Please Help| Condenser Microphone Not Working.

#1

So I have a condenser (Alctron-MC320) and a mixer (Behringer XENYX Q502 USB) and I used them both together for a while, a few days ago my mic decided not to work. (I need to max out the gain and volume of the mic to get it to work and yet it works barley and is much louder than what it picks up on static/white noise. Now maybe I’ve done any damage to my mic or there isn’t enough power for the mic (my mixer only provides 18v phantom power) or is it because i dropped the wall adapter of the mixer and now my mic doesn’t get enough power.

I do not know what to do. Should I buy a new mic? A new wall adapter? Or will I get a true 48v phantom power supply?

Thanks for the help!

#2

how do you get your mixer singal to the computer? Main outs or the 2 track 2rca output? Either way make sure you plug it into the line in of the PC. Then make sure you set your levels correctly in your soundcard software whatever that may be.

I got an ART Project Series AUDIO MINI mixer. Same type of setup except I have a dedicated preamp for my condensor.Art Tube MP Project Series. I also have my mic running through a behringer Composer Pro xL compressor. You shouldn’t have problems with your mixer giving you power, but its almost never enough level and you’ll be clipping because your levels are all over the place.
If your mic stopped working, you probably have a faulty cable somewhere.

In any case, is your Phantom Power light switch on when you turn it on?

I love talking gear early in the morning with a coffee.

#3

That’s an oof

#4

Maybe your microphone can sense when there’s too much dirty-talking during the matches and automaticly mutes itself for an hour or two.

1 Like
#5

Off-topic.

Banned.

3 Likes
#6

its going to happen.

#7

Let’s stop going into random topics and posting this please.

#8

INNOCENT QUESTION: how is this off topic

1 Like
#10

For testing condenser mics I suggest you use another phantom power source. Behringer is a cheap brand and while they deliver nice features for a bargain, their quality control is shit and is always a gamble of unreliability. Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of Behringer products, but sometimes you just get what you pay for.

As for carrying the signal to your PC, don’t listen to Mass and use the USB signal. Less prone to ground noise (though still prone to electrical static noise).

Condenser microphones are also very delicate. High humidity, voltage overload and power surges will kill them in no time.

For basic troubleshooting, I would first start with the most simple thing, your XLR cable, try another one. Then another phantom power supply. Then the microphone itself.

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#11

No i agree, dont fucking use the usb ever. It really sucks, it has a lot of em interference . If its USB 2.0 its got no sheilding whatsoever. At the same time, going into the computer buy one of these sheilds

Because your audio gear might be on a different power outlet than the PC’s. The electrical ground will be on a different grounded outlet thus the two different grounds gives you a buzzing when you’re recording. don’t quote me on the electrical physics. but This baby will cancel the ground buzz. Its installed on your PC’s line in.

#12

you are right. I forgot about the dual power issue and indeed it creates a mess.

I use a USB powered audio interface and it has minimal noise. On my old build the CPU would cause static noise if you paid close attention. On my new system it doesn’t.

1 Like
#13

The shit we talk about here…this is gold. But of course you’re only as good as you need to be.

#14

😘

#15

I’ve noticed that some 48v mics work with 18v and others don’t. I think you might be getting lucky at 18V. If you have access to another mic with the P48, try mic test on it to see if the mic still works. If this happens, you will need a new mic with a P48 or P48 injector to add to your existing mic.