Mic Upgrade = Huge Loss of Volume

exalted

Hero Member
Messages
723
Several years ago I bought a $25 Audio-Technica mic that was on sale at Guitar Center. I never really got in to home recording, so it just managed to sit around until a few months ago when my wife and I put together a band. Our vocalist has been using it with no problems, but she decided to go out and buy a $150 Shure 55SH. When we plugged it in however, it only produces about 60% of the volume of the cheap A.T.

None of us know a huge amount mics (she's a great singer, but never been in a band)...so what's the problem here? Both are dynamic, and both are being plugged in to the same mixer. Do we need a preamp?
 
Nope.  The AT just has better sensitivity than the Shure. 

Just increase your gain on the mixer a bit and you're all good.
 
Well, this is with the "Level" function pretty much on full.

So it sounds like in order to fix this, we just need to turn the PA up and everything else plugged in to it down? I guess...that was maybe a little too obvious.  :doh:
 
errr - not sure if we are talking about the same thing.  I'm referring to the gain knob at the top of that channel's strip - not the slider.  There might also be a pad switch up there as well.  You'll want to remove any pad that you might have on when using the new mic.

BTW, what kind of board do you have there?
 
This is the one I have:

EMX88S_Enlarged.jpg


There's a level for each channel, and then a master volume. No gain knobs.
 
Hmm, you may have to bring the level of everyone else down if there's no padding on that channel.

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail/0,,CNTID%25253D2526%252526CNTYP%25253DPRODUCT,00.html#
 
Superlizard said:
You sure that mic doesn't need phantom power?  I haven't looked at specs.

If it needed phantom, it wouldn't work at all.

Most microphones have different output levels.  Chances are that the Shure is quieter than the AT, even though it needs more gain.
 
Yeah, last night we had practice and we just turned everything else down. It worked, but kind of a lot of feedback.  :dontknow:
 
I looked it up and it's funny - they call it the "Elvis" mic.  :toothy10:

Some were stated as having batteries/phantom power, but then again I'm not seeing that in the actual Shure specs.

Well, if you determine that the mic is just a lemon or it's not what you need, I highly recommend a good ol' trusty SM58 or SM57 for vocals.
 
I'll try switching on the Phantom Power tonight when we practice.

She didn't have a stand for it last night, so that might have been part of the problem.

I don't know, we'll see....those SM5-'s would probably work much better...but they wouldn't be as cool.  :confused4:
 
exalted said:
I'll try switching on the Phantom Power tonight when we practice.

She didn't have a stand for it last night, so that might have been part of the problem.

I don't know, we'll see....those SM5-'s would probably work much better...but they wouldn't be as cool.  :confused4:

Specs state it's a dynamic mic, so it doesn't need Phantom Power.

Take it back and get a 58 (look up on google - long and proven history with many famous bands over the decades).  You can get fancier later.  :icon_thumright:
 
I've got an SM57 for my vox.. and it's the best.. ever. I've heard nothing but awesome about the SM58.. so I'd def recommend it.. only like 100 bucks too..
 
I saw a demonstration by Shure at uni.

The guy was using an SM58 to give his presentation, he then unplugged it,  used it to hammer a nail into a piece of wood, plugged it back in and then carried on with the presentation.  They are hard as nails (literally, although i wouldnt do that with one of my own.)    :party07:

I've got a 58, and a 57.  58 for Vocals, 57 in front of my guitar amp for recording.
I've also got an old sennehiser which is great.  Dont remember the model number off teh top of my head, but it is dynamic.
 
If we have more problems with it tonight, I'll try to convince her. But she literally bought this one because it was cool.

At least she's contributing financially...a lot of vocalists seem pretty opposed to that idea.
 
exalted said:
Yeah, last night we had practice and we just turned everything else down. It worked, but kind of a lot of feedback.  :dontknow:

Was your singer perhaps, when holding the mic, covering the back of it?  Any cardioid mic will feed back (at high-ish volume), when covering the side designed to "reject".

I'll bet you have alot less feedback problems if your singer holds the mic by the base.

BTW ... don't bother with phantom.  The mic doesn't need it.
 
exalted said:
a lot of vocalists seem pretty opposed to that idea.

Ha!  L.S.D. (Lead Singer Disease)

Yeah, when it comes time to pack up the entire PA system and stage, the singer grabs the mic, puts it in the bag
and is done for evening "got my stuff, dudes".......  :tard:
 
Yeah but you can walk off stage with your gear while the drummer is still loosening thumbscrews.
 
We put our mics through a cheap outboard preamp before the board. Helps get the mics louder, makes them cleaner and they jump a lot more with less feedback. Might be worth trying.
 
AndyG said:
Was your singer perhaps, when holding the mic, covering the back of it?  Any cardioid mic will feed back (at high-ish volume), when covering the side designed to "reject".

I'll bet you have alot less feedback problems if your singer holds the mic by the base.

That sounds like it might have been the problem. I'll let her know. Thank you!!
Justinginn said:
We put our mics through a cheap outboard preamp before the board. Helps get the mics louder, makes them cleaner and they jump a lot more with less feedback. Might be worth trying.

This will probably be the next step. I have a cheap, $40 Behringer, but it doesn't power on anymore. I'll have to open it up and tinker with it.

 
Back
Top