Devin Pecxk, post: 399090 wrote: Like the title says, I'm a beginner when it comes to audio recording. I'm looking to start recording some footage with audio using a T3i DSLR camera. I purchased the Tascam DR-40 and an Audio-Technica AT897 Line + Gradient Compact Shotgun Condenser Microphone. Today I received my products and decided to test out the Mic and Tascam recorder. I plugged the shotgun mic into the L EXT MIC input on the recorder. I've got the EXT IN on the side of the Tascam switched to MIC, but I've also tried MIC + Phantom because I think you need Phantom power with the shotgun mic. I've got my headphones plugged into the LINE OUT on the tascam. I've got the recording mode set to MONO, EXT IN 1.

The problem is, I cannot get this thing to give me clean sound. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but there's a lot of noise in my recording. I've had to punch the Input Level up to about 50 to even hear the shotgun mic, and there's just so much noise. I tried hooking up my lavalier mic as well and it does the exact same thing, so it's not a microphone or cable issue. I tried another cable anyway though. No difference.

I am stumped. No idea what I'm doing wrong. Please help.

Thanks,
Devin

Dia you solve hour problem?

Devin Pecxk, post: 399090 wrote: Like the title says, I'm a beginner when it comes to audio recording. I'm looking to start recording some footage with audio using a T3i DSLR camera. I purchased the Tascam DR-40 and an Audio-Technica AT897 Line + Gradient Compact Shotgun Condenser Microphone. Today I received my products and decided to test out the Mic and Tascam recorder. I plugged the shotgun mic into the L EXT MIC input on the recorder. I've got the EXT IN on the side of the Tascam switched to MIC, but I've also tried MIC + Phantom because I think you need Phantom power with the shotgun mic. I've got my headphones plugged into the LINE OUT on the tascam. I've got the recording mode set to MONO, EXT IN 1.

The problem is, I cannot get this thing to give me clean sound. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but there's a lot of noise in my recording. I've had to punch the Input Level up to about 50 to even hear the shotgun mic, and there's just so much noise. I tried hooking up my lavalier mic as well and it does the exact same thing, so it's not a microphone or cable issue. I tried another cable anyway though. No difference.

I am stumped. No idea what I'm doing wrong. Please help.

Thanks,
Devin

Sorry that no-one has replied until today - I for one did not see this at the time you posted it.

I've had a look at the microphone output level and recorder input level specifications, and they don't match up very well. For some reason, Tascam think that a nominal level of -19dBV (approx -17dBu) is acceptable for a microphone input, where a level of -50dBu or so would be normal. What it comes down to is that you are likely to need an additional pre-amplifier between the mic and the recorder. You could probably get away with something like a [[url=http://[/URL]="http://cloudmicroph…"]Cloudlifter CL1[/]="http://cloudmicroph…"]Cloudlifter CL1[/], but it would mean running the mic on its own battery power. I assume you are using an XLR-XLR cable between the microphone and the recorder input.