5/2/2016 BLUE YETI PROBLEMS - DAMSEL IN DISTRESS!! I'm a Voiceover pro, have no expertise in sound engineering or computer t

[SoCalGal]

BLUE YETI PROBLEMS - DAMSEL IN DISTRESS!! I'm a Voiceover pro, have no expertise in sound engineering or computer technology, but can follow directions and have fixed a number of issues by reading and implementing solutions suggested on YouTube, forums, and Windows 10 troubleshooting videos.

For years I've recorded VO auditions at home using Sony's Sound Forge recording/editing software and a Blue Snowball USB mic, with no problems. I have never needed a pre-amp, and have consistently produced good, audition quality MP3's.

My Snowball mic finally died, and today I replaced it with a new Blue Yeti USB mic. I followed all installation directions and settings. I ran several Windows 10 troubleshooters on the Device Manager and Sound Controller. I updated my sound driver. I've already tested all of the mic settings and mic positioning: Cardioid is best, but far from acceptable; I played around with the Gain setting; I've adjusted the volume setting; I've played around with mic position. NOTHING HAS SOLVED THE PROBLEMS. Please, if anyone can help, I'd be very grateful!

PROBLEMS:

(1) My speakers won't play ANY audio unless I disconnect the Yeti USB mic. (I use Cyber Acoustics CA-3072 8 Watt mini-speakers with subwoofer.)

(2) With the Yeti mic plugged into the USB port, I cannot record without moving far away from the computer (and speakers) to avoid HORRIBLE FEEDBACK. If I use the MUTE button on the mic, the feedback stops, but the mic won't record when muted. I can only record with the computer speaker volume setting turned to MUTE, and by holding the mic about 2 feet away from the computer/speakers to stop the feedback.

(3) There is an unacceptable amount of ambient noise (noticeable hiss and slight hum from computer fan and motor vibrations) on my recordings, despite using the S3 Spider shock mount with a felt pad between the washers and mic platform where the mic screws into the shock mount.

(4) There is also an echo with slight reverb on my recordings, as though I had engaged the "Deep Hall" FX setting, which I did not. Using Sound Forge's Noise Gate and Normalize plug- ins didn't help.

FYI: I use a relatively new Dell Inspiron 3252 desktop computer. I do not use headphones (and don't particularly want to). The CPU's only dedicated mic port is a single prong, round jack hole on the rear of the CPU, but I can't use it since the Yeti has a micro USB plug, so I can only plug into an open USB port on the CPU's front face.

I don't want to switch to Audacity (and LAME to export sound files in MP3 format) unless that's the ONLY fix. I've used Sound Forge for years and find it very effective. ANY HELP OR SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!! Thank you very much! : ))

 

[Alabalcho]

On your problems:
1. There's a chance the USB part of the mike also has "audio out". Right-click on Volume icon, "Playback devices", make sure it's yor speakers who are defaults. CHeck flr updated drivers for your mike.
2. Audio feedback is something to be expected. Get used to headphones to control how you sound.

 

[ssddx]

these are things a recording professional really should know:

1. as alabalcho said, the yeti has a headphone out jack. check that you have your pc speakers set as the default audio device still. if you're live monitoring your voice it would be better to have headphones connected up to the yeti though for live non-delay monitoring.

2. having speakers and a microphone in front of them will result in feedback and feedback loops. this is why people use headphones for live monitoring. get used to headphones or do not use speakers when recording. keep in mind the microphone has 3 pickup patterns: cardioid, bi-directional and omnidirectional. you want cardioid as this picks up mostly from the front.

3. it could be your gain settings due to you being far from the mic. the mic should be on an arm by your mouth say 3-6 inches away and slightly to the side. the further away the higher you need to crank volume and gain. the higher the gain the more you will pick up like fans and such. also, some microphones are more sensitive than others (which can be good for detail and back for ambient pickup). you might need to run a noise gate or low pass filter in some cases if you can not eliminate it in by other means.

4. likely this is due to you needing to speak louder with the mic further away to reduce your issue #2. its likely either recording from #2 or you're getting more sound bouncing off walls resulting in echo. if its from #2 fix that issue and it should go away (use headphones!). if its from room reverb put the mic in the correct recording location and try again. if you still get issues you could use a noise isolating box (box lined with sound foam with mic inside) to try and eliminate room echo.

since you're a recorder, you may have wanted to add a few youtube files showing before and after where we can hear the issues firsthand. i still say its probably what i listed earlier so there is no real need to do so other than clarification.

 

[SoCalGal]

On your problems:
1. There's a chance the USB part of the mike also has "audio out". Right-click on Volume icon, "Playback devices", make sure it's yor speakers who are defaults. CHeck flr updated drivers for your mike.
2. Audio feedback is something to be expected. Get used to headphones to control how you sound.

Thanks, Alabalcho. I really appreciate your suggestions and your time! Your suggestions are good ones, but I'm afraid they didn't quite hit the mark in this case.

I had reset and double checked settings upon installation, and my speakers are set as the default playback device.

I was hoping your driver update idea might help, but I just learned that the Yeti doesn't use a driver. (The Yeti Pro does.)

I've never encountered audio feedback in the 8 or so years I've been recording auditions from home, so I don't expect to encounter it now...especially not with upgrading the mic (although that may be exactly why I've got a problem now!! LOL). I never had a problem with the Blue Snowball, so ultimately, if I can't solve this issue, I'll return the Yeti and get another Snowball. I got the Yeti since I'll be doing some podcasting in a few months, and really wanted to use a reliable, broadcast quality mic.

The Yeti produces a fuller, richer sound, but from day one of using Sound Forge, I tweaked the necessary parameters within the program to produce a rich, full, and real representation of my voice, and never had to change from those settings. On rare occasion I'd tweak it a bit to sweeten the sound the Snowball would capture, and once or twice I implemented one of the FX settings (once for a "Phone Conversation" effect, and once for a slight echo on a witch's laugh at the end of a piece), but that's all that was needed to consistently produce recordings that were fine for audition purposes. (In fact, I don't want to produce broadcast quality sound for audition files...Learned that one the hard way, once, and that was enough!! LOL)

As for getting used to using headphones, well...that just ain't gonna happen, Al. I've been doing VOs for 20+ years, and have never used cans except for actual recording gigs in studios. Even then, I only keep one can on my left ear and slip the other one back on my head so my right ear is free. Trust me when I tell you I've done VO long enough to know exactly how I sound, so at this point I won't be using headphones at home. Some people swear by them; I've always sworn at them. Darned things get caught in my hair!

I'm wondering whether there's a problem with this particular mic itself, but I've seen so many other posters with the same problem, I'm thinking it's some little set up thing I've missed, or something within Windows 10 that I don't understand.

Again, I really appreciate your taking the time to respond, and I appreciate your suggestions. Thank you! ;-)

 

[SoCalGal]

OH!! MY THANKS, ALSO, TO THE MODERATOR, ssddx, WHO RESPONDED.

What can I tell you, ssddx? I never said that I was a "recording professional". What I said was I'm a voiceover professional, and that's what I've done for a living for the past 25 years. My job is to show up at the studio on time, deliver brilliance within one or two takes, and let the recording engineer handle everything regarding the equipment and technical aspects of recording!!

I'm a bit surprised that as a Moderator, you seem not to have fully read my post. I'm very grateful for your very detailed response, however I had already tried everything you suggested, as I detailed in paragraph 3 of my original query. There was no point to videoing and YouTubing before and after recordings, since there wasn't, and still isn't, an "after".

That said, you're absolutely right!! Before I start podcasting or streaming video, I will need to know more about recording for those venues than I do now, which is very little. I did preface that as a disclaimer up front in my original query, but perhaps you missed that, as well. My work is voicing commercials, promos, trailers, narrations, industrials, and cartoon and game characters for radio, TV, film, animation, video and online games, live announce, and multi-media presentations. I do know how to read, though, and one of the reasons I came to this forum was to learn more by reading others' queries and answers.

Technology has enabled voiceover professionals (and myriad throngs of wannabes) to produce their own, broadcast quality recordings from their home studio; however I admit to being extremely lucky and somewhat spoiled by having consistently worked in studios outside of my home for the past two decades plus. I frankly had no need nor desire to invest in a ton of equipment that I'd have needed someone else set up for me, and I simply couldn't wrap my head around pre-amps, mixing boards, monitors, speakers, subwoofers, a Whisper Room, and maintaining an ISDN line, blah blah blah...Just wasn't my forte, wasn't my thing, and I really didn't want the expense of keeping all that equipment up to date, since it wasn't as cheap a venture as it is at this juncture in time, but you're probably too young to have considered that. ;-p

Thanks, all the same, however, ssddx. I very much appreciate your time and detailed response. I've yet to find a solution for my Yeti problem, but I remain optimistic. (BTW, your avatar is adorable!) )

 

[ssddx]

i can certainly do without the apparent flippancy and age related remarks (which are groundless). while i understand its easier to leave it up to a recording expert, if you intend to do any recording at all it is very good advice to learn a bit of it on your own as well. it always helps to be familiar with all aspects of a given profession and not just what happens on your end.

#1 i think we covered this well enough so unless you list a response i'll consider this solved.

#2 from what you have said it seems you can record fine with the speakers off which seems to be the same as what i said above. if you still get feedback with the speakers off then it will have to be investigated. now, while using headphones is very much suggested and having the mic close is ideal there are certainly people who do not use them nor use a setup like that. both have their own merits and demerits. in such cases the microphone is generally between the speakers and somewhat behind in order to not pick up noise. however, given that due to distance from the voice source mic settings need to be boosted its also possible to pick up other noises in a non silent environment.

#3 again, you did not list very well where the mic is in regards to the pc and how it is mounted. i understand you use a shock mount but is it on a boom arm? on the desk? on a stand? and how close is it to the source of noise. you can normally eliminate much of this with proper placement or isolation. perhaps some rubber or foam under the pc case feet or having the case on the floor. if you absolutely must use speakers, then there is not much you can do except have the speakers closer and the mic between them and to the rear so moving the pc case or isolating it via mats would be easier.

#4 again, you did not list if this happens with the speakers off or on. if the speakers are off and it still happens, try checking if its room reverb first. if not, then it has to be investigated

you need to give us some more details of what exactly was tried and what the result was. "i have tried everything" does not tell us much.