Hi everyone,

I’m completely new to vocal recording and still learning the basics.

The Issue:
There’s a consistent noise floor present throughout my vocal recordings, and I’d love to figure out how to reduce it.

My Setup:

• Microphone: Presonus PX-1
• Audio Interface: Audient iD14
• DAW: Studio One 7

The Question:
I’m not aiming for world-class studio quality just yet , but I’d love to get the essentials right. What are the key steps I should take to minimize background noise and get a cleaner vocal recording?

I really appreciate any guidance you can share!

Thanks in advance,
Thom

 

Maybe share a snippet of the audio file or describe what exactly the noise is? Definitely not preamp noise, because Audient preamps are basically perfect. Mic self-noise seems implausible too, I never used a microphone that had noticeable noise.

There are a multitude of noise types, so narrowing it down would be helpful.

 

Thanks for your response - I believe that I am doing something wrong - it is not a hardware issue!!
It is basically a continous rush noise underneath. It gets better when I reduce the input gain, but than the audio is too quite.

So - I am asking myself what settings to I have to adjust for everything to work correctly.

 

1-make sure all the cables are properly wired.
2-try to identify what kind of noise are you getting, try to describe it. Different causes will produce different kind of noises, one very important
difference to make is wether the noise is electrical or if the noise is in the enviroment.
3-Try different mics if you can. Condenser mics (specially cheap ones) tend to be pretty noisy. It usually isn't a problem unless you're applying A LOT of compression or stuff like that.
4-Touch any metal part on the mic. If the noise is reduced then you need to ground the casing.
5-Try moving the mic around in the room, changing it's orientation, moving the cable, same for the computer (if possible). If the noise changes then you may have some electromagnetic interference going on.
6-If you're using a laptop, try unplugging the power cord. If the noise is gone, then you may want to take a look at the power in your house/studio. That, or there's something wrong with the charger or the computer itself. Either way getting a power conditioner is always a good idea, even if power is not the problem right now.
6-Try to capture the source as loud as you can, this could mean singing louder or getting closer to the mic, the important thing here is to make the differnece between the noise and the vocals as large as possible.
7-Some ammount of noise will always be normal, It's not rare for people to edit it out either by cutting silences on the track, fading clips, using a denoiser, etc.
8-This should actually be 9, i can't count.

The rest is a bit more case specific, sharing a sample here could help.

 

could it be ground loop noise a sound from the earth signal? personally i remove the earth cable from the multi plug with uk plugs this works for me
heres an article
about this subject
https://www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/understanding-solving-ground-loops

 

Last edited: Mar 8, 2025 at 5:17 PM

you could try this, https://www.cloudmicrophones.com/cloudlifter-cl-1

there are also plugins that do an insane job of cleaning noise. Izotope RX series, Supertone Clear, and Waves Clarity VX being just a few.

 

It gets better because you stop listening to it once it gets quiet. If you turn down the gain, the noise gets lower but your voice does the same, so that means the amount of noise to signal doesn't change. If you record low and then restore the volume in post, the noise will be the same as always.

Like I said, there are a multitude of noise types. It can be low end rumble, high pitched interference, a fan going on in the background, AC noise, EMI noise. It's difficult to help because every noise type is different and some can be cleaned better than others. It really depends.

 

It is an Audient interface, there's nothing that a Cloudlifter can achieve here. The preamps are as clean as it can get.

 

On top of other advice, a carefully set noise gate does a lot to help.

 

I use Waves Clarity VX Pro for ambient noise. I had "ground loop" noise and use ifI iDefender between my pc usb and my audio interface. Squeaky clean vocals.
https://www.amazon.com/iFi-iDefender-External-Ground-Eliminator/dp/B0849J33T9?th=1

 

Thank you all verrrrrrrrryyyyyyyy much - that gives me enough to explore my situation in the coming week. thanks

 

I know you mentioned that it is not hardware related; but I think it is probably case noise anyway, like other posts above suggest.



✅ Primary Causes of Case Noise Affecting Audio
1. Electrical Ground Loop Noise (Most Common)

• What happens: Your computer case (especially power supply and GPU) can introduce ground loop noise that travels through the audio interface, especially via unbalanced cables.
• Symptoms:
  • Buzzing/humming noise that changes pitch with CPU/GPU load.
  • Noise increases when moving the mouse or heavy graphics processing.

Fix:

• Use balanced cables (TRS or XLR instead of unbalanced TS or RCA).
• Connect everything to a common power outlet (PC, audio interface, monitors).
• Consider a hum eliminator like the Ebtech Hum X or a ground loop isolator.

2. Coil Whine from GPU/PSU

• What happens: The GPU (graphics card) or PSU (power supply) may create a high-pitched whine when under heavy load.
• How it leaks into audio:
  • Through USB power noise going into your audio interface.
  • Via the motherboard's audio out (if you're using onboard audio).

Fix:

• Avoid onboard audio. Always use an external audio interface.
• If the interface is USB-powered, try a powered USB hub with electrical isolation.
• Use a USB noise isolator like the iFi iDefender+ or iFi iSilencer+.

3. Fan or HDD Vibration Noise (Physical)

• What happens: Case fans, HDDs, or spinning drives create physical vibrations that may transfer to your microphone stand or audio equipment.
• Symptoms:
  • Low-frequency rumble or hum in recordings.
  • Microphone picking up case fan noise.

Fix:

• Use a shock mount for your microphone.
• Isolate the case using foam pads or anti-vibration mounts.
• Move your microphone away from the case.

4. Poor Power Supply Quality (Switching Noise)

• What happens: Cheap or low-quality power supplies introduce switching noise, especially if they lack proper filtering.
• Symptoms:
  • High-frequency noise audible in recordings.
  • Buzz or whine changing with CPU/GPU load.

Fix:

• Upgrade to a higher-quality PSU (Seasonic, Corsair RMx series, etc.).
• Use a power conditioner like the Furman M-8x2 for your audio gear.

5. USB Power Noise (Common in Audio Interfaces)

• What happens: Your audio interface draws power from the PC via USB, and the USB bus carries noise from the computer.
• Symptoms:
  • High-pitched whine or digital static.
  • Noise that fluctuates with computer load.

Fix:

• Use an audio interface with external power (not USB-powered).
• Or use a USB isolator like the iFi iDefender+.
• Try a dedicated powered USB hub for audio devices.

6. Case Fans Generating Acoustic Noise (Airflow)

• What happens: The physical sound of the fans themselves, not electrical noise, makes its way into your recording.
• Fix:
• Switch to ultra-quiet case fans like Noctua NF-A12x25 or be quiet! Silent Wings 4.
• Increase fan diameter and slow them down (big fans at low RPM = less noise).
• Soundproof your case using sound-dampening foam inside.

Best Overall Solution
If you're still getting noise:

1. Use balanced XLR or TRS cables.
2. Power your interface from a clean source (not USB from PC).
3. Isolate your power using a power conditioner or ground loop isolator.
4. Physically dampen the PC case with quieter fans and foam padding.

 

As always. A smashing, kind and very thoughtful group support. Big thanks from my end to all the supporting insights. Thom

 

Depending on what mic you are using, the Audient can absolutley benefit from a cloudlifter, especially in the case of reducing noise. BUT.... i just realized the mic they are using wouldnt make sense for use with one.

 

I always take my shoes off in the studio (I wear socks), reduces the noise for me. Also I have one of those "Silence, Recording in Progress" signs, I'm not sure it helps, I have noticed a hum whenever I have it plugged in. I've taken to leaving it unplugged, so that helps too.

My dad also told me, just play loud and they won't notice the noise. he wound up deaf in one ear and had a gambling problem, but I attribute both of those short comings to my mother.

Anyhow, just keep doing what works, and stop the other stuff, and you'll probably be all right, unless something else happens..