Get xlr to xlr cables for your mics. 1/4'' are for instrument level or line level signals, not mics.
If you have a mic that only has 1/4'' connector, it's not Worth using for recording. ;)

pcrecord, post: 447646, member: 46460 wrote: Get xlr to xlr cables for your mics. 1/4'' are for instrument level or line level signals, not mics.
If you have a mic that only has 1/4'' connector, it's not Worth using for recording. ;)

Sorry pcrecord I should have mentioned the 1/4" I use sometimes to plug in guitars straight into the interface. My dynamic mic the sm57 is what I usually use to mic my acoustic but I am having this problem with all my dynamic mics and the 1/4 input

are you plugging your 57 into an XLR or the 1/4" input?

Just for confirmation...

you're connecting your 58 to one of the mic inputs using an XLR cable, right? You don't have some kind of 1/4" adapter connected to the mic cable?
And your instruments - like guitar or whatever, you are using one of the first two inputs? The Hi Z?
And you've checked all your cables to make sure that all are okay?
(You mentioned you have a condenser that works fine... have you used the XLR cable you've used on the condenser on the 58 and using the same input channel?

The specs for the device say that there is digital compression on each input channel - do you have this engaged?
If so, what ratio and threshold is it (are they) set for, and what is your makeup gain output on the compressor set for?

Have you gone to Roland's website to make sure your drivers for the i-o are current?
And while you are there, checked for possible firmware for the device as well?

Are there any other sound devices installed on your system? Realtek, Soundblaster, Conexant?
If so, make sure your Roland is the default audio device, and that any others are disabled...

Finally, it's possible you have a defective piece. How long have you had it?

I don't know, but I have a few questions….

Are you using the 2 inputs on the front designated "INST1 (Hi-Z)" and INST2?
Do you have the "Auto-Sens" function on or off?
Is the Comp button on or off?

Do the ¼" connector look more like the top one with 2 black insulator bands, or like then bottom one with 1 black band?

Hi guys thanks for the returns, to answer a few of the questions.
- Mics (sm57 and 58A) are all connected using xlr only
- 1/4 is only used to go straight from guitar to interface sometimes to get a different sound
- I have tried a few different cables as well as just unplugging my condenser that was working, turning off 48v and plugging in my dynamic (same channel same settings) and same poor result.
- compression is off (I really don't like it anyway)
- if I watch the meter I can turn up the and down the pre amp and it only makes marginal differences
- my 1/4 only has 1 insulator
- I haven't updated the firmware and that was where I was going to look next but I don't understand all of the sudden it starting to do that.

Could I have messed it up by unplugging or plugging things in at the wrong time? 48v on a dynamic mic by accident or anything like that?

I doubt there is something wrong with the preamp and cable since it works with the condenser.
SM57 and 58 are pro mic but as dynamic mics goes, they have less output power and you need to be closer to them for a good capture because their rejection pattern is a lot more effective.
If you are doing all this, let's wait for one of our expert like Boswell to give advice.

The worst thing that might have happened is that both 57 and 58 were damaged at some point (bad wiring and phantom power.. ?? ) But I doubt it, they usually are like tanks.

Hey unless they are clones ?? where did you buy them ?

And the Auto-Sensitivity?
And the Hi-z inputs?

dvdhawk, post: 447705, member: 36047 wrote: And the Auto-Sensitivity?
And the Hi-z inputs?

The OP stipulated that he doesn't use the Hi-Z inputs for anything but his guitar.
You have a good point the autosensing of the combo XLRTRS connectors could be damage.

The Octacapture has only 56dB of gain when using the front panel XLR inputs, but that should be enough for using close-miked dynamic microphones on normal singing. That said, your Beta58A has a higher output than a standard SM58 or an SM57, and you should notice this when switching between the 57 and the 58A.

You say that both these dynamic mics sound low and muffled when put through any of the channels of your interface, so I would doubt that both of them got damaged in an identical way. Also, while there are very many duff copies of SM series microphones circulating around the market, the Beta series is much less copied. However, if you bought the two mics from the same supplier, it's possible you got junk products both times. Your report that the Hi-Z input suffers from a similar problem could indicate that the trouble is in the pre-amp, but it may be a coincidence, and the Hi-Z input actually has a different problem.

I would test the dynamic mics on several of the inputs. You could also try the rear-panel XLRs, but note these are 6dB less sensitive, so you will have to turn the gain up even further for those. As the others have said, its really important that you are certain that you have the auto-sens and compression turned OFF for all the channels you try.

pcrecord, post: 447707, member: 46460 wrote: The OP stipulated that he doesn't use the Hi-Z inputs for anything but his guitar.

Thanks, Marco, but has he specified that? There are 8 combi-jacks on the Roland, any of which would take ¼", but only 2 of them are designated for high impedance.

I doubt it's a problem, since he's having the same poor results with dynamic mics connected with XLR, but I'm trying to cover all the bases.

dvdhawk, post: 447709, member: 36047 wrote: Thanks, Marco, but has he specified that? There are 8 combi-jacks on the Roland, any of which would take ¼", but only 2 of them are designated for high impedance.

I doubt it's a problem, since he's having the same poor results with dynamic mics connected with XLR, but I'm trying to cover all the bases.

OMG you're right, I had the wrong interface in mind.

I have tried both the hiZ ports and ch3 which is not hiZ. My condenser mic is always through ch1 which is hiZ. I don't know what the hiZ is, different pre-amp? different question though since it has the same problem on ch3 as well. I did try the xlr on ch5 which is one of the back ones and had the same issue.

All my mics were bought new at long and mcquade music. I would hope they don't have any knock off's rolling around there.

I am going to look for firmware updates and try all the channels again. I'm thinking if that doesnt work there has to be an issue with the unit.

sorry I forgot to reply about auto-sense and comp.
- for auto-sense the only way i know how to use it is turn it on try it and select the level it suggests, however lately I have figured out my own preferences for different mics and inputs so I don't use it. Is there one that is active all the time? the meter will show the mic clipping if i crank the gain still but the output sound is still junk.
- comp is off, not a fan of the built in version.

Bearfighter, post: 447719, member: 50396 wrote: the meter will show the mic clipping if i crank the gain still but the output sound is still junk.
- comp is off, not a fan of the built in version.

Is there any difference in level or in sound between the live sound and the recorded sound ? If it shows peaks, it should be the same in the DAW..

It was the same level on both buuuuuut...
I just deleted the old driver and reinstalled the newest driver and its working again. In no way did I expect this to work since I don't remember changing any settings or anything it just stopped working. Weird...

Can anyone explain what the Hi-Z does?

Hi-z meens High impedance. Your common electric guitar output will use Hi-z to connect to interfaces, preamps, DI etc.
On an audio interface, Instrument inputs are tuned to receive certain amount of faint electricity comming from guitar or bass pickups. But using high impedance means the signal will start to degrade after a certain lenght of the wire.

Here is a discussion we had on the subject : https://recording.org/threads/hi-z-input.57496/