# If I use a D.I. instead preamp? (For getting rid of noise recording Mic. directly into a.interface)



## Daniele Nasuti (Sep 4, 2018)

Hi, I’m having problems with noise when I record a vocal track or acoustic guitar with audio interface (scarlet 2i4).

So I was thinking about plug the dynamic microphone into a DI Box before the audio interface. Is there some risk that I can damage something in this way? Because the cable from the mic is a balanced jack(TRS) but the input of the DI is unbalanced I think, so I’m a little worried.

Some of you have advices for me?

The alternative for getting rid of the noise maybe could be a preamp but I don’t have money for this, so my idea was the mic into the DI and this to the audio interface.

What do you think about? I haven’t tried yet. 

However If I had to buy a cheap preamp which is worth at least for increase the gain and getting rid of that noise? Which one would you recommend?

I found those so far: ART TUBE MP or BEHRINGER MIC500 USB
They work for resolving my problem?


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## gregh (Sep 4, 2018)

I use a scarlet 2i4 with very little noise, so I think the problem is perhaps the microphone is noisy or you have some settings wrong.


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## Daniele Nasuti (Sep 4, 2018)

so you have some noise too... maybe is normal. I hear the noise in very soft passages or when I'm not playing. And also if I speak into the mic, but not too much.


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## wst3 (Sep 4, 2018)

Some audio basics maybe?

A Direct Box (or whatever you wish to call it) is designed to change/match impedances. If there is a level change, it is most frequently from line level DOWN to microphone level, so it won't help you at all.

A preamplifier is designed to provide gain (clean, quiet gain in fact). A microphone preamplifier may be upon to provide as much as 70 dB (which is huge!).

When you apply that much gain you are going to also increase the noise floor, it is not a perfectly linear process either.

So, the trick to low noise recordings is:
1) a (relatively) loud source
2) a quiet room
3) a quiet microphone
4) a quiet preamplifier
5) proper gain-staging.

There are no shortcuts - and your typical budget microphone or preamplifier is almost certainly not going to be up to the task.

Depending on your budget, and the anticipated return on your investment, it often makes sense to rent better gear.


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## FourFour (Sep 5, 2018)

Not sure how a DI box would help. They are used to go from Instrument lvl to Mic level.
Preamp won't help too. The noise is already present in your chain. Solution is probably just to get a better mic.


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## gregh (Sep 5, 2018)

Daniele Nasuti said:


> so you have some noise too... maybe is normal. I hear the noise in very soft passages or when I'm not playing. And also if I speak into the mic, but not too much.


the only way we can tell if you have a noise problem - as against normal noise - is if we hear something you record. For example if you record something at a normal volume, like speaking, then pause for a bit while still recording so we can hear the noise, then start speaking again. We will be able to hear the noise during that section in the middle


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## Morning Coffee (Sep 5, 2018)

You could buy another cheap interface, but you might run into the same issues, although I have heard good things about the Audient ID4 and ID14. Checking cables for faults is also worth a try.

Focusrite is a good brand, but maybe the best item to boost your microphone signal is something made for your sort of situation, like a Cloudlifter CL-1 or Triton Audio Fethead. They boost the microphone signal so you don't need to use as much gain, and this, in theory, should reduce the amount of noise floor or hiss. They cost a few hundred dollars, but could be a useful investment in case this happens again in future.

Also, in case you don't know, you can reduce the noise in the soft passages using a noise gate or noise reduction plugin, although it is obviously better to have minimal noise at the recording stage.


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## Daniele Nasuti (Sep 5, 2018)

Morning Coffee said:


> Focusrite is a good brand, but maybe the best item to boost your microphone signal is something made for your sort of situation, like a Cloudlifter CL-1 or Triton Audio Fethead. They boost the microphone signal so you don't need to use as much gain, and this, in theory, should reduce the amount of noise floor or hiss. They cost a few hundred dollars, but could be a useful investment in case this happens again in future.



Yes, I was thinking also to those (fethead or cloudlifter) but someone here said that if there is noise this will be increase too... or not? 

I know about noise gate but I'm trying to reduce noise at the recording stage as you said. 



wst3 said:


> a (relatively) loud source


This is a good solution I'm thinking also. 
I don't have much money now.

I have to do some further tests, then I'll be back.  
Thank you everyone!!


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## Morning Coffee (Sep 5, 2018)

Daniele Nasuti said:


> Yes, I was thinking also to those (fethead or cloudlifter) but someone here said that if there is noise this will be increase too... or not?



If your microphone is faulty in some way, then yes, not much you can do about that noise at any recording level.

If your recordings are noisy because the microphone preamp in the 2i4 is being pushed to maximum (55dB for the 2i4 I think) or near maximum, well that might introduce more hiss into your recordings. If you get a more powerful external preamp or an in-line microphone preamp (fethead or cloudlifter, which claim to give you up to a 20dB boost), then this should give you more clean gain to work with and more headroom. If you have this extra boost of gain to work with, you won't need to push the focusrite 2i4 microphone preamp as much, which means the noise floor/hiss might be less of an issue in your recordings.

As an alternative, you could also try a cardioid pattern condenser microphone for recording vocals and especially for acoustic guitars. Condenser microphones are a more sensitive microphone and generally might not need as much gain as a dynamic microphone, but they will pick up more room sound and background noise, so a good recording space becomes more important in this case.


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## Daniele Nasuti (Sep 15, 2018)

Ok, I did some tests and changed cable.. seems the problem was exactly the cable.
I recorded a little audio so you can tell me if there is noise(which I don't hear anymore) and if the quality of record is ok.
But when I export the file it asks me these things.. what I have to choose?

– selector “include audio tail”
– “NORMALIZE (Overload protection only, On, Off)”

And what is the difference between BOUNCE and EXPORT ?


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## Daniele Nasuti (Sep 17, 2018)

This is the Audio recorded with selector LINE on the interface. (I did it right or I should have choose INSTRUMENT for recording a dynamic mic?)
Let me know if the quality is decent.



The gain on Scarlet 2i4 is at 3 o’clock

The meter in the DAW:

WHILE I’M SPEAKING: -30 / -25 dB
WHILE I’M PLAYING: from -38 dB to -17 dB
In all this the LUFS Integrated are around -36.
If I put a Gain plugin in the DAW and give it +24dB the LUFS Integrated goes up to -12.

When at the beginning the DAW asks for surround 5.1 or Quadraphonic or anything else what should I choose?


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