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#1
Posted to rec.audio.misc
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Reducing noise in digital recordings
Hello,
I'm doing some voice production work at home for a local radio station. Using Cool Edit along with M Audio's Mobile-Pre, a Pentium 3 computer, a Shure PG-58 mic, Windows XP. When everything is powered up and the mic is on, I'm showing a -54 dB reading on my Cool Edit screen. I think that that is too noisy. Obviously, I can just about eliminate any of this noise (hiss or system noise) by using Cool Edit's Noise Reduction software after I have recorded, but no matter what percentage of reduction I use, I will hear some artifacts. On the Mobile Pre, the gain control is set at about 4 o'clock, six is about maximum. The recorded wave form is showing peaks at about 30%. I then must "normalize" the recording to 95-100% for the final recording. It seems that I should be getting more mic gain from the pre-amp, so that I don't need to set the output gain to 4 o'clock and then normalize in Cool Edit. I must use about a 12 foot USB cable to connect the pre-amp to the computer, but I don't think that this is much of a factor. I would appreciate any thoughts you might have. If I wanted to improve the sound quality, without spending a lot, what areas do you think I could improve? Thank you, Bob K at . |
#2
Posted to rec.audio.misc
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Reducing noise in digital recordings
On Sat, 28 Jul 2007 15:21:48 -0400, Bill Bremmer, during a pipe dream
babbled: If I wanted to improve the sound quality, without spending a lot, what areas do you think I could improve? How quiet is the room you are recording in? You may ne picking up ambient noise. -- Quis corriget ipsos correctores? |
#3
Posted to rec.audio.misc
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Reducing noise in digital recordings
Bill Bremmer wrote: On the Mobile Pre, the gain control is set at about 4 o'clock, six is about maximum. The spec on this is so useless that I can't tell how many dB of gain that is. I suspect you simply need a quieter mic pre. Graham |
#4
Posted to rec.audio.misc
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Reducing noise in digital recordings
If the problem is the pre-amp, would the noise be less noticable if the
pre-amp was sending a stronger signal to the computer? Is cranking up the gain almost to full increasing the noise that might otherwise not occur with a stronger signal from another pre-amp to the PC? "Eeyore" wrote in message ... Bill Bremmer wrote: On the Mobile Pre, the gain control is set at about 4 o'clock, six is about maximum. The spec on this is so useless that I can't tell how many dB of gain that is. I suspect you simply need a quieter mic pre. Graham |
#5
Posted to rec.audio.misc
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Reducing noise in digital recordings
"Bill Bremmer" wrote in message
Hello, I'm doing some voice production work at home for a local radio station. Using Cool Edit along with M Audio's Mobile-Pre, a Pentium 3 computer, a Shure PG-58 mic, Windows XP. When everything is powered up and the mic is on, I'm showing a -54 dB reading on my Cool Edit screen. I think that that is too noisy. Obviously, I can just about eliminate any of this noise (hiss or system noise) by using Cool Edit's Noise Reduction software after I have recorded, but no matter what percentage of reduction I use, I will hear some artifacts. First we need to know the nature of the noise. It could easily be ambient noise. You can check on that by simply using a long mic cable and moving the mic to a quiet place much further away from the computer, burrying the mic in a really big pillow, etc. Can you post a MP3 file of the noise on one of those public access file storage sites? On the Mobile Pre, the gain control is set at about 4 o'clock, six is about maximum. The recorded wave form is showing peaks at about 30%. I then must "normalize" the recording to 95-100% for the final recording. It seems that I should be getting more mic gain from the pre-amp, so that I don't need to set the output gain to 4 o'clock and then normalize in Cool Edit. The PG-58 is a dynamic mic, and its output is not going to be really high. Move it closer to the source, it is designed for close working. I must use about a 12 foot USB cable to connect the pre-amp to the computer, but I don't think that this is much of a factor. Agreed. If I wanted to improve the sound quality, without spending a lot, what areas do you think I could improve? Get a condensor mic, they usually have far higher output. |
#6
Posted to rec.audio.misc
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Reducing noise in digital recordings
Bill Bremmer wrote: "Eeyore" wrote in message Bill Bremmer wrote: On the Mobile Pre, the gain control is set at about 4 o'clock, six is about maximum. The spec on this is so useless that I can't tell how many dB of gain that is. I suspect you simply need a quieter mic pre. If the problem is the pre-amp, would the noise be less noticable if the pre-amp was sending a stronger signal to the computer? Depends. But possibly, although the improvement is only likely to be marginal. Is cranking up the gain almost to full increasing the noise that might otherwise not occur with a stronger signal from another pre-amp to the PC? Too many variables to give a meaningful answer. The spec on the 'Mobile Pre' is so sketchy (it doesn't give one of the most critical noise figures that's the industry norm - and is generally vague) that I suspect it may be a rather poor performer, and part of your problem. AND ! Do please type your answer HERE ! If you place your reply at the top one has to go backwards and forwards trying to work out what you're replying to. Graham |
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