Buzzing or Hissing noise when I talk into my mic

ravenISnotEV1L · January 1, 2022

Recently I bought a Rode PodMic and an M-Track/M-Audio interface and every time I talk whether its a recording or in a discord call it makes a weird background Hissing or Buzzing noise. I realize the issue might be that I need a preamp, but I wanted to ask for help just in case isn’t just so I wouldn’t buy something when I don’t actually need it. Thank you!

DarkDream787 · January 1, 2022

Electrical noise or interference can be a pain. I have been VERY picky with microphones and the quality of them.

Is this connected over USB? Just about every single USB mic I ever tried had problems with white noise and hissing sounds. I quit using them, and started using 3.5mm connection to fix that.

I also had this problem when using ports built on the front of the PC case. Once I switched to the ones on the actual motherboard or sound card in the back of the tower, that also helped a great deal. Those front of the case ports always sounded worse or had problems, especially if both headphones and mic were connected to them at the same time and or I tried to use front panel USB. Once I plugged in a USB drive, or used the USB ports at all in the front USB ports, the microphone really went downhill even more. On one of my computers doing that also made the headphones sound like garbage or introduced white hissing noise into them. Using the ports on the back fixed this for me.

I do also have an expensive Blue Spark XLR microphone and audio interface that connects via USB, which seems to be about what you are using (XLR to USB output). I actually preferred my 3.5mm microphone over it though. (ModMic 5) I still got some hissing with the Spark microphone. The only solution that could be suggested to me by audio places I shopped was get a special electrical extension cord that supposedly fixed the flow of electricity and reduced the electrical noise. I guess its possible to have a poorly wired house, or electrical flow that can cause the white noise sound in the mic. I didn't want to pay $99+ to get this though, especially if it was not a guaranteed fix.

The best solution for me so far has been use 3.5mm connection, and connect directly to the back of the motherboard or sound card.

There are audio editing and recording software's out there that can post process the audio. You can make alterations with those as well to reduce the white noise or hissing sounds. I personally don't like to have to do that though. It's possible to distort the audio when using noise reduction.

I hope any of that information helps you out.

If none of it manages to help, feel free to upload a sample recording so the issue can be heard audibly by us. An actual example of it would probably be better than words trying to describe it.

ravenISnotEV1L · January 1, 2022

1 hour ago, DarkDream787 said:

Electrical noise or interference can be a pain. I have been VERY picky with microphones and the quality of them.

Is this connected over USB? Just about every single USB mic I ever tried had problems with white noise and hissing sounds. I quit using them, and started using 3.5mm connection to fix that.

I also had this problem when using ports built on the front of the PC case. Once I switched to the ones on the actual motherboard or sound card in the back of the tower, that also helped a great deal. Those front of the case ports always sounded worse or had problems, especially if both headphones and mic were connected to them at the same time and or I tried to use front panel USB. Once I plugged in a USB drive, or used the USB ports at all in the front USB ports, the microphone really went downhill even more. On one of my computers doing that also made the headphones sound like garbage or introduced white hissing noise into them. Using the ports on the back fixed this for me.

I do also have an expensive Blue Spark XLR microphone and audio interface that connects via USB, which seems to be about what you are using (XLR to USB output). I actually preferred my 3.5mm microphone over it though. (ModMic 5) I still got some hissing with the Spark microphone. The only solution that could be suggested to me by audio places I shopped was get a special electrical extension cord that supposedly fixed the flow of electricity and reduced the electrical noise. I guess its possible to have a poorly wired house, or electrical flow that can cause the white noise sound in the mic. I didn't want to pay $99+ to get this though, especially if it was not a guaranteed fix.

The best solution for me so far has been use 3.5mm connection, and connect directly to the back of the motherboard or sound card.

There are audio editing and recording software's out there that can post process the audio. You can make alterations with those as well to reduce the white noise or hissing sounds. I personally don't like to have to do that though. It's possible to distort the audio when using noise reduction.

I hope any of that information helps you out.

If none of it manages to help, feel free to upload a sample recording so the issue can be heard audibly by us. An actual example of it would probably be better than words trying to describe it.

Oh alright, Ill make sure to upload an audio clip as well as try everything you suggested. Thank you and Happy New Years!

ravenISnotEV1L · January 1, 2022

1 minute ago, ravenISnotEV1L said:

Oh alright, Ill make sure to upload an audio clip as well as try everything you suggested. Thank you and Happy New Years!

Forgot to mention it is in fact an XLR mic to a USB interface, plugged in directly at the back.