The Silicon Valley is a very noisy corner of the world, electrically that is. RF, EMF, microwave, the neighbor's HVAC, 2-wire electrical with no ground from 1960… If it can cause interference, I have going on around here.
I don't recall when I discovered that star-quad mic and interconnect cable was a requirement for me but it is. Probably worth snagging one on Amazon and trying it out just to see.
https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basics-4- ... ref=sr_1_4
BTW, I do not buy into the mystic mumbo jumbo nonsense about cabling. I'm the first to admit that almost no one needs star quad. If you can't hear the difference, it doesn't exist. Having recently spent a ton of $$$$$ to upgrade the electrical around here to 3-wire w/ ground, twisted-twisted audio cable might not be needed anymore but I ain't throwing it out.
A pleasant surprise was that, by having SESCOM make them for me through Markertek, I saved a ton of money over buying off the shelf 'premium' standard cables offered by any of the name brands.
Microphone Repair?
Moderator: James Steele
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Here's where to talk about preamps, cables, microphones, monitors, etc.
Here's where to talk about preamps, cables, microphones, monitors, etc.
- mikehalloran
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Re: Microphone Repair?
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Microphone Repair?
Forgive any mistakes in grammar or spelling in this post. I’m having to use dictation. Yeah, when I think about it now I’m probably pretty sure my phone was no more than four or 5 feet away from the microphone. Plus the last time I used it, I may have had a less powerful phone.
I won’t have a chance to try this for a couple days as I’m going out of town for a few, but I’m hopeful that this is the solution. I’ll just use airplane mode when I’m recording vocals. Funny thing, and it sounds like a stereotype, but I am down in San Diego, California, and I was definitely getting “Mexican radio“ when I connected my GT 66 to my preamp. Although I think it was just a cheap mic, cable, and should go away with a better quality one.
Nonetheless, I will be quite relieved if it turns out that it was just RF!
I won’t have a chance to try this for a couple days as I’m going out of town for a few, but I’m hopeful that this is the solution. I’ll just use airplane mode when I’m recording vocals. Funny thing, and it sounds like a stereotype, but I am down in San Diego, California, and I was definitely getting “Mexican radio“ when I connected my GT 66 to my preamp. Although I think it was just a cheap mic, cable, and should go away with a better quality one.
Nonetheless, I will be quite relieved if it turns out that it was just RF!
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Mac Studio M1 Max, 64GB/2TB, MacOS 14.5 Public Beta 4, DP 11.31, MOTU 828es, MOTU 24Ai, MOTU MIDI Express XT, UAD-2 TB3 Satellite OCTO, Console 1 Mk2, Avid S3, NI Komplete Kontrol S88 Mk2, Red Type B, Millennia HV-3C, Warm Audio WA-2A, AudioScape 76F, Dean guitars, Marshall amps, etc., etc.!
Re: Microphone Repair?
Star-quad is a lifesaver with hundred+ yards of mic level signal in hostile environments. I had a yearly sports broadcast gig that required several 600 foot runs through the floor of an arena and out to a broadcast truck. Right through the middle of a lot of AC runs. Never any problems with star-quad.
Doug Williams
Electromagnetic Radiation Recorders
The Martha Bassett Show broadcast mixer
Tape Op issue 73
DP 11.31
Studio M1 Max OS12.7.3
MOTU 16A and Monitor 8
M1 Pro MBP for remotes and editing
Electromagnetic Radiation Recorders
The Martha Bassett Show broadcast mixer
Tape Op issue 73
DP 11.31
Studio M1 Max OS12.7.3
MOTU 16A and Monitor 8
M1 Pro MBP for remotes and editing
- mikehalloran
- Posts: 15271
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Re: Microphone Repair?
One thing nice about that $10 star quad cable I linked is that, if it doesn’t help James’s situation, he has 30 days to kick it back to Amazon.
When I tested them however many years ago, Amazon wasn’t carrying any so I ordered a pair from SESCAM/Markertek. I needed those cables anyway and they had by far the best prices. It was a no-lose situation for me.
When I tested them however many years ago, Amazon wasn’t carrying any so I ordered a pair from SESCAM/Markertek. I needed those cables anyway and they had by far the best prices. It was a no-lose situation for me.
DP 11.31; 828mkII FW, micro lite, M4, MTP/AV USB Firmware 2.0.1
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sonoma 14.5 b4, USB4 8TB external, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3 6/10/12; 2012 MBPs Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5.2, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 Pro, Toast 20 Pro
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sonoma 14.5 b4, USB4 8TB external, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3 6/10/12; 2012 MBPs Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5.2, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 Pro, Toast 20 Pro
- James Steele
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Re: Microphone Repair?
Thanks for the link, Mike! I am going to first test to see if it’s my iPhone causing the issue, which I hope that’s it. If so, I’ll order one of those star quad cables to see if that will block the RF from my phone as I’d prefer not to have to remember turning Airplane mode off and back on when recording vocals. ![](http://emoji.tapatalk-cdn.com/emoji6.png)
![](http://emoji.tapatalk-cdn.com/emoji6.png)
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Mac Studio M1 Max, 64GB/2TB, MacOS 14.5 Public Beta 4, DP 11.31, MOTU 828es, MOTU 24Ai, MOTU MIDI Express XT, UAD-2 TB3 Satellite OCTO, Console 1 Mk2, Avid S3, NI Komplete Kontrol S88 Mk2, Red Type B, Millennia HV-3C, Warm Audio WA-2A, AudioScape 76F, Dean guitars, Marshall amps, etc., etc.!