a curious issue

[mixmama]

Hello All,
Besides having a high quality home studio, I also work at a professional studio with a Neve V3 console and Pro Tools HD with a Mac G4. Whenever I do vocals at the bigger studio, I am either using an AKG 414 or a Shure KSM32. Signal path is always through the Neve then into a Distressor compressor before getting to PT. I NEVER have to use the attenuation pad on these mics (even with the loudest singers!) as the Distressor catches everything. And the internal pre-amp inside these mics never seem to overload at all.

When I come to my home studio to do vocals, I use the same Shure KSM32 going through a Universal Audio 610 mic-pre and the Distressor compressor. Here's the thing that baffles me...If I don't use the -15db pad, the singer always overloads the pre inside the mic (NOT the UA mic pre).

Why is it, do you think, that even though I'm using a somewhat similar set-up in both studios I MUST have the pad on at home but not at the bigger studio. Since the Neve utilizes a console fader as well as the mic-pre, could that be a factor? Anyone else out there who goes between pro studios and home studios have this experience?

Thanks for being here.
Karen Kane

[albee1952]

How are you deciding that its the mic that is overloading? Do you mean the same model mic, or the actual same mic in both places? Assuming you are correct, is it possible that the UA pre is not feeding proper phantom power? Too low a voltage or current would likely cause distortion in the mic, but I have no idea how to measure for this, or to fix it if that's the cause.

[mixmama]

Originally Posted by albee1952

How are you deciding that its the mic that is overloading? Do you mean the same model mic, or the actual same mic in both places? Assuming you are correct, is it possible that the UA pre is not feeding proper phantom power? Too low a voltage or current would likely cause distortion in the mic, but I have no idea how to measure for this, or to fix it if that's the cause.

Hi Albee,
Thanks for responding.I was hoping you would be the one to chime in here. Any word from Andrew (lemix) lately?

Actually, I'm only assuming that the mic is overloading and not the UA. Reason being is that when I hear the distortion, I put the -15db pad on the mic and make up the difference on the UA. That always fixes it. Same mic model, not actual same mic in both places. I suppose it's possible that the UA is not feeding proper 48V but I guess I'd have to send it in to have it looked at if that was suspected. I plan on trading mics with the studio and bringing home the other KSM32 and trying it tomorrow. That will tell a lot, don't you think?
Be back soon.
kk

[albee1952]

Trading out that mic should tell the story(at least part of it). Maybe take the 610 to the studio and work it there. I would expect a big difference between a Neve pre and the 610. I wonder if that difference will sound like the distortion you are hearing. What happens if you lower the gain on the 610? I had the LA610 which is the same pre followed by a tube compressor(easy way to make up gain) and it was pretty darn sweet. Of course, anything with tubes will be subject to tubes failing after a while. I wonder if new tubes would matter?

[Craig F]

Originally Posted by mixmama

I suppose it's possible that the UA is not feeding proper 48V but I guess I'd have to send it in to have it looked at if that was suspected.
kk

2 ways to check:

1) a cable tester/signal generator that detects proper phantom power

2) if you have a volt meter, back the housing off of one end of the cable (preferably the female at the mic), hook up the mic, and look at DC voltage between pins 1 & 2 then pins 1 & 3 should be the same and about 22 to 24 VDC.
if the same DC is there, switch the meter to AC low scale and look at the same pin sets (best to set the mic up in front of a speaker playing a steady noise [pink or sine wave]) and look for similar voltage levels.