Hissss Noise

[Chuku]

So after choosing SM57 over AT 2020 for Acoustic (SM57 sounded better), i had to crank up the gain to almost 99% on my interface because otherwise the volume would be too Low, I could hear the "Hssssss" kind of noise on the track after recording..
I struggled so hard to get the perfect track but this Hissss thingis making me mad.

How Can i remove it from my track?
What can i do to prevent it on next time? Because i need a good level of volume and without cranking up i will not get good volume and also don't want those unwanted noise.

Thanks

[chrk]

You're a lucky bastard only suffering Hissss Noise.

Imagine Herrrr Noise, when your spouse shouts from the next room to turn that shit down. A lot worse in so many ways.



On a serious note, what's your audio interface, and what does your room sound like?

I'm guesing you preferred the SM57 over the AT 2020 because the AT sounded too bright and picked up too much room tone, because it's so much more sensitive than the SM57. But now you're chasing your own tail: The SM57 needs a lot more gain to deliver a healthy signal, preferably 60+ dB, and a lot of audio interfaces' preamps either don't get there at all or start hissing when turned up.

You could try a separate preamp with more clean gain into the line-in of your interface. Or there's in-line preamps like the Cloudlifter or FEThead, that use phantom power to give your signal a clean boost. The Cloudlifter has been developed for dynamic microphones (ribbons origninally) and adds around 25 dB. It works quite well with interfaces that deliver around 60 dB by themselves, giving you a ton of headroom.

[Tarekith]

Lol

[Stromkraft]

You could try a separate preamp with more clean gain into the line-in of your interface. Or there's in-line preamps like the Cloudlifter or FEThead, that use phantom power to give your signal a clean boost. The Cloudlifter has been developed for dynamic microphones (ribbons origninally) and adds around 25 dB. It works quite well with interfaces that deliver around 60 dB by themselves, giving you a ton of headroom.

I didn't know gear like Cloudlifter CL-1 and FEThead were out there. Really cool stuff.

In my mind though the mic cable should looked at as well. Is it shielded properly?

[Chuku]

You're a lucky bastard only suffering Hissss Noise.

Imagine Herrrr Noise, when your spouse shouts from the next room to turn that shit down. A lot worse in so many ways.



On a serious note, what's your audio interface, and what does your room sound like?

I'm guesing you preferred the SM57 over the AT 2020 because the AT sounded too bright and picked up too much room tone, because it's so much more sensitive than the SM57. But now you're chasing your own tail: The SM57 needs a lot more gain to deliver a healthy signal, preferably 60+ dB, and a lot of audio interfaces' preamps either don't get there at all or start hissing when turned up.

You could try a separate preamp with more clean gain into the line-in of your interface. Or there's in-line preamps like the Cloudlifter or FEThead, that use phantom power to give your signal a clean boost. The Cloudlifter has been developed for dynamic microphones (ribbons origninally) and adds around 25 dB. It works quite well with interfaces that deliver around 60 dB by themselves, giving you a ton of headroom.

I use Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and my Room is not treated. I cannot afford to buy other preamps now. i need to get stuck in this. Sad but true

Yeah 2020 captured too bright sound.

[fishmonkey]

You're a lucky bastard only suffering Hissss Noise.

Imagine Herrrr Noise, when your spouse shouts from the next room to turn that shit down. A lot worse in so many ways.



On a serious note, what's your audio interface, and what does your room sound like?

I'm guesing you preferred the SM57 over the AT 2020 because the AT sounded too bright and picked up too much room tone, because it's so much more sensitive than the SM57. But now you're chasing your own tail: The SM57 needs a lot more gain to deliver a healthy signal, preferably 60+ dB, and a lot of audio interfaces' preamps either don't get there at all or start hissing when turned up.

You could try a separate preamp with more clean gain into the line-in of your interface. Or there's in-line preamps like the Cloudlifter or FEThead, that use phantom power to give your signal a clean boost. The Cloudlifter has been developed for dynamic microphones (ribbons origninally) and adds around 25 dB. It works quite well with interfaces that deliver around 60 dB by themselves, giving you a ton of headroom.

I use Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and my Room is not treated. I cannot afford to buy other preamps now. i need to get stuck in this. Sad but true

Yeah 2020 captured too bright sound.

SM57s are most often used on very loud sources. for example, they are commonly used to close mike guitar cabs and snare drums. they are an insensitive dynamic mic.

the Scarlett 2i2 doesn't have a great deal of clean preamp gain either, so the combination is not really great for recording an acoustic guitar. this post on Gearslutz sums it up nicely:

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/11054045-post6.html

i would suggest that you learn how to use your condenser mic to get closer to the sound you want. there is a decent guide here:

http://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/ ... tic-guitar

[chrk]

BTW we've been through this before: Ableton Forum • View topic - Scarlett 2i2 and Shure SM57 very low volume Live 9, though Chuku didn't mention in that thread that he had an AT2020 as an alternative.

[Chuku]

Hey thanks FishMonkey...

Chrk, i didn't had AT2020 that time.. i just bought recently..

[swishniak]

also if you have a decent mixer lying around (mackie / a+h / etc) the preamps in that would probably be cleaner than that of your scarlett. and way cheaper than buying a standalone preamp.