Astrogirl wrote:. . .after 16 hours of me unhooking and re hooking cords, moving the mic, closing and reopening my GarageBand software, reinitializing my mic back and forth from internal mic and back to USB Codec, and on the phone with MXL techs, and 2 Apple techs, no one can solve the problem of why my Brand New MXL .008 USB mic gets intermittent interference when I record. No pattern, it comes at will and once it is there it does not go away, it only gets louder.
I'll be recording great and then of it's own accord the recording gets the crackly noise. Only I don't know it is happening because the graph doesn't register any visual change in the read out. I find out the hard way when I play back my recording that the last half of it is all jacked up with interference!
i use GarageBand on a iMac Intel Core Duo Two 10.4.1 desktop. However, the USB MXL mic works for hours trouble free with Audacity, which is not a stable program on my Mac. . .I tried all 4 versions including the latest and it has lots of problems when I need to edit mistakes, etc.
So, about that mic, anyone smarter than a fifth grader? What other USB mics does everyone like. Not the Snowball, I prefer a rich warm sound, like my MXL .008 when it is working!
Thanks for listening, AstroGirl
The Audio-Technica AT2020 USB warm-sounding USB condenser mic. I did a test of it in one of the LV community podcasts - I forget which one.
Audacity has a rep for being unstable. At this same class several people used - and complained - about it on both platforms, although most were Mac users. I myself use SoundStudio3 on the Mac. It does cost $79, but is very stable, and very fast and easy to use. Doesn't have a noise-clean filter, though.
Happy New Year Sjmarky,
Thanks for sending the mic test, great information.
I like the AKG C3000 and C414.
MXL fixed my USB .008 mic, they changed out the computer chip inside and now it rocks with my GarageBand.
I am very happy with it and thanks for your assistance with the problem too.
Be well, AstroGirl
[size=134][color=blue]That which fulfills your Destiny is your Existence[/size][/color] ~
Astrogirl wrote:Happy New Year Sjmarky,
Thanks for sending the mic test, great information.
I like the AKG C3000 and C414.
MXL fixed my USB .008 mic, they changed out the computer chip inside and now it rocks with my GarageBand.
I am very happy with it and thanks for your assistance with the problem too.
Be well, AstroGirl
Ah, yes. It's not always user error - sometimes it's just a dud product. I had the same thing with my firs FlexMic a few years back - turned out it was just a bad unit and they sent me a replacement.
Sjmarky, thank you so much for your mic comparison demonstration. I liked the AKG 220 best. But it's not a USB mic I'm told. So, how do you get the sound into your computer? Anyone reading this who can help is encouraged to respond.
Oxenhandler wrote:Sjmarky, thank you so much for your mic comparison demonstration. I liked the AKG 220 best. But it's not a USB mic I'm told. So, how do you get the sound into your computer? Anyone reading this who can help is encouraged to respond.
The AKG220 is not a USB mic, so like all the others in this group requires a USB analog-to-digital converter between the mic and the computer, such as the MXL MicMate ($39) or Blue Icicle ($59).
The AT2020USB sounds good too, Mark. Thanks for adding it to your mic demo shoot-out collection. But the nicest is still your AKG220 --to my ears. It is somehow easier to listen to, mellower but still distinct and varied.
