Kinda sorted for a mic now, any tips on sound editing?...

Get that song on tape! Errr... disk?
User avatar
Larry Mal
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 19673
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:25 pm
Location: Saint Louis, MO

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by Larry Mal » Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:06 am

The strength of something like those Jabra speakerphones and the webcams (to a lesser degree) is that they are designed to work without feedback. Sometimes if you put a USB mic or something on a laptop then you get very annoying echo and feedback, since the speakers of the laptop are broadcasting into the microphone that is going into the laptop.

But the speakerphones are designed for that not to happen, I would be guessing as to know they do it, but you have the speaker and microphone working together and there is no feedback nor echo.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

User avatar
PorkyPrimeCut
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 24464
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:46 am
Location: Leipzig
Contact:

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:31 am

This all feels a little redundant now as all the first choice mics are sold out on Amazon & I'm not risking eBay. Items are available but are sellers willing to actually post stuff? It's anybody's guess.

I'm on a waiting list & will be notified when they're back in stock.
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.

User avatar
somanytoys
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3325
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by somanytoys » Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:22 am

I know what you mean. People should be wanting to make money, but you have to rely on them doing their part & shipping things out. That’s likely going to be a case-by-case basis, kind of a crapshoot, I guess.

I’ve bought a couple of things on Reverb in the past week (or longer), the oldest purchase has bought the label but not shipped it, but 2 other people have shipped what I’ve ordered.

I didn’t see where this was suggested before, so sorry if it has or if it’s way out of your price range, but what about a lavaliere mic?
-David

It's a boost booster, to boost your boost - it makes your tone much muchier.

User avatar
PorkyPrimeCut
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 24464
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:46 am
Location: Leipzig
Contact:

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Tue Mar 24, 2020 1:47 pm

somanytoys wrote:
Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:22 am
I didn’t see where this was suggested before, so sorry if it has or if it’s way out of your price range, but what about a lavaliere mic?
I had to look that up. Never realised they were called that.

In principle it's a great idea but with yoga, in videos I've watched using these kind of mics, there are several times when the folding of your body caused a rubbing, distorted noise. Also the vocals can become muffled, again from a particular posture you're in. It's not a massive problem but I think a directional mic sat close enough but off camera would give better results.

Whoddathought I'd end up becoming a part-time sound engineer? This definitely wasn't what I signed up for but I kinda like it & this forum is an amazing resource for things like this.

Thanks, folks!
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.

User avatar
somanytoys
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3325
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by somanytoys » Tue Mar 24, 2020 2:25 pm

Yeah, I can see that, just thought that especially a cordless version might be better (or easier) than playing around with mic placements.
Edit: or even like a headset mic, that extends down your jawline?

I hope it all goes well.

Yes, this really is a great forum for good info and advice. Lots of good people with all kinds of knowledge.
-David

It's a boost booster, to boost your boost - it makes your tone much muchier.

User avatar
marqueemoon
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 7344
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:37 pm
Location: Seattle

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:26 pm

I'm borrowing a Blue Snowball USB mic from a bandmate. For what it is it sounds nice.

User avatar
marqueemoon
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 7344
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:37 pm
Location: Seattle

Re: Phantom power mic straight into a laptop...kinda?

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:31 pm

Larry Mal wrote:
Tue Mar 24, 2020 5:06 am
It's easy for a computer to deliver phantom power via USB, so look into some mic to USB converters and make sure they supply phantom power if needed.

Although for what you are doing, you might be better served for something dedicated to conferencing. We use those quite a lot and they work well, that particular one is wireless so you would be able to place it by yourself as you did the yoga instructions and it will be your microphone and speaker.
This is a really good suggestion.

Most of these are boundary mics, so just setting it on the floor close to you should work well and won't get in the way visually.

User avatar
PorkyPrimeCut
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 24464
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:46 am
Location: Leipzig
Contact:

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:58 pm

I guess the bottom line is that I want a mic that works best at cancelling out reverb in a large, empty room.
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.

User avatar
somanytoys
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3325
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by somanytoys » Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:39 pm

I think that’s the function/intention behind a lavaliere mic or a headset mic - they’re in close proximity to your mouth (the source), and they don’t pick up the other ambient background sounds from further away. But I assume there are drawbacks with them, as with anything, like picking up unwanted sounds from moving with your clothes.

As for other types of regular mics, I think it will depend on things like the mic’s pattern, its placement and the distance it is from you, as to how much of the room’s ambience/reverb that you can dial out with just the mic. Maybe some onboard software could help with that. But this starts to quickly get beyond my knowledge.
-David

It's a boost booster, to boost your boost - it makes your tone much muchier.

User avatar
BlueSparkle
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 171
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2018 6:03 pm

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by BlueSparkle » Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:57 pm

In this specific situation, where you are delivering online video, the best thing would be a lav mic - wireless of course.

Remembering that you are moving a lot, and when correctly prepared a lav mic is going to cut all the nasty background noise.

Most online / youtube content of this type use zoom interfaces or UA apollos and go into the mac that way using dedicated mixed mic setups, directional room mic's and lavs.

Seems a bit costly, but if it is your livelihood then I am sure it is a legitimate business expense.
:o)
----
'95 JDMJMCS Blue Sparkle w/ McNelly 46/58's.
other non-offsets.

User avatar
fuzzking
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 10319
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:06 am
Contact:

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by fuzzking » Thu Mar 26, 2020 3:55 am

PorkyPrimeCut wrote:
Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:58 pm
I guess the bottom line is that I want a mic that works best at cancelling out reverb in a large, empty room.
Only thing that will do that is a lav mic, but these are totally unfeasible for your situation. Do yourself the favor and dangle a super-/hypercardioid (such as the aforemementioned Rode video mic) from the ceiling, just out of frame. Have carpet on the floor. Issue solved.
Nobody exists on purpose.

User avatar
Larry Mal
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 19673
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:25 pm
Location: Saint Louis, MO

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by Larry Mal » Thu Mar 26, 2020 7:22 am

marqueemoon wrote:
Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:26 pm
I'm borrowing a Blue Snowball USB mic from a bandmate. For what it is it sounds nice.
A Snowball has three modes to it, two cardioid patterns and an omnidirectional. One of the cardioids is a more focused band as you can read here.


I don't recommend one for this, unless you won't be having anyone speaking to you. It's a podcasting microphone and if you use it in conjunction with the speakers on your laptop so people can talk to you as you instruct, you are going to suffer very serious echo and feedback problems. I have one at work, and I know this firsthand.

The same will be true to a greater or lesser degree with lavalier mics and shotgun microphones. See the problem is that those microphones are designed to send audio to a mixer in situations in which no audio needs to be returned.

A person being interviewed on late night television with a lavalier doesn't need to hear the mix sent back to them, because they can hear the host's mouth. That lavalier is a send only*.

A shotgun microphone mounted on a camera is again just gathering audio and the cameraman hears that with headphones, nobody else needs to hear that.

But when you have a situation in which you need a microphone to communicate with and speakers to hear from, then you can have problems. Clearly there are solutions to all of this or you never would have been able to hear a singer at a concert, but these solutions take more resources to implement.

I'll still recommend that you use something specifically designed for web conferencing since that's what you are doing. If your room is too reverberant to work in then maybe consider changing that.

Now, if all you are doing is speaking and you don't require any kind of return audio from your participants, then it doesn't matter, any microphone will work. But if you plan to have them interacting with you then I recommend some kind of solution that is designed for that.



*All of things are very crude talking points, clearly, anything is possible. But to give some quick and dirty advice as to how to cheaply go about this, I'm ignoring complexities and possibilities.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

User avatar
PorkyPrimeCut
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 24464
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:46 am
Location: Leipzig
Contact:

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Thu Mar 26, 2020 7:58 am

Thanks for all the tips.

Other people in a similar situation to me (ie - yoga teachers having to switch to online classes) have found any mic that's closer to you does the job adequately. Some actually rate the lavalier mics mentioned. Others have done all they can with sheets & furniture to lessen the echo in the room

I've opted to teach my own classes from our bedroom...

Image

Image

...Yes, that's a furry cat shelf & they're not happy about it...

This solves most of the echo problems as it's smaller. Still, if only I had a mini-USB extension lead I could trail my iPhone so it sits behind me or to the side. That would virtually fix the issue (setting it to work as an external mic). Pity you can't do this wirelessly.

I'm still waiting to hear back from a friend trying to get hold of a Rode VideoMic.

I'm broadcasting live from my bedroom in a couple of days time. I'll ask for feedback from my students & suggest they patiently wait for Amazon to delivery, well, whatever it is I end up buying. I still can't make my mind up.
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.

User avatar
PorkyPrimeCut
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 24464
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:46 am
Location: Leipzig
Contact:

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:27 pm

So, I've taken a punt on something, kinda killing 2 birds with one stone. Whether it pays off remains to be seen.

I just bought a pair of Jabra Elite 75t earbuds. I think they should do the same job as Air Pods. I've watched some demos of people using them as wireless microphones & they seem to do a decent job.
Also, Jabra were originally a company specialising in call-centre style headsets so their tech is spot on. The in-ear fit will eliminate the problem I envisaged with lavalier mics (rubbing against my arm or the fabric of my top) & this means my voice will remain at the same volume. A floor-standing mic will sound louder the closer I am & obviously worse the further away I am.

This suddenly seems like a no-brainer. Am I missing something?

Also, I've wanted a pair of these for ages anyway as they're great sounding earphones for music & I've broken too many pairs of non-wireless earphones over the last few years.
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.

User avatar
somanytoys
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3325
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 1:59 pm
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Re: Phantom power mic into a laptop...NOPE...alternatives?

Post by somanytoys » Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:19 pm

That seems to be a wise move to me.

I think I’ve used a Jabra headset or the early Bluetooth ear earpiece for my phone, but it’s been a long time ago.

I hope they work well, it would seem they’re a great choice.
-David

It's a boost booster, to boost your boost - it makes your tone much muchier.

Post Reply