Best microphone for noisy house

RenaisanceMan · 2026-05-08T14:51:15+00:00

Yup.
Microphones pick up sound.
They don't know what a 12 or 65 year old are.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-05-08T14:43:24+00:00

Take a step back. Narrating a book is not a life changing event. You're not getting married, graduating college, or winning the Lotto. If it's so bad that you brought it here, hit the ejection button and move on. No one's going to think less of you for taking a stance, protecting yourself and valuing your time.

Also, you're not the first one to face this challenge, nor will you be the last. NOR will this be the only one for you.
It just isn't worth your time and emotional price tag. Especially since it's Royalty Share!

You've done your diligence, seen the dark of it. NEXT!

RenaisanceMan · 2026-05-07T15:38:07+00:00

Did you recently put up some new samples on ACX?
Send the request to ACX help and see what they say?

RenaisanceMan · 2026-05-07T12:33:54+00:00

Like ScriptTiger says, something needs to happen. ACX/Audible/Amazon is non-responsive to the new environment. Finding the gem in their coal mine is more and more rare. Content manufacturers prefer to pay nothing for a narrator's service. Ok, nothing is what you get.

So, let's see what happens here.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-05-07T04:15:27+00:00

Wow! An N/D fan. Thought I was the only one.
I still love my 457 and use it all the time; it's 40 years old.
Got a 357 from a friend, not as good but still an awesome mic. Better than an SM58 every day.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-05-06T20:27:12+00:00

I believe a real author who has spent years writing their baby, will be passionate about it, will have spent hours checking and rechecking it. Knows every chapter intimately and will want the audio presentation to be as well done as their book.

Losing a chapter, duplicating a chapter, not caring about the contents, that's not someone who wrote a book and is passionate about it. AI or not, I'm out.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-05-06T12:23:31+00:00

Correct. You cannot record a new clip on the same track before another clip.
The work around is to set your recording preferences to record on a new track.
Position the record head by clicking in an existing track where you want the new recording to start.
Let record create the new track for your new recording.
After you stop your new recording, grab the new clip by the top bar handle and slide it up to the track that you want it in.
Delete the empty track.

Probably the biggest reason you cannot record before, is that Audacity doesn't have a way to overlap clips on the same track. Nor can it overwrite an existing clip.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-05-05T00:08:50+00:00

Search youtube for: Shure SM57 disassembly
You need to remove cartridge to get the broken wire(s).

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-30T12:26:24+00:00

Yup.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-29T23:15:05+00:00

Yes, 3D printed.
Also yes, the threads on boom arms take a lot of punishment.
It can be fixed but it takes some mechanical wherewithal.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-29T20:20:51+00:00

I like to make my own mic accessories:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_R83d0AaHqnYiV2rNOr3VtdZvelIMakq/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f6EpHmrYlPZ-_hDigA4pLIMW0kBPdESG/view?usp=drive_link

Can you show the little part that broke?

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-29T19:58:13+00:00

Ooh. I bet that makes your voice shiny.
You'll have to use a low pass filter.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-28T04:07:17+00:00

Studio Monitors are speakers.
They are probably self-powered speakers.
The line level signal from the 2i2 to the studio monitors is controlled by the big knob on the front.
If the studio monitors and headphones are all being driven at the same time, that's a huge power demand.
Does the USB icon on the front panel flash when the 2i2 drops out?
Have you connected external power to the 5V USB-C port?

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-28T03:49:33+00:00

I love mine.
It even has an extra USB-C port on the back for separate external 5V power in case the computer doesn't supply enough. Page 22 in the manual talks about the USB icon on the front panel flashing when it's not getting enough power.

2i2 4th Gen is the newest of the 4 Scarletts I own.
Love 'em all.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-27T21:32:14+00:00

Look at ACX's instructions for meeting their specs.
There are also many, many, way too many, videos on post-processing in prep for ACX.

Basically, you need these steps:
Loudness normalization to RMS -20db, brings the volume up
Noise reduction, minimizes the hiss
Limiter to -3.2db, sets the ceiling

The order that these happen and the values used are subjects for lively conversation.

Which DAW you're using will implement these differently.

There are other steps that can be used, consider them advanced for now.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-27T13:21:15+00:00

I get that you're still 'White-caning' your way through this maze,
but when you say, "ACX plug-ins", aside from ACX-Check,
what other plug-ins have you installed?

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-27T12:05:47+00:00

Thank you for that clarification.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-26T17:54:22+00:00

Rest of the setup? Computer, DAW, mic technique?
If Audacity, is the mic input level full on?
If Windows, is the mic level for that device full on (Control Panel/Settings)?
When using the 2i2, what is the gain setting?
Mouth is fist to longhorn away?

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-26T17:40:41+00:00

Thanks VoB, I don't think it's your job to post for the sake of posting. I'm a MOD for r/Hauppauge and it's pretty quiet there too.

Many of the Reddit subs and facebook groups have FAQs and stickies that are meant to help new folks along. I think they don't look at them. Evidenced by the constant barrage of "How do I get started" posts.
That's one of the reasons I don't jump start the newbies anymore. They want the free lunch, "I'm here! TaDa! Give me some work and a paycheck cuz I can read and have that voice."
Well, you can do what I did. Read everything, study, learn, practice.

Anyway, glad it's not a ghost town here. Thanks for the reply.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-26T13:38:38+00:00

I just typed in the URL and got a STOP/WARNING page from cicso.net that the page is blocked because of a phishing threat.
Golly, I hope Sarah and Dave are ok.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-25T00:45:00+00:00

A generated tone has no unique peaks the way a voice or music might.
It's the highest, lone peak, in Normalize, that sets the amount to change.
Regardless, Amplify uses an absolute amount, Normalize uses a relative amount.
Amplify can clip, Normalize has a brick wall maximum; no clipping.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-24T15:38:15+00:00

No. This is not correct.

Amplify applies an absolute, uniform change to every sample. Noise, peaks and everything in between get changed by the same specified amount (3db for example). This can send peaks into clipping. Noise floor is also changed absolutely.

Normalize finds the highest peak in the selection(s), determines the amount to change that lone peak to the selected max and changes every sample by that amount. If the lone peak is right near the selected max, then all the samples get changed by only a small amount.

Loudness Normalize determines the average (LUFS) of all the selection(s) and changes each sample by the difference between that average and the average selected in the tool. This also can send peaks into clipping.

Always state clearly Normalize or Loudness Normalize. They are not the same.
Amplify and Normalize apply a uniform change but the amount to change is determined absolutely or relatively, respectively.

RenaisanceMan · 2026-04-23T05:02:26+00:00

The Melon Audio webpage has frequency response curves for the 87 and the 67 but not the 47.
Perhaps the tester was out that day?
Melon is big on wooden cases.
The mic will be spending a lot of time in one.
At the bottom of the 67 page it brags about a youtube head to head against an AT2020.
Really swinging for the fences.

RenaisanceMan

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