I recently purchased an AT835B Mic and a sony MD recorder. While this setup is better than my previous one, I'm still not satisfied, especially in terms of the (I think this is the right phrase) inherent self noise created by the system.

When recording from louder sources, like cars etc... I don't notice the hiss at all because the gain is turned down, but recording quieter things become more of a problem as the noise is painfully apparent.

What causes noise? Where is the problem? Is it in the microphone, in the preamp, or the cable? Can I solve this or am I just being too picky with the equiptment I have?

-Alex

If it's hiss, then it's in the preamp and recorder. I doubt it's the mic unless there's something wrong with it. Try a different mic and see if you're still experiencing the problem.

If you're noticing substantial amounts of noise then you might want to consider getting a different recorder and/or preamp. See if you can try before you buy to avoid getting stuck with something you don't like.

Or, find out what audio pros are using or have experienced.

Most likely the greatest contributor to the hiss you hear is the inexpensive preamp in your recorder. It's my experience that using a good outboard preamp and connecting to the recorder via the line-in jack is the most cost-effective improvement to the noise situation you can make.

Best wishes,
Peter
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