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Hey guys, I'm new to home recording and need some help...
I have the AT2041SP (AT2020 Side-address cardioid condenser microphone and AT2021 Small-diaphragm condenser mic). I've been trying to get a clean sound out of it using the usb (printer cable style) on my Peavey 8 Mixer but to no avail... I always get this weird high pitched ringing noise in the background. At first I thought this was normal, but when I asked my buddy cole (http://www.youtube…"]http://www.youtube…) [/]="http://www.youtube…"]http://www.youtube…) [/]about it he said it definitely wasn't. I brought my equipment to his house and he was getting the same thing on fruity loops that I was getting on Reaper. However, once he plugged it into his DI (which then led into his computer) the sound quality improved dramatically and we didn't hear the ringing noise at all. This is also true when just using the headphone out as well. I'm seriously considering getting a DI because of how frustrated I am at this point, but if anyone knows anything that could possibly help, any advice would be greatly appreciated...

Heres a small rendered file of me saying test a few times
http://www.filedropper.com/problem

Thanks guys.

Comments

pcrecord Thu, 02/28/2013 - 10:58

Humm, hard to say.
You need to eliminate things step by step and find were the problem comes from. When using a DI, I guess he used his sound card not the USB I/O of the mixer... so it might be that the converter is defective.

Do this test :
Lower the gain on all channels of your console and lower all volumes, deactivate any contour or low cut, deactivate tape to mix, lower all monitor and eff knobs including their master
Plug nothing else but the mic the a xlr input and your usb cable (get one new if you can),
Now put the volume to 0db and the master to 0db
Then sing as you would for the take (same intensity) and put up the gain slowly until it barely touchs 0bd on the master leds. Now record it and listen. Is it better, is the noise still there ? If it is, lower de Mic gain and unplug the mic. Noise still there ? if it is.. you mixer is defective or it's a really cheap conception.

Once it's not there (hopefully) start adding what you need to the mixer and find what's causing it.

Might be good to test with a good powerbar, make sure there's no electrical probleme, as faulty ground etc
try other cables (xlr have qualities)

Once you did all this let us know how it turns out !