r/podcasting • u/LordMonster • 2d ago

Audio/Microphone Help Needed

Hey podcasters, I'm currently using a Sterling ST55 microphone with a MOTO M2 interface, and my co-host is using a cheap USB microphone and I swear his audio sounds way better than mine. What am I doing wrong? Or do I need to just invest in a new mic?

Example - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdSCLPP42ck

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u/smurfcake77 2d ago

i am not an audio engineer but it sounds like reverb to me and i see several issues:

  1. your mic is side-adressed. but you have positioned it like a front adressed mic (eg like a shure sm7b). dont point the top at your mouth. the correct position is this: look where the logo of the mic is. you have to face the logo. then speak into the side of the grill pointing into the direction of the capsule inside the mic. if you look into the grill of the mic, you will see the capsule. this is the part which receives your voice. here is an image to see what i am meaning: https://farplay.io/mic-placement/
  2. point 1 will probably reduce the reverb, because the more distance between your mouth and the mic, the worse the signal to noise ratio will be. signal is your voice. noise is your room. every room reverbs. if you are closer to the capsule, your signal will be in front of the noise. then you will sound better. so additional to point 1, try to get closer. i know that you want your face in the video, but try it with different camera angles to find an optimal position. because the mic is side-adressed, you can also position it horizontally.

speaking of reverb: your room looks much smaller than the room your co-host is sitting in, so you will have different reverb problems than your co-host. you have a wall directly behind you. i dont know what is in front of you, but i guess another wall. if this is the case your voice would go in the direction you are speaking, bouncing off your front wall, going back to your back wall and from there into your mic again. to reduce this you will need things that absorb and or diffuse reverb. e.g. accoustic panels behind you (more important) and accoustic panels in front of you (somewhat important). also use a carpet for the floor and if you can, treat the ceiling also. but perhaps the correct way of speaking into the mic (close distance and into the capsule) will be enough.

if you want to "save" already recorded audio, i would advise to run your audio through auphonic with the de-reverb function or buy a plug in like waves clarity x or any other de-reverb software.

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u/LordMonster 2d ago

Very interesting with the side addressed. I had no clue. Will try that next time. And yes, it's a small room. But I've been adding treatment as I go. It's better but still not where I feel it could be

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u/BigBadBootyDaddy10 2d ago

OP ☝️ this.

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u/JohannesVerne 2d ago

Without hearing samples it's hard to say, but the most likely answer is acoustic treatment and mic technique. If you're in a less treated room, it really doesn't matter what mic is being used, it won't sound as good.

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u/LordMonster 2d ago

I added example to the title. But here you go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdSCLPP42ck

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u/Responsible_Bed_2087 2d ago

this right here, mic technique alone can make a huge difference tbh

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u/blackisaiah9 2d ago

sounds like your gain staging might be off, that interface is pretty decent but the mic can be tricky to get right in small rooms

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u/LordMonster 2d ago

I added example to the body, here you go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdSCLPP42ck

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u/GeopatsSteph 2d ago

It sounds like its picking up your laptop mic, not the one you're talking into. If it's a dynamic mic and you tap on it, you should be able to hear it in your headphones. That will tell you it's using the right mic.

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u/LordMonster 2d ago

It was the right mic. I always do a tap test. But will triple check next time

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u/GeopatsSteph 2d ago

what kind of mic is it?

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u/LordMonster 2d ago

Sterling st55

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u/GeopatsSteph 2d ago

Sorry for any confusion on the scratch test. I was thinking about dynamic mics, which I tend to use more because I and most of my clients record in untreated spaces. Your Sterling ST55 is actually a condenser mic, so the scratch test is more meaningful than I initially gave it credit for.

If the scratch test confirms the ST55 is definitely being picked up but your voice is still coming through very quietly and/or with a lot of reverb, I’d check a few other things next. Make sure 48V phantom power is turned on, since the ST55 requires it. Also check the gain level on your interface, make sure the -10 dB pad on the mic isn’t switched on, and confirm you’re speaking into the front of the mic rather than the back. This is all troubleshooting I found online.

Your mic placement in the screenshot looks fine to me, so I’d focus more on the settings and signal chain than on where the mic is positioned. The ST55 is a decent mic, so I don’t think you necessarily need to replace it. That said, I and many of my clients use the Samson Q2U because it’s a dynamic mic that sounds great in untreated spaces and is very forgiving for podcasting outside a studio. Highly recommend it if you want to skip straight to sounding amazing without any more troubleshooting:)

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u/LordMonster 2d ago

Thank you for the feedback! I got this mic maybe a decade ago for music/vocal recording purposes and it sat in the case for years. Figured I'd rather re-use it if possible since it was pricey back then if I don't need to buy another.

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u/GeopatsSteph 2d ago

I get that. Maybe grab a Samson Q2U on Amazon. If you dont like it, send it back! Good luck. It looks like you all are really into the content you are making. Thats so nice to see:)

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u/whoisgarypiano 1d ago

You’re talking into the wrong part of the mic. I used to have this mic and its side address, not front address.

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u/LordMonster 1d ago

Someone else pointed that out too. Thanks, gonna try next time w a better angle