New Mic Sounds Horrible & Isn't working right

[ChiefAloox]

Hey guys I recently purchased a Rode NT1-A Microphone and Scarlett Solo Audio Interface. I have had so many problems with it and was wondering if you could help resolve these. 

Pretty much when I playback a recording I took with my mic on my pc the audio only comes from left side. I fixed this issue on accident a once but it messed itself up again. When I try making the track mono it sounds distorted and static. It also sounds like that when I don't make it mono and leave it so audio only comes from left side. I tried recording on audacity and it sounded perfectly fine. Please help me sort this out because this equipment cost so much

 

 

[ALwin]

OK so how is everything connected?

 

NT1 (via XLR) --> Scarlett Solo --> Computer

 

For the NT1 which has a cardioid polar pattern, make sure that the front of the mic is actually facing you.  For the RODE mics, the front is usually indicated by a gold color metal circle.

 

Did the mic come with a pop filter?  If it did, use it.  Otherwise don't put the mic directly in front of your mouth as certain sounds, namely T P and B will cause the mic to pick up a popping sound due to wind rushing out of your mouth when you say words that have those sounds.

 

Because the NT1 is a mono mic (not stereo) you will have to configure (I don't know how the Scarlett device works) it so that both the Left and Right channels take the audio signal from the NT1.

 

As for distortion and static, you will have to play with the audio levels.  In the recording devices that I am familiar with, I set the gain/level so that the audio is between -20 to -6 db.