Recording with a Micro-VR, getting a hissing noise

benjammin420 · #1 05-10-2011, 08:29 PM

I have a used Ampeg Micro-VR that Ive been trying out for several months, Ive been using it for practice and for home recordings, and I dont remember this problem always being there, but when I run a line from the amp into my computer (via an IMic) I get some hissing that is hard to ignore.

At first I was using an 1/8" cable from the amps headphone out into the Imics input, after I started to notice the problem more and more, I suspected it was the cable that was going bad. So a bought a new cable, this time an XLR-to-1/8", and I run it from the XLR out into the Imic, and it seems to be more of a problem now (the whole sound is louder and clearer, and with that the noise is also enhanced)

I usually have all the EQ controls set at noon, if I dial back the treble, the hissing goes down, but to get the noise down to a satisfactory level, the tone doesnt sound too good

Am I doing something wrong?
is their something wrong with the amp?
is that noise just something to "deal with"?

The amp sounds great through speakers, and I'm wanting to buy it, but not if theres something wrong with it

JimmyM · #2 05-10-2011, 08:58 PM

i think that's typical. the treble is pretty hot on that amp, and when you boost it, you also boost its corresponding noise floor, especially if you crank the gain. that amp is meant to be mic'ed, btw. you can get its di sound out of most standalone di's and rudimentary eq, but the mic'ed tone is really unique and cool.

benjammin420 · #3 05-10-2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i think that's typical. the treble is pretty hot on that amp, and when you boost it, you also boost its corresponding noise floor, especially if you crank the gain. that amp is meant to be mic'ed, btw. you can get its di sound out of most standalone di's and rudimentary eq, but the mic'ed tone is really unique and cool.

Cool thanks, Ive been needing to get a better mic for guitar anyways, would I need a different mic for bass, or could I use one for both?

JimmyM · #4 05-10-2011, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benjammin420

Cool thanks, Ive been needing to get a better mic for guitar anyways, would I need a different mic for bass, or could I use one for both?

depends on what kind of mic. you can use a 57 on guitar and sound great, and it will also sound great on bass, but the 57 doesn't have enough lows on its own to do bass justice, so most will supplement it with a di for the lows.

but i do use a pretty good mic with mine...the heil pr40. it would probably be too bassy for guitar, but works great with bass. could you use the same mic for both? yes, but if you do, i'd get one more suited to bass than guitar. you can always roll off excess low end off the guitar channel, but you can't add it if the mic doesn't pick it up. a lot of folks like the sennheiser 421 on both guitar and bass cabs. expensive, but a great sounding mic.

benjammin420 · #5 05-10-2011, 10:26 PM

Thanks for the input, I guess I'll have to see how much money I can spend before I decide which one(s) to get. Thats a shame though, I quite like the DI tone, and the noise isnt a real problem in the mix with all the other instruments

JimmyM · #6 05-10-2011, 10:44 PM

maybe you could gate out the noise when you're not playing? in a band context, it's doubtful you'll hear it. it's really only when there's nothing else going on that it's noticeable.

benjammin420 · #7 05-10-2011, 10:59 PM

yeah, its only on recordings that its a problem, if theres a spot I'm not playing, I can just edit it out. but on a few tracks, there isnt much accompaniment, so the hissing comes through a bit too much, its like listening to an old cassette tape haha