KVR Audio

tymime · Post by **tymime** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:19 am

I've just purchased a MXL R40 ribbon mic, and attempted to use it with a Tube MP Project Series USB preamp to connect to my Mac and Audacity, but I can't seem to get a recording.
I know it must be the preamp, because I tested the mic with another cheaper one (a Griffin iMic), and got something recorded with that, though in poor quality. I know I can't use phantom power, because that will damage the mic.
How can I find out what's wrong with the preamp?

planetearth · Post by **planetearth** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:46 am

tymime wrote:I've just purchased a MXL R40 ribbon mic, and attempted to use it with a Tube MP Project Series USB preamp to connect to my Mac and Audacity, but I can't seem to get a recording.
I know it must be the preamp, because I tested the mic with another cheaper one (a Griffin iMic), and got something recorded with that, though in poor quality. I know I can't use phantom power, because that will damage the mic.
How can I find out what's wrong with the preamp?

Can you try using the 1/4" outputs on the preamp?

Steve

tymime · Post by **tymime** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 9:32 am

I tried every possible input/output combination...

flugel45 · Post by **flugel45** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 2:25 pm

Ribbon mics notoriously require more juice than others -- and that's with a regular A/C powered preamp.

I'm not surprised your USB-powered one isn't cutting it.

Does your mic-pre have an A/C adapter option (that might allow it more gain).

Or, if you have an audio interface with a built in mic-pre, try that. Same as the standalone pre, A/C powered interfaces should be able to handle it, while the USB powered will struggle or fail completely.

tymime · Post by **tymime** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 8:51 pm

The preamp uses USB to connect to the computer, not to power itself. It plugs into a regular socket for that.
I tried turning the gain all the way up- I even turned on the +20db gain button it has, but still nothing. I'm pretty sure it's something internal... I just need to be 100% sure.

flugel45 · Post by **flugel45** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 9:15 pm

Do you have another mic to test with it?

Alternatively, do you have another mic-pre or (or audio interface with a mic-pre) to test the mic?

tymime · Post by **tymime** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 10:48 pm

I do have another mic, but I can't get any recordings with it either.
As I said earlier:

tymime wrote:I know it must be the preamp, because I tested the mic with another cheaper one (a Griffin iMic), and got something recorded with that, though in poor quality.

flugel45 · Post by **flugel45** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 1:40 pm

Sounds like a problem with the preamp. Looking at some of its reviews, I'm finding a fair amount of reports about low gain and noise. You should be hearing something, even if poor quality.

Here's someone else's experience with a similar setup:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1971590?tstart=0

CapnLockheed · Post by **CapnLockheed** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 8:46 pm

Yeah sorry, you're preamp is not going to cut it with ANY ribbon mic. Not enough juice or gain. Ribbons require gobs of gain. You either need a high gain pre or a device made to boost your existing pre.....like this:

http://cloudmicrophones.com/products/cloudlifter-cl-1/

tymime · Post by **tymime** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 9:04 pm

flugel45 wrote:Sounds like a problem with the preamp. Looking at some of its reviews, I'm finding a fair amount of reports about low gain and noise. You should be hearing something, even if poor quality.

As I said in my first post, I already figured out that my problem is the preamp. I just need to find out what.

CapnLockheed wrote:Yeah sorry, you're preamp is not going to cut it with ANY ribbon mic. Not enough juice or gain. Ribbons require gobs of gain.

The preamp used to work with my other ribbon mic perfectly, so this can't be true. The gain knob adds +45db as well as an extra +20db with the button I mentioned. And I have them both turned on.

flugel45 · Post by **flugel45** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 11:40 pm

tymime wrote:
flugel45 wrote:Sounds like a problem with the preamp. Looking at some of its reviews, I'm finding a fair amount of reports about low gain and noise. You should be hearing something, even if poor quality.
As I said in my first post, I already figured out that my problem is the preamp. I just need to find out what.

When you ask this sort of problem here, of course you're going to be told about Ribbon mics needing more gain, etc. Sorry if all of this is obvious to you, but we didn't know that.

I posted the linked article to illustrate that you should still be hearing something... so if you're not, then something's wrong (mechanically/electrically) with the preamp. But, it seems, that was already obvious to you too, so here's my last suggestion...

Remove the cover and look for a loose connection..?

Trouble with a ribbon mic and a tube preamp