m-audio microtrack ii - hissing

[Doin]

I've been using the m-audio microtrack ii for about 5 years. It's easy to use and actually gets quite good recordings.
However, there's an annoying hiss that accompanies live recordings that really bugs me.
I just upgraded to CA-14 cardioids and battery box.

Is there a way to set it up so I don't get the hiss or is it part of device? Should I be turning the recording levels up or down?
Nothing seems to work.

I am considering a Roland r-05. I've been told they have zero hiss.

[Life In Rewind]

Sounds like your getting too little gain from the preamp/battery box (bad signal to noise ratio)

And making up for it by using more gain at the recorder...(amplifying a noisy signal)

Might help to know what battery box is in play...theres probably some old MicroTrack II threads here that might help too.

[fmaderjr]

If you are connecting the CA9100 to the MTII's stereo balanced RCA inputs you are surely experiencing the dreaded "sprinkler noise" that was much discussed here years ago when the MTII was first released and a number of tapers were using them. The sprinkler noise occurs when an unbalanced signal is fed into these inputs.

There were 2 solutions mentioned for this. One was a special cable to connect the 2 that shorted out something and eliminated the noise which may be hard to obtain now (Sound Pro's sold it for a while). The other was to turn the MTII's gain to the absolute minimum and get all your gain from the CA9100.  This would probably work for you if you record fairly loud stuff, but you might not be able to get enough gain to record quiet stuff this way.

[darktrain]

Plan A- get a Sony PCM-M10

Plan B - see plan A

[willndmb]

There is no RCA in on a mt fwiw
I used a mt1 for a long time via 1/4 and never had issues but know of people who did via the 1/8
I agree with darktrain overall, get a m10

[fmaderjr]

There is no RCA in on a mt fwiw
I used a mt1 for a long time via 1/4 and never had issues but know of people who did via the 1/8
I agree with darktrain overall, get a m10

I stand corrected- I meant the 1/4 in on the MTII caused a sprinkler noise problem. The original MT had no such problems so I wouldn't expect anyone to have had issues with the 1/4 ins on the original MT.

[yug du nord]

If you are connecting the CA9100 to the MTII's stereo balanced RCA inputs you are surely experiencing the dreaded "sprinkler noise" that was much discussed here years ago when the MTII was first released and a number of tapers were using them. The sprinkler noise occurs when an unbalanced signal is fed into these inputs.

this. 

...........and if possible, find yourself an M10...  and never worry again. 

The original MT is great for analog input, but can be finicky.
The MT II is great for digital, but can be finicky.
Both are great little decks, but both can be goofy in their own respects.