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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: ButchAlmberg on May 07, 2015, 11:46:05 AM

Title: Can mic orientation cause hum?
Post by: ButchAlmberg on May 07, 2015, 11:46:05 AM

Just got a new set of mics and just did a quick sound check on them. I recorded a grand piano and noticed a discernible hum, especially at the end while the last note faded. I need to do some more tests but wanted to know if, simply, mic orientation might be the culprit. I don't want to mention the mics just yet as I might post some sound samples here later. I will say that I'm recording into a Marantz 661 with phantom power, and no pre.

Thanks for your input.

Title: Re: Can mic orientation cause hum?
Post by: ButchAlmberg on May 07, 2015, 03:36:49 PM

Great response. That gives me a good place to start. Thank you.

Title: Re: Can mic orientation cause hum?
Post by: ButchAlmberg on May 08, 2015, 08:06:22 PM

For the sake of following up...

I had a cable go bad at Wanee and haven't had the chance to do any recording since. That said, I had opted to run the mics directly into the 661, which required switching P48 on. I forgot I had done this so when I got my new mics I quickly connected them to the external phantom power and then into my recorder, but failed to turn P48 off. Stupid mistake on my part, but I'm just glad that it happened in my living room and not elsewhere.

Title: Re: Can mic orientation cause hum?
Post by: ButchAlmberg on May 08, 2015, 10:24:04 PM

I had considered that too. The phantom is a Rolls. Entry level by my standards.

Title: Re: Can mic orientation cause hum?
Post by: ButchAlmberg on May 08, 2015, 11:02:57 PM

I wish that was within my skill set to do. Is there anyone on TS that I might solicit to do what you're suggesting? Or would it be more practical to upgrade my phantom power supply?