Is My Mic Dying!?!

[Will Helton]

Hello to All,
I've got a pretty basic home recording set up:

Rode NT-1A Mic
Edirol UA-25 Audio Capture Interface
MacBook Pro laptop

This has served me well for several months now, but I noticed something yesterday.

Usually, with the mic sensitivity turned up to just between 12 and 1 o'clock I can fairly easily redline the input in GarageBand. Starting yesterday, I've noticed this now barely hits the halfway mark.

I now really have to crank up the mic sensitivity to get a redline - have I somehow toasted my mic?

This is the first condenser mic I've ever owned, so have no idea what's at fault. Would a condenser mic just stop working if it were on the way out or is a loss in signal a common thing?

It's only about 3-4 months old, so can't imagine what could be wrong with it (I keep it wrapped in its original packaging and treat it like a bottle of nitro whenever I take it out to use it).

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Will

[Mike Sommer]

It could be the mic, but I'll guess it's the interface, or the USB power supply from the Mac Book could be crapping out.
Condenser mics have a range in which they can operate under, but as phantom power begins to fall the output will too.

If you can get another mic try that first.

Next go into Preferences > Sound > Input and check the input level.

If there is a driver for the unit check if there is a Volume level for that.

[Will Helton]

Hi, Mike,

Thanks for your advice. I'll check all that when I get home. I really hope it's not the mic. I've loved that mic so far and it's only about 4 months old.

I'll see if I can borrow a mic from the local radio station I do some spots at and check this against my system.

[Will Helton]

Hi, Mike,

I managed to borrow a mic from the radio station I do stuff at and it had the same response: with the mic input on the UA-25 turned up to about 1-2 o'clock I was getting at best a 50-70% VU output in GarageBand.

I think you may be right about the UA-25 being the problem. I'm going to go back to the station next week and try out a couple more mics with my UA-25 and see what I get.

In the meantime I'll just have to turn up the input/mic sensitivity and see if I can work reliably with that.

[FLZapped]

I had a mic cable go bad which caused me all sorts of grief.

-Bruce

[Kenneth_Bruce]

I don't know if you're a smoker Will, but if you are, don't smoke around the microphone. The smoke can get into the microphone cables and mess it up.

I know that sounds like pointing out the obvious, but, sometimes we don't think of the obvious.

Take it from a smoker.

[Will Helton]

Hi, Bruce and Kenneth,

Thanks for both your replies.

Bruce - I tried a second cable, but no dice; still the same output.

Kenneth - I don't smoke, but wow, I had no idea that smoking could affect the cables.

The only other thing I can think that might be part of the problem is that I may just have started doing my pieces in a quieter/more conversational voice. Hmmmm.

Having said that, I called the store I bought the mic from (Absolute Music Solutions in Bournemouth) and the guy there (Paul, who is just a super helpful guy) said he thought it was odd if I was having to turn up the mic input/sensitivity above about 1 o'clock to get it up to go over 50-60%.

Dunno - The only other model Edirol make like the UA-25 is the UA-25EX which is about £180 (about $295) and I just don't have that spare at the moment.

I'll see if I can boost things acceptably in software if the final file volume is too low.

Thanks to you all for your help.

Will

[FLZapped]

Hi, Bruce and Kenneth,

Thanks for both your replies.

Bruce - I tried a second cable, but no dice; still the same output.

Well, at least you had another cable to try.

Dunno - The only other model Edirol make like the UA-25 is the UA-25EX which is about £180 (about $295) and I just don't have that spare at the moment.

It is my understanding that the "EX" has upgraded mic preamps - the same as used in the Roland Professional equipment, like the M400.

-Bruce

[Will Helton]

Hi, Bruce,

Good to know! I'll see if I can find a music store in my local area and see if I can have a test drive.