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Cutting corners and trying to make due with el cheapo...

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 10:46 pm
by Jules

I don't know if I will ever find ANYTHING in my life other than my old car that I will just leave alone and be happy with.

Originally, my interviews and other content were all done on an iMac with a built in camera and microphone. It was all adequate enough to get by. Then the iMac was running hot and I broke an internal cable trying to disassemble the unit to clean the fan. I ordered a Mac Mini which the required a separate mic, interface and camera. All of which added extra crap to my formerly "clean" desktop. Plus, there were times I recorded a full length video just to realize that the interface volume was still down and had to start from scratch. So, I ordered a $99 Revelator from PreSonus. With the included software in the chain, it was supposed to yield a variety of good sounds. Well, I am a knucklehead and never got the signal chain figured out and into the closet the mic went.

So, I recently decided it was time to change it up and I sent the Interface to a new owner, and am selling the SM57, windscreen, K&M mic stand set up when I get around to getting them listed. SO, with the interface gone, I HAD to use the PreSonus which was SUPPOSED to be my prompt to learn the software, which again I failed to do. It took 6 takes of Coffee with Jules to get an acceptable combination of sound quality and my attitude.

Now, I have the right mic for the job on the way and I think I can forego all the extraneous software crap to have a high quality sound again, this time with less gear or potential for slip ups with the hardware.

How it is that in all of these years on the planet, I am still making the same stupid mistakes? I already know what happens when I cut corners, and yet I test it anyway. Oh well. Rant over!


Re: Cutting corners and trying to make due with el cheapo...

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2025 8:02 pm
by tcbetka

LOL! At least you admit that you're the problem...

;)

PS: Not that I have ever done any of those sorts of things, mind you.


Re: Cutting corners and trying to make due with el cheapo...

Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2025 8:55 pm
by Jules

Alright, new mic is here. Plug and play worked well. Recorded a Thanksgiving message and Friday's coffee with Jules with no issues. Just dug into the included software and made some tweaks and I think the audio quality starting next week will improve a notch or two!


Re: Cutting corners and trying to make due with el cheapo...

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2025 8:20 am
by tcbetka

That Revelator mic looks very nice, hope it works out well for you. Their advertising says it's for content creators (etc)...which is very cool that they have developed such a product. The USB interface is much more convenient than XLR is.

Presonus makes some pretty nice stuff indeed.


Re: Cutting corners and trying to make due with el cheapo...

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2025 10:33 am
by Jules
tcbetka wrote: Thu Nov 27, 2025 8:20 am

That Revelator mic looks very nice, hope it works out well for you. Their advertising says it's for content creators (etc)...which is very cool that they have developed such a product. The USB interface is much more convenient than XLR is.

Presonus makes some pretty nice stuff indeed.

The Revelator was the Problem. Couldn't get the software to work with Zoom and without the software the mic itself is thin sounding. I got the Shure MV7+ to replace it. It sounds good direct, but the software plays better with others than the Presonus did, for me anyway. I have laughed at creators for the illuminated color band on their mics, and now I have one! That wasn't the draw, it was just a feature you can't opt out of!


Re: Cutting corners and trying to make due with el cheapo...

Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2025 4:17 pm
by DaveInNZ

I'm using a Focusrite 2i2 on my desktop with their generic studio mic and that seems to just work on any piece of software that uses sound.


Re: Cutting corners and trying to make due with el cheapo...

Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2025 5:03 pm
by Jules

I am digging this mic I have and no interface. She's a keeper!!! :)