[Non Renoise] Microphone Signal Incredibly Weak

[td6d]

Hi there, I’ve got a problem thats been bugging me for quite some time now.
I’ve got an emu tracker pre interface and a relatively cheap mic. Now, when I try to record something with my interface fully boosting the signal I can’t even see that it arrives at Renoise (or Ableton lives) recorder. However when I maximize / normalize the signal it shows up, with a significant amout of noise ofcourse.

Here’s the super weird part; this is just one of two scenarios.
Sometimes (I have to restart Renoise and it works like this) I get only a certain amount of signal, when I scream into the mic this is the most I get

And its clipping like hell on my interface…

I tried the mic on my digidesign mbox2 and protools on my mac and it works great there. So what could this be? Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks.

[td6d]

No this is the only thing you can setup

[kazakore]

Inputs are shared between Mic, Instrument (Hi Z) and Line. Are you sure it’s set to Microphone?

[td6d]

@kazakore

Inputs are shared between Mic, Instrument (Hi Z) and Line. Are you sure it’s set to Microphone?

Yeah I connected my mic with xlr and this is what the site stated:

Hi-Z / Line / Mic Inputs (1L & 2R)
Use the XLR connector for microphones or balanced line level signals. Use the 1/4¨ jack in the center of the XLR connector as a Hi-Z input for guitar/bass, or as a line level input. The inputs are balanced, but they accept either balanced or unbalanced input signals.

So that should work, right?

[kazakore]

@td6d

Yeah I connected my mic with xlr and this is what the site stated:

Use the XLR connector for microphones or balanced line level signals.

So that should work, right?

Notice the Or Balanced LINE Level. You still need to tell it that it’s looking at a Microphone (typically 40-60dB below Line-Level.)

[td6d]

@kazakore

Notice the Or Balanced LINE Level. You still need to tell it that it’s looking at a Microphone (typically 40-60dB below Line-Level.)

Alright, Ill send them an email to ask how teh fuk I should do such a thing. Thanks!

[kazakore]

@td6d

Alright, Ill send them an email to ask how teh fuk I should do such a thing. Thanks!

OK just had a quick look at their site.

“Two XTC™ Class-A, ultra-low noise, Mic/Line/Hi-Z preamps. Balanced XLR, 1/4” TRS and 1/8" Inputs (-127dB EIN) with 60dB of gain"

" Left/Right Gain Controls
These controls set the input gain from 0dB to +60dB for the two inputs."

So volume control to far anti-clockwise should be live level. Fully clockwise, or top quarter at least, should be around Mic level. You have got the gains on the unit to maximum yeah? Seems it doesn’t use software switching, just a high range Gain knob.

What type of microphone is it? Definitely doesn’t require phantom power? Although you’d usually get nothing if that’s the case.