How to know what voltage a sound card is able to supply to the microphone?

Ambitious_Basket · December 31, 2020

Hi,

I'm helping a friend who's having issues with their Neewer NW-800 Microphone producing low volume even with Level set to 100. They're using the included XLR Female to 3.5mm adapter to plug it into their computer. According to the microphone's manual, the computer's sound card must be able to supply 5V to the microphone. It also states that older computer's sound card may only be able to supply 3V to the microphone, which will cause the microphone's volume to be reduced. I am trying to figure out if this is the cause of the problem they're experiencing.

However, I'm not sure where I can find information on what voltage a motherboard's built in sound card is able to supply to the microphone. For example, my friend's motherboard is ASUS Z87-A, but I can't find anything in the manual regarding the sound card's voltages. I also tried looking at some PCIe sound cards, but none of them seem to directly state the microphone voltage either. So does anyone know where I should look to find out if a sound card is able to supply 5V to the microphone or not?

Thanks!

The Torrent · December 31, 2020

6 hours ago, Ambitious_Basket said:

Hi,

I'm helping a friend who's having issues with their Neewer NW-800 Microphone producing low volume even with Level set to 100. They're using the included XLR Female to 3.5mm adapter to plug it into their computer. According to the microphone's manual, the computer's sound card must be able to supply 5V to the microphone. It also states that older computer's sound card may only be able to supply 3V to the microphone, which will cause the microphone's volume to be reduced. I am trying to figure out if this is the cause of the problem they're experiencing.

However, I'm not sure where I can find information on what voltage a motherboard's built in sound card is able to supply to the microphone. For example, my friend's motherboard is ASUS Z87-A, but I can't find anything in the manual regarding the sound card's voltages. I also tried looking at some PCIe sound cards, but none of them seem to directly state the microphone voltage either. So does anyone know where I should look to find out if a sound card is able to supply 5V to the microphone or not?

Thanks!

Thats a condenser mic, it needs 48v phantom power. According to google this is one which will work without but not very well.

Consider buying an audio interface, the cheapest would be a UMC22

After researching and reading that its actually a fake condenser mic (electret mic), i would either recommend returning it or you might be able to get away with a 10 quid XLR to usb audio cable.

The Flying Sloth · December 31, 2020

8 hours ago, The Torrent said:

Thats a condenser mic, it needs 48v phantom power. According to google this is one which will work without but not very well.

Consider buying an audio interface, the cheapest would be a UMC22

After researching and reading that its actually a fake condenser mic (electret mic), i would either recommend returning it or you might be able to get away with a 10 quid XLR to usb audio cable.

Since it's an electret condenser and a poor one at that so it really doesn't need Phantom power, though it certainly does sound marginally less shite with it.
Now OP, there's nothing wrong with Electret mics and to call them fake is overstepping more than a little, some very expensive, great sounding mics are electret but the point is that it's much cheaper to make a functional (read as barely working) electret mic than a true pressure gradient condenser microphone. I'd highly suggest you have a read of the link in my signature for further information.

Oh, and OP, cheapest interface is the Behringer UM2.

TheRandomness · December 31, 2020

2 hours ago, The Flying Sloth said:

Since it's an electret condenser and a poor one at that so it really doesn't need Phantom power, though it certainly does sound marginally less shite with it.
Now OP, there's nothing wrong with Electret mics and to call them fake is overstepping more than a little, some very expensive, great sounding mics are electret but the point is that it's much cheaper to make a functional (read as barely working) electret mic than a true pressure gradient condenser microphone. I'd highly suggest you have a read of the link in my signature for further information.

Oh, and OP, cheapest interface is the Behringer UM2.

I own an NW-800 and a UMC22, and I can confirm that the microphone sounds a little better with the phantom power, but the main improvement was just, the increase in volume. If that's all OP is going for, it's a decent little setup considering the money this pair can be bought for.

The Flying Sloth · January 1, 2021

19 hours ago, TheRandomness said:

I own an NW-800 and a UMC22, and I can confirm that the microphone sounds a little better with the phantom power, but the main improvement was just, the increase in volume. If that's all OP is going for, it's a decent little setup considering the money this pair can be bought for.

My first 'real' microphone was a BM800 and I had a very similar result/reaction to you. You won't find me arguing that it doesn't sound better than many USB or headset mics but it just doesn't live up to the status it claims as a studio mic, it has a very high noise floor and relatively low clarity compared to many other condenser mics and that really just comes down to it not being very well designed or manufactured.

I no longer recommend them as since then I've had the opportunity to purchase and extensively use a modest list of actual studio grade microphones (some not too much more expensive than the 800) that sound and feel leagues ahead of it.