Audio Quality Test for Reinstatement after Account Deactivation
Hello!
I would like to submit this piece of audio for consideration of reinstatement on VoiceBunny. Please let me know how it sounds and any advice would be appreciated. Sincerely,
Nathaniel Hanks
https://drive.google.com/open?id=13xz2tYofFV0P8Krd6TFQyMDJPDH3rZzr
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Hi Nathaniel,
Another v/o guy here, not with VB quality control, but will tell you what I hear. First good voice! Second, the biggest issue I hear with the track is the noise level. The hiss is most likely too much to pass QC. What mic and interface are you using, and how do you have it hooked up to your computer?
Your recording space sounds pretty good, so I think once you solve the hiss problem, you may be good to go. VoiceBunny QC may have other thoughts, but that's what I'm hearing.
Regards,
Joe Brown
Hi Joe,
I am using this equipment.
Audio2000'S AMX7304 USB-Powered Four-Channel Audio Mixer with USB Interface and Sound Effect
ZINGYOU Condenser Microphone Bundle, BM-800 Mic
I have the Microphone running into a phantom power supply, then to an audio interface, then to the computer. The equipment is cheap so I expect that is the culprit of the hiss. Since I believe the interface and pc to be okay, I will deduce if it is the microphone itself after trying new cables. I will check back in with a new sample but any other advice is welcome if these details are meaningful.
Thank you for your time,
Nathaniel Hanks
Also here is a link to silence recorded with low gain and I hope it can determine if the noise floor and hiss are too severe.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zhF4c-mQz_EXSLFN8MPjOf2Ias_iDZYa/view?usp=sharing
Hi Nathaniel,
Assume you are using the USB output from the mixer into a USB input on pc? And about where are your level settings on the mixer's channel input and master output?
After looking at everything you get with that mic bundle, I too suspect the mic. Not saying you can't get good sound out of a cheap mic - I've seen people do it - but this one is especially cheap. Tried (briefly) to look up specs but could not find any.
Do you have a friend with a better condenser mic you could try out?
My thoughts,
Joe
P.S. Have not had a chance to listen to ambient recording - will do later today.
Hi Nathaniel,
I must agree with everything Mr. Joe is telling you, your recording spaces sounds amazing, your big issue is the white noise.
Here is a read that might help you with that: https://help.bunnystudio.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/203418064-Recording-Problems-Hiss-Noise
Please give it a go and let me know what you think, also, the suggestions given by Joe are on point!
Hope this helps
Hi Nathaniel,
Just listened to the noise floor recording. There seem to be three sections before :06, but I think the noise floor in all three would be too high.
Here's my noise floor - open mic at record settings, raw track, WITH my furnace running (I never record when it's running - too much white noise).
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7nk7426hek2f7yl/NOISE%20FLOOR.wav?dl=0
Hope it helps,
Joe
Hi, Nat!
I've just caught up with what Joe B. and my colleague Johnny had to say about your issue and I must concur with their observations, while also seconding your thoughts on the matter.
The gear you're using is not optimal and may very well be the source of this white noise. Unfortunately, the only road to fixing the issue is the one of testing: test your mic vs. other mics with your gear and vice-versa. If you can invest, just bypass this whole ordeal and get some cost-effective, proven equipment that will do your voice some justice: the Behringer UMC 204HD is a great little interface and so is the newly released Motu M2, both with ample capacity to drive even the difficult mics at super low noise levels. As for microphones, I would just go for an Audio Technica AT2035 and use any spare cash to purchase a pair of our beloved Sony MDR-7506 studio monitor headphones so that you can hear what we hear.
In your case, the answer does involve throwing a bit of money at the problem to fix it, unless you have the time and patience to try and squeeze water out of a rock to make the best with what you have.
We'll be eagerly awaiting to hear your next recordings and tests, so don't be a stranger!
Cheers;
- Héctor Adolfo Ituarte (VoiceBunny QC Agent)
Hey Joe and Hector,
I have taken on this advice and got a new microphone and I STILL have the HISS.
Can I get one more round of advice on this equipment with the new microphone?
The setup goes:
Marantz Pro - MPM1000
Neewer Phantom Power 48v
Audio2000'S AMX7304 USB-Powered Four-Channel Audio Mixer with USB Interface
and an Elitebook with SSD and inteli5(pretty sure this comp is not the culprit but for what it's worth).
*
I have also ordered mostly new cables, so there is one slim possibility which is a bad cable from Phantom to Interface since it was bundled with the low quality mic. I will have a new one on Sunday and will check that out. Maybe 'ground loops'?
I sincerely appreciate the help.
Nathaniel
Also regarding levels, I still find the hiss with Gain on interface all the way down and microphone level down in Audacity. There are no more on the microphone itself or elsewhere.
*Microphone Recording level down. I wondered if that added unnecessary gain but don't think so.
I think this points to either a bad cable, or a still too bad microphone.
I have the Phantom power plugged into a power bar away from the audio cables, so ground loops seem unlikely too. Also there are no major electronics nearby except the ones in play, to eliminate EMF.
And, yes Joe, Interface via USB to the computer.
Here is a new recording of silence:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lCZJNLj8K5Sprp8ZqLRnEqsrvmfn7QqQ/view?usp=sharing
Hi Nathaiel,
Well that recording is pretty darn quiet in my headphones. But then I think you had gain controls all the way down, correct?
A word (my opinion only) about the mixer itself. It has a LOT of bells and whistles for a small mixer: lot's of controls and extra features. To me (again- just me) it looks as if it was designed primarily for a live performance situation rather than recording. If that assumption is correct, I suspect designers were not so concerned about the noise floor being low.
But assumptions aside, there are lots of parts, and at the price point of that mixer, the manufacturer could not spend much on electronic parts. I just begin to wonder whether the electronics inside the box are the quality one needs for truly quiet recording.
Not saying one has to spend a fortune. For example: here's a Pre-Sonus AudioBox computer recording interface (not mixer) - the original unit retails for $99. Compare the simplicity of the unit...
Disclaimer: I am not nearly as technically oriented as Héctor or Johnatan, so I may be full of baloney, but I've been recording for decades and do think there is something of threshold when buying quality audio gear.
All that being said, maybe your gear will work alright. I'll be really curious as to what Héctor has to say. If anyone can help you get the most out of what you have, Héctor and Johnatan can.
Best regards,
Joe