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Clicks Pops Using Condenser Microphones Static Electricity?
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test, test, test, test.
Echo test complete
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Did you ever come up with a solution for this? I have had identical problems but the system is almost entirely analog (We do record to a computer through USB after the mixer, so that’s digital), but everything else is just XLR cables coming into the mixer and a couple of speaker cables coming out. Pops and clicks just like you describe and a condenser microphone on phantom power.
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I should add it’s always worse when it’s dry. Also the we don’t redirect the sound from the computer (usb) back through the system so we shouldn’t hear the clicks and pops through the speakers if it was a problem with the analog-to-digital conversion (but we do). At least I don’t think we should, unless the mixer just freaks out.
We have had multiple mixers and multiples computers with identical problems.
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Jeffrey,
The problem is usually conflicting sample rates.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader
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We wound up pulling out the Neumann TLM-103s and put in EV RE-20s…
Not a single click or pop since.
The issue for us was definitely the microphones.
A bummer as the TLM 103s sound amazing.
Thx!
S
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Ok, will definitely take a look at that. Thanks.
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So switched to a dynamic microphone and it went away… I suspected that it may just be that the condensor mic eventually breaks down in certain environments. Not certain yet but it seems probable.
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Jeffrey,
Please elaborate on “eventually breaks down in certain environments.”
What are the causes? What sort of breakdown?
The OP mentioned that he was operating in an extremely dry environment. We used to have a problem with low humidity at WBAL/WIYY every winter. When I walked into the production studio, I could draw a static arc of 2-3 inches from the console to my hand. It was actually painful.
There the discharges were definitely audible and, in some cases, blew out circuits in the console.
Unless your situation is extreme low humidity, ticks and clicks are usually due to clock errors, or something else.
Regards,
Ty Ford
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The room we are in varies in humidity throughout the year. The clicking and popping only appears in the winter when it is very dry. It also only appears near the end of a long recording session, after about 2 hours. We are using a. Earthworks FM360 lectern microphone. We have replaced the microphone (with an identical microphone from the same company) several times. Also, in our case the clicks and pops appear suddenly near the 2 hour and 15 minute mark, although the timeframe is not exact.
Actually not entirely suddenly. After about 2 hours we start to pick up an ocassional fuzzy radio static like sound. Then at a certain Point–SNAP! Very loud. Once you get one pop you will be sure to hear a second in about 3 minutes. The only thing the stops the repeated popping is swapping out the microphones but it will come back two hours later.
It only gets that bad on maybe 4 or 5 weekends each year but its drastically bad when it does. This has been consistent for 5 years now although a little extra dryness has been bringing it into the spring this year. Probably the 5th microphone too.
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