the computer to see if that makes any difference?
Sounds like typical cheap crap laptop power issue to me.
I'm actually on a PC. I would have thought it was a hardware thing, but everything sounds fine in Audacity (and sometimes in Reaper, as mentioned).
NoCynics is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2016, 02:30 PM   #8
clepsydrae
Human being with feelings
 
clepsydrae's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,409
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by NoCynics View Post
I'm actually on a PC. I would have thought it was a hardware thing, but everything sounds fine in Audacity (and sometimes in Reaper, as mentioned).
Oh right, sorry. You are using asio4all in audacity as well? Same sample rate and so forth?

My next step would be to try other USB mics, and to try the blue yeti mic in different USB ports, especially those that are topologically far away from the port you are using (e.g. front of computer case vs. back). And try the yeti in a different computer with reaper.
clepsydrae is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2016, 02:34 PM   #9
serr
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,562
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by NoCynics View Post
but everything sounds fine in Audacity (and sometimes in Reaper, as mentioned).
Then it's not a recording of mic distortion. (Or the distortion would be a constant regardless of media player or DAW app.)

Check your audio interface settings.
You might also need specific Windows fixes.
You can post a screen shot of your REAPER Preferences/Audio/Device page and maybe it will help tell the story.
serr is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2016, 05:26 PM   #10
NoCynics
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 6
Default

Here's that screenshot. I'll try out different computers and stuff asap. That sounds worthwhile.

I tried the same computer with a different mic and got the same weirdness.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg audio.jpg (63.4 KB, 314 views)
File Type: jpg audio2.jpg (55.9 KB, 308 views)

Last edited by NoCynics; 02-02-2016 at 05:47 PM.
NoCynics is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2016, 03:32 AM   #11
silar
Human being with feelings
 
silar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: In the armpit of the USA
Posts: 251
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by NoCynics View Post
Here's that screenshot. I'll try out different computers and stuff asap. That sounds worthwhile.

I tried the same computer with a different mic and got the same weirdness.
Are you outputting to your mic also? In your Reaper config, you show your outputs being the Yeti Mic.. Shouldn't this be your Realtek HD?
__________________
Registered Reaper Owner and lover of free VST's
silar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2016, 03:22 PM   #12
NoCynics
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 6
Default

It's that way because I'm running headphones back out through it. Do you think that could cause issues?
NoCynics is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:59 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.