Recording sound - hissing and other noise
 

Hi guys,

I have an external Terratec professional soundcard with a built in mic pre amp(XLR and 6.5mm phono).

I bought a cheap headset(noname) and it sounded terrible :-) Ok, ordered a Sennheiser PC 161 a rather expensive and well recommended headset. High hopes - unpacked and connected ... and almost the same lousy quality! I'm getting crazy!

Maybe there are something wrong with the soundcard? So I tried with a standard Realtek Ac97 soundcard - same problems!

Please, advice me! How do I use a headset to do narration for tutorials? I need my hands during the recording therefore the need for a headset :-)

// Lazze

Those headsets are intended for gaming and VOIP computer applications. not serious recording. The one you have is just one step up from the $20 'multimedia microphone.' In order to get decent quality you'd need to go 3 to 5 times that price and get something of the sort stage performers, presenters, or broadcasters like sports announcers use.

Your Terrtec has a preamp and XLR input with phantom power, that opens up a world of microphones to you ranging from sub-$100 all the way up to kilobucks. Even the cheapest is going to better than the mic on those gamer's headsets.

If you need the headset mic because you're on-camera as you narrate and need your hands free but don't need the actual ear pieces to hear what's being recorded because you have someone else working the camera who is able to monitor the sound, look into a quality headset mic such as these from Countryman... http://countryman.com/store/product.asp?id=2&catid=10

I guess you're right! The PC 161 costed a 100$ here in Sweden - so I really thought it would perform better.

I'm doing tutorials on programming - so I don't really need a vid cam - I just record the screen(using Camtasia) and my speech. Maybe I can rig my cam with my R0DE mic to just pic up my voice without being in the way.

Thanks for you answer!

// Lazze

What mic do you have? You probably can feed it into the Terratec input - no need for the camera to be in the loop at all - so all you really need is some way of holding it. Desktop stands are very cheap or you could get a swing-arm mic boom like those spring-loaded arms on desk lamps to hold the mic in front of your mouth. A pair of good quality monitor headphones (NOT consumer/computer store headphones or iPod/MP3 player style earbuds) for monitoring and you're in business. If the Rode mic you have isn't one that's suitable for close voice recording, there are a lot of other mics to choose from that won't break the bank.

Lazze,

Do it the right way the third time. Get a Countryman e6 microphone with an XLR connector. Problem solved.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Ty,

I thought I did it right - Sennheiser has always meant good quality for me...

I sort of solved it: I connected my Audio out(line) from my Canon
HV20 to Line In on my Terratec soundbox - activated "wind screen" in the camera to get rid of most of the computer noise. And finally I get a decent clean input signal! Since the mic on the cam is on top, it can sit on my desktop in front of my keyboard / below my mouth - not intruding too much!

Thanks for your input guys - next time, I'll check here FIRST!

// Lazze