Condenser Microphone Buzzing Noise

Tired of the constant buzzing noise your condenser microphone keeps giving off every time you plan on doing some vocal recording or live streaming?

If your answer is a big ‘yes’, trust me you are not alone facing this dilemma.

While all mics, be those dynamic or condenser mics make some sort of self-noise, if they are constantly humming, you are bound to become agitated.

The unwanted microphone noise by condenser mics can be due to a number of reasons. Let us explore those in this read, and provide you with potent solutions to get rid of the buzzing sound that continues to affect your audio quality, and of course, peace of mind.

How To Use Preamp and Audio Interface Together?

Why is My Condenser Mic Buzzing?

The ongoing buzzing sound by your condenser microphone can be a menace for sure. It can be rooted in multiple reasons.

Perhaps, you have a faulty microphone or music studio hardware, or maybe the humming sound you hear is due to electrical interference. Maybe, it is the wireless microphone interference, or that of the audio interface that is disturbing your audio, or it could also be due to faulty connectors or cable, or possibly, there is some unwanted background noise that is producing that buzzing sound you despise.

Let us dive deeper into these and more reasons, and seek solutions for your issue.

Electrical Interference May be Producing Unwanted Microphone Noise

Electrical interference, often a ground problem is a broad term that refers to the interfering noise produced by unwanted electromagnetic or electrical signals in an electrical circuit. These undesirable signals disrupt the usual operation of different electric devices, electrical equipment, and communication systems.

As a result, there is unwanted electrical buzzing noise, malfunction, and errors in the end result. Simply put, the interference by your television, ceiling fan, electrical chores, mobile phone, audio interface, wireless network, lights, electrical outlet, and anything powered or charged by electricity comes in the category of ‘electrical interference.’

Electrical Interference May be Producing Unwanted Microphone Noise

With all this electrical interference, the sound quality of your condenser microphone is likely to be poor. So it may be the electrical interference that makes you think that your condenser microphone is giving off that unwanted buzzing noise.

How Do I Get Rid of the Buzzing on My Mic Due to This Issue?

Here are some tried and tested tips to get rid of the humming noise in your microphone, be it a condenser or dynamic microphone.

Moving Your Mic in the Room

Move your condenser microphone to different parts of the room to minimize background noises, and record something. If the noise completes silences, you can record in that area if possible. A better approach is to switch off the different electrical gear and appliances in close proximity and see if the problem with the sound completely goes away, or becomes lesser in intensity.

Separate Electrical Cables from Audio Cables

Try your best to keep the electrical cables as far away as possible from the audio cables, such as the XLR cable. This measure minimizes the direct contact between them, consequently reducing existing or potential electrical interference.

Use Shielded Audio Cables

Use good shielded audio cables with a reliable power supply to mitigate undesirable electrical interference and reduce background noises, minimizing the risk of a ground loop. Shielding serves as a barrier against electromagnetic fields which reduces their effect on inner conductors, minimizing the buzzing noise.

Keep Mobile Phones Away

Mobile phones are big contributors to electrical interference due to their electromagnetic radiation and mode of operation. Switch them off if possible when using your condenser microphone. Keeping them far away on ‘mute’ also works in mitigating the interfering noise.

Ground Your Equipment

Ground as much of your equipment, including the power supply, as you can by connecting them to a mains socket. A ground loop exists whenever there are lots of ground paths creating differences in the ground potential. Ultimately, this creates unwanted electrical buzzing noise and reduces the sound quality.

To ground your equipment, ensure that all the audio equipment shares one mutual ground point. So your amplifiers, mixers, processors, and other signal sources must be connected to the same electric ground. Plugging your equipment into a single mains socket usually achieves the goal.
You can also connect your audio equipment to electrical outlets that are properly grounded. These outlets come with an earth ground aka third prong besides the neutral and hot prongs. With grounded outlets, you get a reliable and safe connection for your audio equipment which minimizes a ground loop and electrical interference.
A ground lift switch or adapter also works well in eliminating a ground loop. These are devices that temporarily disconnect the immediate ground connection between your audio equipment and power supply source share. Be careful when using a ground lift as it tends to compromise electrical safety at times.
Use balanced connections such as TRS cable or XLR cables instead of unbalanced ones like TS or RCA whenever possible. A balanced connection comprises two signal conductors with opposite polarity and a ground conductor which makes them susceptible to a ground loop and unwanted interference.
Practice better cable management by organizing the audio cables, and preventing them from running in parallel to the power cables.

Try these hacks one by one, and you are likely to block unwanted microphone noise successfully.

Faulty Connectors and Cables Can Create the Buzzing Sound

Faulty power supply and electrical cables, such as an improperly connected XLR cable, along with damaged connectors are quite big offenders when it comes to having impeccable sound quality. Perhaps, they are the notorious perpetrators behind the unwanted microphone noise you want to block off.

Damaged or loose connectors fail to establish a robust electrical connection, which results in intermittent contact with your audio interface or condenser microphone shared with the cable. Moreover, cables that are frayed or cut allow electromagnetic interference to seep in, mixing with the audio signal.

In addition, lack of improper shielding, grounding issues, and poor quality connectors cause obstructions in the audio signal’s path. The result: constant buzzing or humming noise that adversely influences the audio quality.

How to Fix the Issue?

We have discussed the problem. Now, let’s move toward the solutions.

First, try using a different XLR cable than the one you are currently using with your condenser mic, and check if the humming or buzzing stops. If it does, good job!
Check your XLR cable and other audio cables and connectors from time to time, and replace them with fresh ones if you see they have become loose, frayed, or have cuts and exposed electrical wires.
Moreover, ascertain that all the connectors you use are plugged in securely, and are properly tightened to set up solid electrical connections.
Invest in some high-end audio cables that come with excellent impedance matching and shielding to minimize the odds of interference.
Regularly clean all the connectors, including those on your audio interface, to prevent any kind of corrosion. Also, store the cables properly to avoid any bends and kinks that can damage them with the passage of time.

In addition, proper grounding also works in stabilizing the cables and connectors, as well as increasing their longevity. Work on these areas, and soon you’ll bid adieu to that disturbing noise your condenser microphone keeps giving off.

Damaged Condenser Microphones Produce the Unwanted Buzz

Condenser mics tend to be fragile. Rough use in the routine including dropping them often makes them prone to chronic damage. A broken or damaged condenser microphone is likely to make some pesky sounds.

If your condenser mic has some internal damage, possibly repairable with a soldering iron, it is likely to create buzzing and crackling sounds when you use it for gaming, streaming, podcasting, broadcasting, or live vocals.

It may work normally at one point, but fade out to absolute silence at another point, and then very gradually, fade back in. Moreover, it may go completely silent, and not function at all too.

In case, you spot these issues in your condenser microphone, the odds of it being defective and broken are high.

How to Fix the Issue?

The first thing you should do in this scenario is to check with the manufacturing company of your condenser microphone, or the seller you bought it from, and see if they can repair it. If your mic came with a warranty, check if it is still active, and utilize it.

If you get a positive response from the manufacturing company, send it for repair. It is best not to try repairing your condenser, or even dynamic microphone on your own.

Often, those with a lack of technical repair expertise tend to do more harm than good to the equipment, so it is best to avoid that occurrence.

Now if you have exercised the above options, but your microphone does not work optimally, and keeps producing the buzzing sound effects, it is best to replace it with a new one.

Gain Settings on the Audio Interface May Need Fixing

Sometimes, the microphone’s buzzing noise is rooted in the improper volume or/and gain settings on your audio interface. If the gain or volume settings, or both are too loud, you may get static, popping, or clicking in the recording or live vocals.

How Do I Get Rid of this Buzzing on My Mic?

Fixing the issue isn’t that cumbersome at all. Here are some hacks that you can try to fade out these clicking and popping sounds that may seem like incessant buzzing to you.

First and foremost, ensure that the audio interface and mic preamp you are using are properly grounded. Lack of solid grounding tends to result in the humming sound mentioned above. Tinkering with your audio interfaces and tweaking all the input controls. It is likely to fix the problem if it is the root cause.
Also, check the gain settings of your digital audio workstations (DAW). A DAW is basically the integrated software/ hardware system or software that you use for recording vocals, editing, mixing, and producing digital music and audio. Open it up, and check the gain settings on all the channels individually. Go through the volume and gain settings, and ensure they are not too loud. Then use your condenser microphone once more, and check the results.
If there are any active plug-ins on your digital audio workstation, ensure they are set up properly. Listen to the audio signal with the plug-in, and without it to figure out if that may be your problem.

In case your DAW seems to be the problem, you can try a free digital audio workstation such as Audacity, Ardour, and Cakewalk by Bandlab. They are likely to work out for you and result in excellent audio quality minus the buzzing sounds.

Noisy Recording Environment May be the Perpetrator

I have said it many times, but I firmly believe it needs to be mentioned again: noisy recording or performing environments are infamous for producing unwanted noise!

This issue aggravates if you are using a condenser microphone because this baby is highly sensitive to sound. It picks up any tiny nuances in sound and projects it out in the audio.

Of course, this is a great characteristic, but this high sensitivity tends to be a problem when you are using your mic in a super-noisy environment.

Any heating or cooling systems in the environment, ceiling fans, or precisely anything happening around you, or outside the room creates sound pollution which reflects in the audio quality.

How to Fix the Issue with the Room Background Noise?

To get excellent-sounding audio while using your condenser microphone, work in a quiet room.

It is best if the room or podcasting studio is soundproof. If not, try to keep the environment as quiet as possible.

Let’s Fix the Problems

I understand how you may be exhausted by the unwanted buzzing sounds your condenser microphone continues to disturb your recording audio and vocals with. This is exactly why I have discussed the many root causes behind the issue along with the potential solutions to resolve those problems.

Take a deep breath and try these hacks. They will surely work well in your favor. Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you won’t damage a condenser microphone, or even a dynamic one if you are being too loud.

Typically, the gain setting of the microphone is the culprit behind the static you get in the sound. Look for the ‘input’ or ‘gain’ knob on the mic, amplifier or interface. Lower it down to about 1-2 dB and then speak in the mic again. Continue adjusting the sound till you find a level wherein the static noise completely fades away.

Sharoon Shahid

Hi! I’m Sharoon Shahid, founder of Audiblearray. With a decade of experience in using mics, I’m here to guide you on your audio journey and save you from gear pitfalls!

How to Fix the Annoying Condenser Microphone Buzzing Noise?

Why is My Condenser Mic Buzzing?