First question: Are you used to hearing your own voice recorded? How you hear your own voice in your head is not how your voice sounds. Some people are so shocked at how different they sound on a recording that they can't get over it and lose their objectivity. Here's what I recommend. Have someone else speak into the mic for your tests - someone you know with a voice you are familiar with. This might help you zero in on things better. You might find it's not so unnatural after-all.

DogsoverLava, post: 453302, member: 48175 wrote: First question: Are you used to hearing your own voice recorded? HOw you hear your own voice in your head is not how your voice sounds. Some people are so shocked at how different they sound on a recording that they can't get over it and p their objectivity. Here's what I recommend. Have someone else speak into the mic for your tests - someone you know with a voice you are familiar with. This might help you zero in on things better. You might find it's not so unnatural after-all.

There is another question , it records muddy all voices i also tried it with my friend's voice ,
my acquaintance has a small project studio , we recorded my voice there and it sounded open and crisp , he has Rode NTK mic and Saffire Pro audio interface.
Unfortunately i can not test my hardware here in our country and that's why i don't know what is the issue.

Your gear is good. If you feel the voice is too muddy you can just move further away from the mic. Common starting place is to extend your thumb and pinkie out, And that is a good distance between your mouth and mic. You may want to move further out than that to get rid of the mud.

You will also want to find the best spot in the room. Bass builds up in the corners of rooms so this may be a contributing factor.

Beyond that I didn’t feel like the voice was that muddy. If anything I’d probably bump down somewhere around 150hz-300hz a couple DB with an eq in mixing, after I found the best distance from the mic, and spot in the room.

kmetal, post: 453308, member: 37533 wrote: Your gear is good. If you feel the voice is too muddy you can just move further away from the mic. Common starting place is to extend your thumb and pinkie out, And that is a good distance between your mouth and mic. You may want to move further out than that to get rid of the mud.

You will also want to find the best spot in the room. Bass builds up in the corners of rooms so this may be a contributing factor.

Beyond that I didn’t feel like the voice was that muddy. If anything I’d probably bump down somewhere around 150hz-300hz a couple DB with an eq in mixing, after I found the best distance from the mic, and spot in the room.

i tried every spot in my room with no luck )) , i know about proximity effect , i know that i do everything correct , it may seems that it's not muddy , but when you mixing vocals in the mix you realized that something went wrong , my acquaintance only cut around 80-150 hz and vocal just perfectly sit in the mix and it sounds clean and crisp , but in my case vocals start sounding muffled . I don't know how to discribe but vocals sounded like you are under water or smh....

The sample you posted sounds reasonable to me.

What you could try is recording a few short bits of your speech on your computer, copy the wav files to a pen (USB) drive, and play them at your friend's project studio. You could then record a short section using his microphone in his studio and bring the file back on the pen drive to play at your place. This would show whether your perceived problem was in the recording or in the replay.

Boswell, post: 453310, member: 29034 wrote: The sample you posted sounds reasonable to me.

What you could try is recording a few short bits of your speech on your computer, copy the wav files to a pen (USB) drive, and play them at your friend's project studio. You could then record a short section using his microphone in his studio and bring the file back on the pen drive to play at your place. This would show whether your perceived problem was in the recording or in the replay.

i've already did that "my acquaintance has a small project studio , we recorded my voice there and it sounded open and crisp" it sounded crisp in my house too but vocals recorded at my place sounds bad. 3 mics and 2 audio interfaces and still muddy sound ....
By the way thanks everybody for trying to help

Did you record your test at your friend's studio using the same mics and interfaces? If yes then what you are hearing is room difference both in recording but then also in playback. You need to compare Apples to Apples to eliminate and isolate the variables.

Sounds to me like it’s an acoustics issue in the tracking room.

DogsoverLava, post: 453316, member: 48175 wrote: Did you record your test at your friend's studio using the same mics and interfaces? If yes then what you are hearing is room difference both in recording but then also in playback. You need to compare Apples to Apples to eliminate and isolate the variables.

Nope . We only tested my mic , he said that mic sounds fine but we did not chek an audio inetrface .

Tapdiq, post: 453315, member: 50870 wrote: we recorded my voice there and it sounded open and crisp" it sounded crisp in my house too but vocals recorded at my place sounds bad

I would listen to my recording somewhere else too...
It's quite possible that the room acoustics are tricking you and possibly the mic while recording..

pcrecord, post: 453321, member: 46460 wrote: I would listen to my recording somewhere else too...
It's quite possible that the room acoustics are tricking you and possibly the mic while recording..

I dont know :(

Tapdiq, post: 453325, member: 50870 wrote: I dont know :(

What is your listening device and environement ? Studio monitors, Hi fi stereo, headphones ?

You recording doesn't sound as muddy as you seem to say. That's why you should reference recording from others at your place and your recordings at some other places . . . ;)

pcrecord, post: 453326, member: 46460 wrote: What is your listening device and environement ? Studio monitors, Hi fi stereo, headphones ?

I have Tascam Studio Monitors.

pcrecord, post: 453327, member: 46460 wrote: You recording doesn't sound as muddy as you seem to say. That's why you should reference recording from others at your place and your recordings at some other places . . . ;)

I don't know it also seems muddy to my friend.

[MEDIA=audio]https://recording.o…

Attached files Muddy Vocalwav.mp3 (2.8 MB) 

Tapdiq, post: 453351, member: 50870 wrote: I don't know it also seems muddy to my friend.

[MEDIA=audio]https://recording.o…

Well, if you have 2 interfaces and 2 mics and they sound ok somewhere else (you need to try this) but sounds bad at your place, your room acoustics needs to be worked on.
You need to go by elimination.
Bring your gear somewhere else
Borrow some gear from a friend

pcrecord, post: 453353, member: 46460 wrote: Well, if you have 2 interfaces and 2 mics and they sound ok somewhere else (you need to try this) but sounds bad at your place, your room acoustics needs to be worked on.
You need to go by elimination.
Bring your gear somewhere else
Borrow some gear from a friend

he isn't my friend i cant borrow gear from him , i've tested only my mic there .

I know English is not your first language but I still feel we are going in circles here. When you are trouble shooting anything you must design a process that addresses and isolates all the variables that might affect the outcome and fix or compare them with a control. You have your gear, your studio & you have your friend's gear, his studio... it should be easy to work that out but will involve several steps

You have to test every combination of those variables to find out if you can isolate or identify what is causing your perceived issue. If you can't borrow his gear you certainly can bring your interface there and hook it up with your mic and do test recordings with your gear at his studio -- and you can evaluate the sound there then bring it back home and listen there. We all suspect some combination of your room as a recording environment as well as a listening environment is causing the issue -- but the issue being basically your room. That means where you record it AND where you listen to it are all factors you have to consider. Consider too that if we just said "Your room is a messed up acoustical space" then anything you record there will be messed up --- but then if you listen there as well it will be doubly messed up (messed up 2x).

So simple- TEST:
Record your Mic, your interface, your studio ----- listen test in your room & friend's studio
Record your mic, friend's interface, friend's studio ---- listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record your mic, your interface, friend's studio ----- listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record friend's mic, your interface, friend's studio ----- listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record friend's mic, friend's interface, friend's studio ----- listen test your studio & friend's studio

*If possible:
Record friend's mic, your interface, your studio ------ listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record friend's mic, friend's interface, your studio --- listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record your mic, friend's interface, your studio ---- listen test your studio & friend's studio

Other variables to consider depending on the outcomes of the tests:
Your DAW and recording settings including gain staging and bit rate, plugin's other gear in signal chain like cables and electrical power

See how you want to isolate then compare the variables? If I was you I'd draw a grid like the file I uploaded below and do the tests..... Do the one's you can

Attached files rectest.pdf (9.1 KB) 

This is without a doubt a monitoring issue. Tascam monitors in an untreated room are not going to tell you what’s on the recording in any good way.

Since none of the experienced ears here seem to think it’s muddy, that reinforces the point.

Also since it sounds similar to you on both mics in your room, but not the project studio, it’s further evidence that it’s questionable speakers and room acoustics.

If anything in the last posted recording, the piano is mid-heavy, and the voice is fine.

It’s time to learn about room treatments, and to put your monitors in a place where they sound flattest.

If your having problems in the 100hz range your probably in a 10ft long room, with 7ft ceilings.

Closets stuffed with clothes, open entry door, and moving blankets are budget room treatments. Your gonna have to scrounge some old blankets cushions and pillows to stuff in the corners of your room, or buy some rolls of regular building insulation, or batts of rigid insulation. The room needs bass trapping. And basic RFZ type mid/high treatment. Mid high treatment without bass trapping will make your bass problems worse.

We moved the recording desk/speakers about a foot forward and significantly improved the bass response at one of the studios I built. We didn’t have to change anything else.

DogsoverLava, post: 453361, member: 48175 wrote: I know English is not your first language but I still feel we are going in circles here. When you are trouble shooting anything you must design a process that addresses and isolates all the variables that might affect the outcome and fix or compare them with a control. You have your gear, your studio & you have your friend's gear, his studio... it should be easy to work that out but will involve several steps

You have to test every combination of those variables to find out if you can isolate or identify what is causing your perceived issue. If you can't borrow his gear you certainly can bring your interface there and hook it up with your mic and do test recordings with your gear at his studio -- and you can evaluate the sound there then bring it back home and listen there. We all suspect some combination of your room as a recording environment as well as a listening environment is causing the issue -- but the issue being basically your room. That means where you record it AND where you listen to it are all factors you have to consider. Consider too that if we just said "Your room is a messed up acoustical space" then anything you record there will be messed up --- but then if you listen there as well it will be doubly messed up (messed up 2x).

So simple- TEST:
Record your Mic, your interface, your studio ----- listen test in your room & friend's studio
Record your mic, friend's interface, friend's studio ---- listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record your mic, your interface, friend's studio ----- listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record friend's mic, your interface, friend's studio ----- listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record friend's mic, friend's interface, friend's studio ----- listen test your studio & friend's studio

*If possible:
Record friend's mic, your interface, your studio ------ listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record friend's mic, friend's interface, your studio --- listen test your studio & friend's studio
Record your mic, friend's interface, your studio ---- listen test your studio & friend's studio

Other variables to consider depending on the outcomes of the tests:
Your DAW and recording settings including gain staging and bit rate, plugin's other gear in signal chain like cables and electrical power

See how you want to isolate then compare the variables? If I was you I'd draw a grid like the file I uploaded below and do the tests..... Do the one's you can

I'll do all of these tests but i think i have some issues with phantom power. I dont know how to discribe but it's not that muddy , it's like some hum noise overlaps my voice as a result my vocal track becomes muddy. I think i need to buy a dynamic microphone.

kmetal, post: 453364, member: 37533 wrote: This is without a doubt a monitoring issue. Tascam monitors in an untreated room are not going to tell you what’s on the recording in any good way.

Since none of the experienced ears here seem to think it’s muddy, that reinforces the point.

Also since it sounds similar to you on both mics in your room, but not the project studio, it’s further evidence that it’s questionable speakers and room acoustics.

If anything in the last posted recording, the piano is mid-heavy, and the voice is fine.

It’s time to learn about room treatments, and to put your monitors in a place where they sound flattest.

If your having problems in the 100hz range your probably in a 10ft long room, with 7ft ceilings.

Closets stuffed with clothes, open entry door, and moving blankets are budget room treatments. Your gonna have to scrounge some old blankets cushions and pillows to stuff in the corners of your room, or buy some rolls of regular building insulation, or batts of rigid insulation. The room needs bass trapping. And basic RFZ type mid/high treatment. Mid high treatment without bass trapping will make your bass problems worse.

We moved the recording desk/speakers about a foot forward and significantly improved the bass response at one of the studios I built. We didn’t have to change anything else.

I have a big house accordingly i have large rooms i also have acoustically treated room . I think it's phantom power issue.

Unlikely. We would hear that in the sample you posted and none of us has mentioned that as an issue.

Tapdiq, post: 453372, member: 50870 wrote: I have a big house accordingly i have large rooms i also have acoustically treated room . I think it's phantom power issue.

What are the dimensions of your room? What you do have set up for acoustical treatment?

It’s possible you have a hum in your speakers. That wouldn’t be on the actual recording.

Try analyzing your vocal vs others using this technique..... Do you have headphones that you trust? Do other vocals sound great on your monitors?

kmetal, post: 453376, member: 37533 wrote: What are the dimensions of your room? What you do have set up for acoustical treatment?

It’s possible you have a hum in your speakers. That wouldn’t be on the actual recording.

There's no hum in my speakers. And it's not even depends on the dimension of the room , because my acquaintance's recording room smaller than mine. It's phantom power issue or grounding issue.
I 'll buy a dynamic mic for testing .

Tapdiq, post: 453403, member: 50870 wrote: There's no hum in my speakers. And it's not even depends on the dimension of the room , because my acquaintance's recording room smaller than mine. It's phantom power issue or grounding issue.
I 'll buy a dynamic mic for testing .

Here we are going in circles again --- Phantom power is phantom power -- there's no issue with phantom power in and of itself --- there may be an issue with your interface that provides the phantom power -- is that what you are saying? That you've run the tests and found that the issue is only present when YOUR recording interface IN YOUR STUDIO delivers phantom power to the mic -- that the same mic on your friend's interface with his phantom power is fine?

Tapdiq, post: 453403, member: 50870 wrote: And it's not even depends on the dimension of the room , because my acquaintance's recording room smaller than mine. It's phantom power issue or grounding issue.

No room sounds the same, it depends on the dimensions and what the walls, ceiling and floor are made of. Also everything inside the room : reflection, diffusion and absorbtion will change the sound. That's why you've been asked to listen to your recordings somewhere else and also test your equiment somewhere else.
Somewhere else could be taking a long enough xlr cable and put the mic outside of the house... (this would confirm is the room accoustics change the recording but not if it changes what you hear at playback.)

Phantom power and grounding issue won't get you muddy recording, rather buzzes noises or clips and clicks.

Other things, we all assume you don't have any realtime effects, in the drivers and in your DAW.
You should also use Asio drivers and record at least at 24bit 44khz.
Your record levels (level shown in the DAW) should be at an average of -18db (not peaking near 0db)

Unless you finally decide to make the tests asked here and stop assuming things, you won't get to the bottom of this !
Sorry to say : Scientific diagnosis disqualify our thoughts beliefs and assumptions.

I'm having some difficulty with the whole "it's muddy"... "it's not too muddy"... "there's a hum noise that overpowers my vocals".... "there's no hum"... thing the OP's got going on here.
Very hard to diagnose one problem in particular if your descriptions keep changing...
Not trying to be a dick... just trying to reign in the info so that we can focus on one problem at a time. ;)