backround noise

[noizy]

Hello everyone,

I am new to sound recording and i am getting a lot of back round noise.My hardware:
Hp Z800 workstation,Audient EVO16 DAW, Shure SM7B microphone. When i put the mic gain on +45dB (on EVO16 it goes from -8dB to +50dB)
and Reaper input channel on 0dB a get a lot of back round noise when i am listening on headphones.I tried a Asus laptop on battery and it is the same and i also tried putting Z800 on battery the noise level stay the same. I record sound for podcasts and audio books. So where is the problem.

[DVDdoug]

Is it electrical noise or acoustic room noise? Room noise tends to be a problem for everybody unless you have a soundproof studio.

ALL preamps* generate SOME electrical noise. Usually it's hiss but you can get hum or whine from the power supply.

The SM7B is a dynamic mic. Condenser mics typically have about 20dB more output so you can get a better electrical signal-to-noise ratio.

That has no effect on acoustic noise, since the acoustic noise and the acoustic signal are both about 20dB higher with a condenser.

Usually adjusting the gain also has very-little effect on the signal-to-noise ratio. If you turn it down everything is quieter, and then it just gets louder when you amplify (or turn up the volume) later.

Condenser mics have built-in a head amp (48V phantom powered) that also generates SOME noise, but usually it's insignificant, and usually better than the preamp.

A lot of people use a cloudlifter with the SM7B (or other dynamic broadcast/podcast mics) and that works similarly to the head-amp in a condenser.

Getting reasonably-close and speaking with a strong-confident voice improves the signal-to-noise ratio, no matter the source of the noise.




* All analog electronics generates noise, but with a preamp it gets amplified by 40-60dB.


P.S.
Noise is an analog or acoustic problem, not a digital problem. But sometimes noise gets into the analog-side of USB-powered audio interfaces, through the USB power, which is often noisy. (It's usually a "whine".) The USB digital audio data is noise immune.

[jerome_oneil]

Increasing gain increases everything in the input. You will increase the gain on signal, but you will also increase it for whatever noise is there. At +48, you might just be hearing your preamps.

[SonicAxiom]

Originally Posted by noizy

Hello everyone,

I am new to sound recording and i am getting a lot of back round noise.My hardware:
Hp Z800 workstation,Audient EVO16 DAW, Shure SM7B microphone. When i put the mic gain on +45dB (on EVO16 it goes from -8dB to +50dB)
and Reaper input channel on 0dB a get a lot of back round noise when i am listening on headphones.I tried a Asus laptop on battery and it is the same and i also tried putting Z800 on battery the noise level stay the same. I record sound for podcasts and audio books. So where is the problem.

If you can't find the source of the noise get Waves Clarity VX.

.

[noizy]

Thank you guys for info. I think it is electrical hum because it doesn't change no matter where is the mic. Should i write to Audient and ask them? Also I hear double sound on headphones
(ghosting???). How do i remove that (I am using Sony MDR-7506 headphones).
Thank you again.

[Stella645]

Re noise....does it change with preamp gain? Is it hum or hiss??

SM7B is known for it's low output so could be preamp noise but that would more likely be hiss.
Did you buy the mic from a reputable seller.....there's lots of fakes around?

For the ghosting....you need to decide whether to monitor your vocal in the interface (direct monitoring) or through Reaper.

Unless there are FX on the vocal you must hear when performing, direct monitor is probably the best option so turn off Reapers input monitoring on the record track.

[ScuzzyEye]

The "ghosting" could also be headphone bleed, if it's ending up in the recording. That means the microphone is picking up the sound being reproduced by the headphones. The best recommendation for that is to turn down the level of the audio going to the phones. I looked, the model being used are closed-back, which is already a good start. (My open-backed headphone will actually feedback loudly when if I attempt to monitor with them on.)

[serr]

Originally Posted by noizy

Hello everyone,

I am new to sound recording and i am getting a lot of back round noise.My hardware:
Hp Z800 workstation,Audient EVO16 DAW, Shure SM7B microphone. When i put the mic gain on +45dB (on EVO16 it goes from -8dB to +50dB)
and Reaper input channel on 0dB a get a lot of back round noise when i am listening on headphones.I tried a Asus laptop on battery and it is the same and i also tried putting Z800 on battery the noise level stay the same. I record sound for podcasts and audio books. So where is the problem.

What kind of noise and how bad?

Replies so far seem to be assuming you have pretty fully mutilated audio...

So is this a little subtle room tone you noticed when being critical or is this full blown loud noise equally loud or louder than your voice?

Your audio interface and its mic preamps is a pro device and should be just fine. That mic might have a low-ish level but nothing where you need to do something weird for it or it doesn't work at all.

If you sang/spoke from 3' away from it, that would be silly and we would hear heavy room tone. Short of that, things should be sane.

[King Stupid]

Could very well be the preamps.

Shure says a minimum of 60db (more is better, but 60 is minimum)gain for preamp. Evo 16 is 58db.

From Shure: "With an acoustic input of 84dBSPL - typical speech level at 3 inches, the output level of the SM7 is -69dBV"

It wants to get to 0dBV, but with this mic and preamp, you are at -11dBV.

Shure says -9 is acceptable with most line level inputs.

I mean, the preamp is nearly maxed there.

[noizy]

Hello,thank you for replies. So: i just record, no FX and i want to hear master input no output (all inputs).So what kind of monitoring? I will write to Audient and see what they say.
i will upload settings screen shot. Thx

[Stella645]

Originally Posted by noizy

Hello,thank you for replies. So: i just record, no FX and i want to hear master input no output (all inputs).So what kind of monitoring?

Use the interface direct monitor and turn off Reapers track input monitoring.

[noizy]

Hello guys! I have checked Evo16 and support says no problem with pre amps.My friend with RME DAW and Pro Tools on Mac came by and we tested - same noise. I disconnected the mobile phone booster antenna that is close by - same noise. Tomorrow he is bringing his own vocal
mic to check if it is SM7B the problem. And i will lend him my mic so he can check it on his home studio (so it is only my mic and all other hardware is his) I have installed audacity and recorded a sample - same noise. At this point i am thinking of sending a mail to Shure microphones. Almost the same noise is there on recordings from before i got EVO16 when we were recording on a Zoom H5. The headphones are not "bleeding" sound.

Now for the other problem: i unchecked input monitoring in preferences. But now i can not hear anything on my headphones (using headphone output 1 on DAW - i just want to hear master mix (not "double" sound input and output)
To put it simple: when i want/need to hear all inputs/input - how to? But generally i need to her just master output (on headphones output 1 and 2). How to do it in Reaper or how to do it in EVO16 mixer. Someone said direct monitoring in EVO interface- what are the settings so i can get master output on both headphone outputs. NO INPUTS! So listening just to inputs or master output. Thank you