Typical noise floor for vocal mics?

crabtwins · 15th September 2006

Does the question make sense? I asked the question in the low end but I got to thinking what is the high end like?

Does professional mic in a good vocal booth yield a silent noise floor -inf?

Probably not but what is typical? I am just trying to figure out how far away I am on the noise front?

I also know that I can gate the mic but when the vocal breaks through the gate the noise will be there.

I also know that audio (dB) is additive and so it depends on how many tracks are recorded I will typically only have vocals coming from a mic the rest is pc (VST) instrumentst.

thanks

Dan Kennedy · 16th September 2006

Most good mics, old as well as new are quieter than most recording rooms, unless they are truly well built recording spaces.

Sometimes the spectrum of the noise is a bit different, making it perceptually quieter on a given source, some of the new mics are truly damn quiet.

The average older mic hits about a 20-22dB equivalent input noise, the new ones tend to be in the 14-18 range, the stupid quiet ones, without adverising BS built in are 10-14.

The noise floor in the average home is 30 to 40dB, a good studio 22.

The noise in the mic (or the preamp) is usually not the problem.

Application, and the room usually is.

Roland · 16th September 2006

Heck its the other garbage you get on lead vocal tracks like the headphone spill from an artist that wants it loud in the cans, compression, extrenous noises. I've heard more than a few lead vocal tracks from hit records that when soloed don't sound so hot!

Regards

Roland

numrologst · 16th September 2006

agreed... The mic is usally not the main source of noise.

I always say, the right amount of noise floor is when you are in your daw, if you can see your meters moving without anything going on, then you have an issue.

I take care to make sure there is no noise floor. Good room, balanced power with a good ground, etc.

I literally have very close to 0 noise floor. I am not sure how far down the meters in nuendo go... But when I have an artist in the tracking room with a vocal mic, I don't consciously hear any noise, and i don't phsyically see any movement on the meters... And I track through a console... No noise at all. And my studio is in a house

15th September 2006	#1
crabtwins Registered User Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 102 Thread Starter	Typical noise floor for vocal mics? Does the question make sense? I asked the question in the low end but I got to thinking what is the high end like? Does professional mic in a good vocal booth yield a silent noise floor -inf? Probably not but what is typical? I am just trying to figure out how far away I am on the noise front? I also know that I can gate the mic but when the vocal breaks through the gate the noise will be there. I also know that audio (dB) is additive and so it depends on how many tracks are recorded I will typically only have vocals coming from a mic the rest is pc (VST) instrumentst. thanks

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16th September 2006	#2
Dan Kennedy Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2002 Location: Inver Grove MN Posts: 505	Most good mics, old as well as new are quieter than most recording rooms, unless they are truly well built recording spaces. Sometimes the spectrum of the noise is a bit different, making it perceptually quieter on a given source, some of the new mics are truly damn quiet. The average older mic hits about a 20-22dB equivalent input noise, the new ones tend to be in the 14-18 range, the stupid quiet ones, without adverising BS built in are 10-14. The noise floor in the average home is 30 to 40dB, a good studio 22. The noise in the mic (or the preamp) is usually not the problem. Application, and the room usually is.

16th September 2006	#3
Roland Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2002 Location: St Leonards on Sea, England Posts: 2,133 2 Reviews written	Heck its the other garbage you get on lead vocal tracks like the headphone spill from an artist that wants it loud in the cans, compression, extrenous noises. I've heard more than a few lead vocal tracks from hit records that when soloed don't sound so hot! Regards Roland

16th September 2006	#4
numrologst Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 1,955	agreed... The mic is usally not the main source of noise. I always say, the right amount of noise floor is when you are in your daw, if you can see your meters moving without anything going on, then you have an issue. I take care to make sure there is no noise floor. Good room, balanced power with a good ground, etc. I literally have very close to 0 noise floor. I am not sure how far down the meters in nuendo go... But when I have an artist in the tracking room with a vocal mic, I don't consciously hear any noise, and i don't phsyically see any movement on the meters... And I track through a console... No noise at all. And my studio is in a house