Where is my hiss coming from?

[pjam]

I'm new to this so be gentle cus I might be making elementary mistakes?

My setup so far;

Se2200a condenser > ART tube preamp > Tascam US-122L > Logic Pro.

Not always but annoyingly often I get obvious hiss, is it my setup or could it be something more subtle like cable or equipment position etc?

Any help appreciated

[woodman]

from your general description, the ART would be my first suspect. but more details would help ... when does it kick in? what makes it go away? recording only or playback too?

maybe try taking the ART out of the signal chain and see if hiss still occurs ... if it hisses without the ART, you know that's not the culprit. if eliminating it stops the hiss, well, there ya go!

[Old Cane]

I'd agree without actually getting to tinker with it.

If anything in the chain has an input and output volume (or master volume as we called it when I was young) make sure the master is up higher than the channel volume to get a cleaner and less noisy signal. I'm shocked to see young sound people get this backwards. And then they just argue with me.

[Ben Harmless]

The above two posts are wise, and I concur.

Gain staging can be everything. Typically, the idea is to get the maximum amount of signal into the recording device that you can without distorting the inputs.

The way you do that:
-Start with the gain knob at zero.
-Point mic at sound source.
-Make whatever sound you're trying to record. Keep making that sound.
-Turn the gain knob up until the clip light starts to light up.
-Turn down the gain until you're sure that whatever you're doing isn't going to suddenly spike and clip the signal.
-Turn the gain knob down another half a hair.

This way you improve your signal-to-noise ratio. If this doesn't get rid of your noise, then you've got some noisy gear.

[Ben Harmless]

Wow. That's terrible advice I gave.

Instead of clipping, turn the gain up until you're hitting zero on the meter. Recording in the digital domain doesn't even require that much. On your final gain setting into your recording device, cranking the gain 'till the peaks hit -12 will give you good headroom, and be just fine in the long run.

[Old Cane]

Well, it's really not so bad. I mean, find out where it clips, turn it down, then turn it down some more. Yeah, that works. Minus 12 works, too.

[pjam]

Thanks guys, I making progress already.

I've got much better settings on the ART now, but I still don't think it's a great preamp!
any ideas for a better one.... say about 250-350 US 0r £150- 200

[Old Cane]

Used FMR RNP. Or a GT Brick.

[woodman]

i highly recommend The Brick ....