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I've been trying to set up my new Vokal KL-5 mic to record song on my computer, but i keep getting this popping noise on the background. I tried to filter it with Adobe Audition CC filters and with Realtek filters, but nothing worked. Do you guys have any idea how to fix it?

PS: Audio file included.

Attached files noise.zip (45.6 KB) 

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Boswell Thu, 08/07/2014 - 02:15

I had never heard of this microphone, but I found a short video on YouTube of one being unboxed, so I was able to guess from there that it's a standard dynamic mic with XLR output. I listened to your recorded clip, and there do seem to be some thumps in the background.

What type of pre-amplifier do you have the microphone plugged into? What type of cable are you using?

Rodrigo Guimaraes Thu, 08/07/2014 - 20:19

This MIC is brazilian, I live here and, for what people told me, it is the best for its price. I use it direct on the computer, and the realtek driver comes with an option to filter the noise in audio control panel. I also installed Virtual Audio Cable and Adobe Audition, so I get the audio from the MIC, use Audition CC filters and publish the audio to a Virtual Line, which I use as input to the video recorder I am using (Camtasia 8).

pcrecord Fri, 08/08/2014 - 03:14

First, if you send us a sample, let it be of the untreated track so we can hear that noise.
Second, What I hear is a squashed audio track; could be the exporting method or the filtering
Third, realtek doesn't make recording grade equipement. Their soundcard are good for online chats and gamming.
Fourth, Good for the price could be a 10$ chat mic, it doesn't meen it's professional (even if it say so on the box)

Get an audio interface specially design for recording with a mic preamp.
This is one of the most affordable worth buying interface :
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AudioBoxUSB/
It comes with a recording software so you can ditch the virtual wire

Once you'll hit the limitation of your mic ; try a Shure SM58 http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM58/
Yes it looks about the same as the Vokal but its a work horse (for the studio and live work)

anonymous Fri, 08/08/2014 - 05:34

I absolutely agree with PC...

If you are using that built in sound card and audio driver for anything other than online chatting or gaming, then you are pushing it too hard.

Cards by Realtek, Sundblaster, etc., come with most factory built computers as a way to chat, play CD's, watch videos and play games.

They are not designed and built to do what you are trying to get them to do.
They are made with components that total less than $10... the converters are cheap and nasty sounding, they are noisy, and, they don't have the power to efficiently operate and handle the stress that multi track recording puts on them. You could have the most powerful computer available and it still won't matter if you are using one of those cheap internal audio cards.

You need a dedicated preamp - audio I/O - converter ... a model that is designed and built specifically for digital multi track recording and production.

For the money (around $100 U.S.), and as long as you are only planning on recording 2 tracks total at the same time - it's a great audio I/O - preamp.
(Presonus and Focusrite both also make models with more inputs, it depends on what you want to do and how many tracks you would like to record at one time.)

You'll immediately forget all about your built-in Realtek or Soundblaster audio card once you get a chance to hear and work with a true audio I/O like the AudioBox.
In fact, whichever real audio I/O Preamp you end up buying will take over what the built in card used to do for all of your audio on your computer, so you could disable (or even uninstall) the drivers for the built in card.
You won't need them anymore.

I have no idea about your mic, I've never even heard of it, so I can't comment.

There are several very good dynamic mics in the $100 (U.S.) range, and several decent condenser mic choices under $500.

RemyRAD Fri, 08/08/2014 - 12:36

Have you guys ever figured out that this is most likely his un-Realtek, Sound Blaster card?

Sorry to burst your bubble buddy but, this particular sound card, microphone input will produce this noise. It's the soundcard. You need a professional soundcard of a USB type. The one inside the computer is therefore your multimedia headset so you can talk to your friends on Skype. It's not for precision recording with professional microphones. And you're hearing cheap microphone preamplifier noise. All of these cards like that produce that kind of noise. They misspell the company name as it was supposed to be "Realcrap". But they were Chinese and did not have the full command of the English language.

Generally this kind of noise cannot be completely filtered out. A high pass filter of 100 Hz should do it, for the most part? With a 24 DB per octave slope cut off. This is internal thermal noise and bad capacitors.

One can have a decent USB professional audio computer interface device for around $150 US. These devices also have XLR inputs for your microphone. And 1/4 inch inputs for your guitar or keyboards. And 1/4 inch outputs to plug into professional amplifiers and speakers systems. Not toy, 1/8 inch stereo iPod earphone connections. That's junk. That's not professional. You need professional for your microphone.

My truck was made in Brazil
Mx. Remy Ann David

MarkF48 Fri, 08/08/2014 - 14:08

RemyRAD, post: 418205, member: 26269 wrote:
Sorry to burst your bubble buddy but, this particular sound card, microphone input will produce this noise. It's the soundcard. You need a professional soundcard of a USB type. The one inside the computer is therefore your multimedia headset so you can talk to your friends on Skype. It's not for precision recording with professional microphones.
My truck was made in Brazil
Mx. Remy Ann David

Recently I was setting up a dynamic mic to be used with a consumer camcorder and ended up fabricating a XLR-F to 1/8" TRS (mono wired-T&R tied together) cable. Worked on the camcorder, so decided to try it into my desktops front mic input to the onboard Realtek soundcard. The results I got were surprisingly good, quiet and clear, and no noise. It's not what I would use for my primary music recording as it greatly lacks flexibility and latency issues, but proved likely sufficient for Podcast and Youtube type recordings and maybe as a scratchpad for some music. Depending on what the OP is attempting to do perhaps his soundcard might be adequate.
I just don't like to see people pushed to buy gear they don't need for a given application, sometimes really can't afford, when something they already have could work OK with a bit of troubleshooting to get the kinks out.

Is there a way to post a sample mp3 clip to this board or does it need to be hosted elsewhere and linked?

pcrecord Fri, 08/08/2014 - 18:20

RemyRAD, post: 418205, member: 26269 wrote: Have you guys ever figured out that this is most likely his un-Realtek, Sound Blaster card?
Mx. Remy Ann David

Yes Remy, we have!!! LOL ! That's why we suggested to the OP that he should buy an audio interface good enough for recordings..

MarkF48 : That's exacly what we said, realtech is ok for gaming, chating etc.. But the OP talk about recording a song. We don't know what quality he expect, so he has to decide if it's worth investing.

BTW, The realtek chips are not all made equal, you could do youtube/demo quality recording with an external preamp or a mixer by using the line-in instead of the mic in.
The problem with the mic in is that realtek wants us to be able to use a 5$ table mic and have enough power to chat, so they boosted the signal way up without taking care to keep things quiet. Some have a 20db boost in the drivers that you can deactivate. Those, you can work with.
If not, I wouldn't expect to record a signer through it.

Also, google his mic, it looks like a radioshack 20$ mic. Could be very noisy itself and unsuited for the task. I hope I'm wrong because I have no way to evaluate it.. It's an educated guess you can say ;)

@Rodrigo : you end up in a recording forum and not on a podcast/youtube forum. The participants here range from debutant to professional.
You need to be very clear on your intentions to get the right answer !

And guys : there are professional recordings on Youtube. Some stuff comes from multi million dollars studios. You want to cope with them, you need a minimum to get noticed ! 100$ interface and 100$ mic is a very lucid minimum :)

anonymous Sat, 08/09/2014 - 03:03

"Have you guys ever figured out that this is most likely his un-Realtek, Sound Blaster card?"
Apparently, you never even read past the first post...If you had, you would have seen several posts by PC and myself that did indeed explain to the OP that it was most likely his sound card.

All you did was regurgitate exactly what we had already said.

Jeez Remy...