Topic: Cause of Temporary Static and Pops?

[terrapinj]

Went to a little festi this past weekend and ran into a strange problem with my mics. I was running SP C4 > UA-5 (DIY) > JB3 (optical). Was just about done setting up in the afternoon in the middle of a set when the rain began to fall pretty hard. Luckily the umbrella was already mounted and all the gear stayed dry, at least as far as I could tell. I waited until it subsided a little bit before starting the recording. Started recording, checked levels and let it be until the band was done. While the next band was setting up I decided to listen to the recording to see if I needed to make any adjustments in the setup. I noticed a reasonablly loud and very annoying static sound with the occasional pop in the left channel. FFd some and it was still there, as far as I could tell through the whole recording. So I plugged the JB3 back into the chain and listened through the headphones to the music over the PA. Still noticed the f'ing static. So I tried to do a quick test to figure out what the problem was. Adjusted the opti cable, still there, switched mic cables, still in the left channel. So I switched mics and the noise moved to the right channel. Next step was to switch caps - noise moved with the cap. At this point I was really pissed off, mics were only a few months old and never had any problems. So took down my mics and put up my buddy's SC-T's instead for the rest of the festival. So first thing I did when I got home was to hook everything back up to see if the noise was still there while recording the stereo - and it wasn't. Checked again the next day - no noise at all. So I am very happy that there isn't a problem with my mic or cap, but am a little curious as to what the hell could have caused the noise that day.

Anyone had any similar problems or have any idea what the problem could have been? My guess was moisture perhaps, but I had my dead rats on before it started raining so I figured those would prevent any ambient moisture from getting in, and of course the umbrella was preventing the rain from hitting them.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated. I don't have a sample uploaded, but if anyone thinks its necesary I could get one up tonight or so.

[Bdifr78]

I run this same rig and I have had a similar problem.  However I don't really get any pops and clicks or static, but I do sometimes get a hum from one of my channels and have thouroughly trouble shot the situation and have narrowed it down to one of my cardoid caps.  The problem I have primarily is that one the one cap doesn't pick up even close to the same level as the other on a regular basis but peaks at higher decibels.  It seems like it is more suceptable(am I am sure I didn't spell that right) to clipping from wind noise.  I had noticed it at Haymaker festival and Bonnaroo and then whenever I did indoor recordings between and after those fests I didn't have the problem anymore.  Though last weekend at All Good it was worse than it had ever been.  Plus now it seems like it sometimes goes back to even levels with the other channel randomly and this happened at the end of one set at All Good and in between sets at all good.  So what happens is that I have it set almost all the way up for the fucked up channel then it starts reading louder and clips.  Even when I was able to set them at very similarly and got the same levels the messed up cap still had higher peaks so some more clipping occured. 

I figured it was from the moisture too, but why would it just be the one channel all the time.  Now when I got home and tested it, it was still the same.  ALL SCREWED UP.  But the other night I recorded in a room that I knew I couldn't pull of an omni recording I ran the cards and the problem seems to still be there but far less difference between the channels.  But I still haven't listened to that recording.

Hmmm...

I know this doesn't help you out, but I thought it might be valuable to share my experience.  I think I am gonna contact Studio Projects soon.

[jimmc]

I also run that same rig and had a similar problem.  Here  is what I found fixed it:
Are you using any right angle adapters on your optical cable?  If so, remove them and run them w/ just the stock ends of the cable.  Some of the right angle optical cable ends will introduce static or pops.

and,

Remove the caps from the mic body.  The brass/bronze (whatever it is) threaded ring that is srewed to the mic body that the cap threads to could be lose.  With the cap off, check to make sure that the brass ring is threaded in tight.  I did both of these things and my static and pops have not come back.  (keeping my fingers crossed).  I did notice that one of my mic bodies had a lose ring, so try that. Also, stay away from the right angle adapters unless your cable was made with right angle adapters.  The Radio Shack adapters I had I think were the main problem.  Others had this problem as well.
Also, you could post this in the Studio Projects Team Thread to pose it to some more C4 owners.  Cant hurt to try.
+T for your troubles,
Jim