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  1. Hi,

    I recently bought Zoom H5 to use it as a voice over audio recorder with external mic Rode NT1-A . XLR Cable and set at 48V Phantom Power.

    The problem I am facing is
    I hear static/white noise in my recording even if I don't talk. Gain is set at 4 using Alkaline batteries. I used Scarlett SM25 mic as well but same problem.

    if I use Focusrite 2i2 in the same situation then there is no problem at all.

    Here is the audio https://ufile.io/3f6a1


    Need help.

    Thanks
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  2. Your file seems to record a background noise level of around -65dBu, which seems pretty respectable for a consumer/prosumer device like the Zoom H5 -
    That unit has a published EIN of -120dBu

    The EIN for the Focusrite 2i2 is some 8dB better than that, so you would expect better noise results from that unit.

    The Zoom H5 gives a similar noise performance to many of the consumer/prosumer battery powered portable recorders.

    You can do better with a more 'pro' portable machine, using a unit like the Sound Devices 702 That has a mic input noise floor similar to the Focusrite......but you'll be paying a LOT more money!....

    As is so often with audio kit, it's the 'law of diminishing returns' when it comes to spending out, I'm afraid...

    Often, 'noise floors' of units like the Zoom are considered 'good enough' - especially for outdoor location recording, where they are widely used.

    The 'studio' world - where the NT1As and the Focusrite 2i2 are usually found - demands better figures...
    Last edited by pippas; 23rd Mar 2017 at 15:51.
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  3. Thanks for the reply.

    What should I do in plain english please?
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  4. If you find the noise level of the Zoom too high - buy a better recorder!

    ..OR....

    As you're using an NT1A I'm guessing you're recording in a studio environment?....... Connect the NT1A to the Focusrite 2i2 mic input, and connect the line outputs of the Focusrite to the line inputs of the Zoom H5 .

    I notice that the Zoom H5 doesn't have a dedicated line input - which is a shame - but I would hope that switching from 'mic' to 'line' levels would drop the noise level?.... (which it should, if Zoom have added the attenuation in the right part of the 'gain chain')

    You will then effectively be using the mic preamps of the Focusrite... which you say have an 'acceptable' noise floor - rather than the Zoom H5 preamps.
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  5. Thanks.

    Do you think Sound Devices 702 is good?. Audio recorder + low noise floor.

    Oh I just checked. Very expensive.

    How is this USBPre 2 Portable High-Resolution Audio Interface?
    Last edited by prashid; 23rd Mar 2017 at 21:27.
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  6. The Sound Devices range of equipment has an excellent reputation - some say it's the best in the world - and it is known for low noise levels.

    The USBPre2 seems to have a similar noise floor to the Focusrite you mentioned earlier.... although it has other features and a build quality that is probably significantly better than the Focusrite - but with a price to match!

    As I mentioned before, the Zoom H5 has a mic preamp noise floor typical of many (most?) mid priced recorders. The (now discontinued) Sony M10 was considered to be the quietest in this class of recorder, but is not significantly better than the Zoom.

    It is not easy to make low noise mic preamps - especially using low voltage (battery) power supplies.

    I've attached a short sample of the M10 used with a Shure SM58 dynamic mic (I don't have any low noise condensers like the Rode) which shows the noise floor of the M10 mic preamp, and then compares that with an external preamp, connected to the M10 line input.

    Even though it's only a cheap Behringer Xenyx external mic preamp, you will notice the improvement in the noise floor over the internal Sony preamp.

    You should be able to get a significantly improved noise floor by just adding a mic preamp to your set up - even cheap Behringer units will help! - and recording the output to the line input of your Zoom.

    Or, you could go the whole hog and buy the Sound Devices USBPre2.... expensive.. but very nice!
    Image Attached Files
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  7. Thanks

    I will see if I get my hands on USBPre2. Expensive but one-time investment. Do I need external mic preamp with USBPre2 as well?

    What I understand is, if I add external mic preamp like fethead-phantom or Cloudlifter and set the low gain on focusrite/zoom h5 then I will be able to get very low noise and improved sound quality. Is that right?

    or

    Go for Dynamic mic (Shure-SM7B) + external mic preamp fethead-phantom or Cloudlifter + Focusrite/zoom h5?

    Do you know any good external mic preamp other then fethead-phantom/Cloudlifter?
    Last edited by prashid; 24th Mar 2017 at 05:47.
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  8. Originally Posted by prashid View Post
    Thanks

    I will see if I get my hands on USBPre2. Expensive but one-time investment. Do I need external mic preamp with USBPre2 as well?

    What I understand is, if I add external mic preamp like fethead-phantom or Cloudlifter and set the low gain on focusrite/zoom h5 then I will be able to get very low noise and improved sound quality. Is that right?

    or

    Go for Dynamic mic (Shure-SM7B) + external mic preamp fethead-phantom or Cloudlifter + Focusrite/zoom h5?

    Do you know any good external mic preamp other then fethead-phantom/Cloudlifter?
    You shouldn't need a separate mic preamp with the USBpre2. I suspect the Sound Devices preamp is lower noise than either the FET-head phantom or the Cloudlifter.

    This pdf of the USBpre2 users manual : http://cdn.sounddevices.com/download/guides/usbpre2_en.pdf suggests its' a pretty impressive device.....I'd love to try one!

    I'm not sure you will get the best out of it if you insist on using a Zoom H5 to record. As I mentioned earlier, the Zoom does not have a dedicated line in, and an attenuated mic input (which is what it does have) will not reproduce the full quality from the Sound Devices unit.

    Apart from a high quality mic preamp, the Sound Devices unit has high quality on board A/D converters. Ideally you really want to record the digital output from the device -- either via USB or via SPDIF to the digital input of an appropriate recorder.

    But the obvious solution is to record it to a computer. As all the conversion is done in the USBPre2 unit, all you would be storing is a digital bit stream -- which will have no quality loss at all.
    Last edited by pippas; 25th Mar 2017 at 05:33.
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