Do you have more noise in your podcast audio than you’d like? Do you know what is causing that noise? Is it your mic? How about your studio or maybe it’s your preamp…if you use one. I’m talking with Julian Krause all about the latter but of course we dive into many related topics surrounding preamps and noise, including: [Read more…] about 102: Preamps, Noise, Preamp Noise!
hiss
TPS 072 – FetHead In-line Microphone Preamp
Do you have a microphone, mixer or recorder that requires you to turn up the gain settings really loud in order to get a good signal? The FetHead might just be your answer to bringing those gain levels back down and reducing the hiss and noise you’re getting in your podcast’s audio.
To be clear, the FetHead is not a device you need. If you’re looking at getting an in-line preamp it’s likely that you take your podcast production pretty serious and you are now fine tuning your production gear in order to get the absolute best quality possible.
On this episode I talk more about why and when you might use an in-line preamp like the FetHead and demonstrate what it can do for your podcast setup. You’ll hear two audio samples that were recorded in order to demonstrate the preamp’s ability to bring down gain levels thus reducing the amount of hiss caused by cheaper preamps on a lot of mixers and recorders. [Read more…] about TPS 072 – FetHead In-line Microphone Preamp
Purchased: Triton Audio FetHead
I ordered a Triton Audio FetHead in-line preamp and it’s here. So what does it do?
You can click the above link for specs but the short of it is, it provides +20db of “ultra clean gain.”
Why would you want this? The simple answer is cleaner audio at higher levels.
If you follow my microphone for podcasting advice, you’re likely using a dynamic microphone (Heil PR40, Shure SM58, ATR2100, etc). Often, these mics need a lot of gain in order to achieve proper audio levels which means cranking the preamp (gain knob) on your mixer or recorder close to its max. In general, I like to keep any preamp I’m using below 70% of full when possible. (Audio sample below). [Read more…] about Purchased: Triton Audio FetHead
CFL Light Bulb Buzz – The Dreaded Hiss (Series)
This is part one in a series I’m calling “The Dreaded Hiss” which will feature different sounds commonly found inside a podcaster’s studio that can create background noise (often known as hiss) in your podcast’s audio.
The issue of buzzing compact florescent lights (CFLs) used to be a bigger problem then it is now. However, it’s good to be aware of how the lighting in your studio can affect your audio.
In the example below this post, you’ll hear an exaggerated amount of CLF buzzing. This is caused by having a CFL plugged into a dimmer (don’t do this). At full strength most CLFs no longer put off much, if any, buzz… but they can. More traditional florescent lighting is much more prone to buzzing sounds. [Read more…] about CFL Light Bulb Buzz – The Dreaded Hiss (Series)
TPS Ep. 065 – Pro Mics into an H4n, Reducing Hiss, Hardware Processing, and Media Hosting
First order of business is Zune. It appears that links to my podcast and everyone else for that matter, are broken. That’s because Zune.net is gone. This means that when you click your old link to Zune (if you had one on your site) you are now taken to xbox.com.
Zune is gone and so is your podcast listing on the web. Apparently the name Zune is no longer in play either. It’s podcast on Windows Mobile or something typically Microsoft (unfriendly). [Read more…] about TPS Ep. 065 – Pro Mics into an H4n, Reducing Hiss, Hardware Processing, and Media Hosting