Attach an old Microphone

English Multimedia
1

Hi everybody,

A few days ago I was searching through some really old stuff of mine and I found my Shure Dynamic 588SB microphone. Plugged it into my amp and it worked! Then tried it to my mobile phone and that worked also.

As I want to make some short movies with commentary attached to it this microhphone just comes in very handy!

Attached it to my computer and there’s nothing. Fiddled around with some settings in yast and volume/microphone settings but no luck.

Anybody suggestions on how to get it to work?

Grtz
Kage

2

Sorry! i forgot to add my system info:

inxi -Fs -b
**System:   ** **Host:** localhost **Kernel:** 4.12.11-1-default x86_64 (64 bit) **Desktop:** KDE Plasma 5.10.5
**          ** **Distro:** openSUSE Tumbleweed 20170909                                                                                               
**Machine:  ** **Device:** desktop **System:** Hewlett-Packard **product:** HP Compaq Elite 8300 SFF                                                          
**          ** **Mobo:** Hewlett-Packard **model:** 3397 **UEFI:** Hewlett-Packard **v:** K01 v02.05 **date:** 05/07/2012                                             
**CPU:      ** **Quad core** Intel Core i7-3770 (-HT-MCP-) **cache:** 8192 KB                                                                             
**          ** **clock speeds:** **max:** 3900 MHz **1:** 1599 MHz **2:** 1599 MHz **3:** 1599 MHz **4:** 1599 MHz **5:** 1599 MHz **6:** 1599 MHz                                
**          ** **7:** 1599 MHz **8:** 1599 MHz                                                                                                            
**Graphics: ** **Card:** Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller                                                             
**          ** **Display Server:** x11 (X.Org 1.19.3) **drivers:** modesetting (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)                                                     
**          ** **Resolution:** 1920x1080@60.00hz                                                                                                      
**          ** **OpenGL: renderer:** Mesa DRI Intel Ivybridge Desktop **version:** 4.2 Mesa 17.2.0                                                        
**Audio:    ** **Card** Intel 7 Series/C216 Family High Definition Audio Controller **driver:** snd_hda_intel                                             
**          ** **Sound:** Advanced Linux Sound Architecture **v:** k4.12.11-1-default                                                                     
**Network:  ** **Card:** Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection (Lewisville) **driver:** e1000e                                                         
**          ** **IF:** eno1 **state:** up **speed:** 1000 Mbps **duplex:** full **mac:** 88:51:fb:60:de:94                                                            
**Drives:   ** **HDD Total Size:** 240.1GB (59.2% used)                                                                                               
**          ** **ID-1:** /dev/sda **model:** TOSHIBA_Q300. **size:** 240.1GB                                                                                  
**Partition:** **ID-1:** swap-1 **size:** 2.15GB **used:** 0.00GB (0%) **fs:** swap **dev:** /dev/sda2                                                                
**Sensors:  ** None detected - is lm-sensors installed and configured?                                                                            
**Info:     ** **Processes:** 221 **Uptime:** 1:14 **Memory:** 1658.5/15918.0MB **Client:** Shell (bash) **inxi:** 2.3.25

This belongs to the initial post

Grtz

3

Have you tried configuring your sound using pavucontrol? It should be possible to make sure to the microphone input is selected, unmuted, and an appropriate level set.

4

Hi,
You will see if your microphone is working in pavucontrol under input device.
Are you trying to direct your microphone audio to your speaker?

5

Thanks both for replying!

What I want to do is record with audacity
I installed pavucontrol but noticed that that needs pulseaudio. My system has only alsa when trying to choose a source. When looking for pulse audio packages in yast software it seems that the pulseaudio packages are already installed. When pavucontrol starts and I choose record it comes back with “no active application” although audacity is running. When looking at configuration it says “analog stereo duplex”

Any suggestions would be very welcome!

grtz
Karel

6

Now there’s a blast from the past!! Mid to late 60’s if I recall correctly. Quite a nice mic in it’s time. :slight_smile:

The 588SB was a low impedance 20-200 ohm semi-pro model, it has quite a low output at around 0.85mV. Just because it works on your amp and phone won’t guarantee it will work on a PC soundcard.

I’d be inclined to prove that sound is working OK on your PC by using a known good (with PC) microphone first.

7

In Yast-Sound be sure that pulseaudio is being used (Other button bottom right)

8

ouch! makes me feel old :frowning:
I thought 70’s, I remember buying it early 1978. And you’re right it is low impedance. but …
That time it was sold including a low to high impedance converter. Using the mic with or without converter doesn’t make a difference
I should have mentioned the converter though.:slight_smile:

grtz
Karel

9

Thanks! It was activated already. but no sound.

Grtz

Karel

10

With mic plugged in to PC and configured best possible, I recommend you run a diagnostic script and post here a link to where diagnostic script output uploaded.

You can do that by plugging in mic, configuring best possible, and running in an xterm/konsole **as a regular user **(with PC connected to the internet) the following commands:


/usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh

and select the SHARE/UPLOAD option when prompted. Let the script run to completion. Then look in xterm/konsole and it will give you the url/address where script output was uploaded to. Post here that URL/address and our forum experts in sound can take a look at it and make an assessment as to where the problem may be.
.

11

Introduced mid 60’s, typical of most Shure products, a long production lifespan. Look how long (in various Marks) the V15 was around.

The impedance mismatch is no real problem anyway as it’s low impedance source into a higher impedance input. Of more concern would be the mic’s low output, as it will degrade the SNR. (I don’t actually know what the input sensitivity of the mic input on a typical sound card is, looking at the spec for my own system it’s not shown.)

Rather moot however as you’ve not got it working :frowning:

Back to your problem in hand…

I’ve just checked Audacity on a TW system, ALSA is the only audio host shown. Have you tried explicitly choosing the “Recording Device” from the numerous options Audacity offers. (They will obviously depend upon your hardware).

http://paste.opensuse.org/view/raw/0fae65c1

I vaguely recall from a while back when I was recording using the line input that the “default” wouldn’t work, but setting it to a specific “hw:n,n” it worked. Just needed a little trial and error to find the correct one. It may also be worth trying an alternate mic input jack, back panel if you have one.

12

Thank you very much for the time spent already. The output of /usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh can be found at:

 http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=c4856dea89a1ecbd67d78ba525c73d2ae5c2b5e6

it is quite some txt :open_mouth:

grtz

Karel

13

A quick glance through shows that the Mic level is down…


Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off]
14

As deano_ferrari noted , the mic level is down


**Simple mixer control 'Mic',0**
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off]

Hopefully fixing that is sufficient.

I do thou also note, that in addition to that incorrect ‘simple mixer control mic’ setting, while ‘audio capture-0’ is enabled, I note ‘audio capture-1’ is disabled. This suggests to me the motherboard in the computer is capable of 2 capture devices for audio input. Its possible there is only one physical input for a mic (which one would be expect is capture-0), or there may be 2 inputs for mics. If there are 2 inputs for mics, ensure you are using correct mic input that has the capture enabled.


**Simple mixer control 'Capture',0**
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Front Left: Capture 31 [100%] [30.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 31 [100%] [30.00dB] [on]
**Simple mixer control 'Capture',1**
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] -16.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] -16.50dB] [off]
15

:open_mouth: How do I switch them on? Pavucontrol does mention the mic is plugged in on the front. (You are right oldcpu there is another one at the back but gives no other result)
I was wondering if a proper soundcard would be a solution?

Thank you all for trying helping me out

grtz
Karel

16

You can open a konsole/xterm and type ‘alsamixer’ and then unmute the mic and increase the playback with that.

You could also unmute the mic with ‘amixer’ command, but that requires one to be good with syntax (where I am not so good).

Recall from the diagnostic script


ARECORD

**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
**card 0**: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], **device 0**: ALC221 Analog [ALC221 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
**card 0**: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], **device 2**: ALC221 Alt Analog [ALC221 Alt Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

So its clear, your mic is card-0. Your PC has 2 recording devices: hw:0,0 and hw:0,2

Also recall it was pointed out ‘Mic’ was muted:


**Simple mixer control 'Mic',0**
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off]

… so you could open a konsole/xterm and try this command to unmute:


amixer -c 0 -- set 'Mic' 70% on

Where “-c 0” specifies card-0, and ‘Mic’ indicates which amixer control to adjust.

Hopefully I did not get the syntax wrong.

Now a question for you ? What is your mic test ?

You could try recording with something like


arecord -vv -f S16_LE -c 0 -D hw:0,0 newrecording.wav

or


arecord -vv -f S16_LE -c 0 -D hw:0,2 newrecording.wav

Then after recording for 30 seconds or so, press <CTRL><C> to stop the recording, and play back the ‘newrecording.wav’ file that was created.

Its not clear to me if your mic input is hw:0,0 or hw:0,2 which is why I noted there are two possibilities to record.

Too soon IMHO to think of that approach.

17

Thank you very much! It finally works. Not on the mic in but on the line in. There is some noise also but I can record now. The noise I trust will be possible to filter out.
The line In is on the back of my machine.
As for you request: both of the request come back with the same remark:

arecord -vv -f S16_LE -c 0 -D hw:0,2 newrecording.wav
arecord: main:604: value 0 for channels is invalid

When recording with audacity both default mic and default line in work when on the same line in

Pavucontrol however mentions: line OUT plugged in. But I can record my voice

As I said beforen there is still a lot to tweak but recording has started!!!

Thanks a million

Karel

18

While in audacity press record open pavucontrol-recording then look for your microphone.
choose the one starting with monitor of blah blah. ( your microphone)
Stop the recording in audacity and erase the test recording.
The next time you start audacity to record, pavucontrol will use the one you choose as the default for audacity.

19

That is interesting. I note your PC has this setting:


**Simple mixer control 'Input Source',0
**  Capabilities: cenum
  Items: 'Mic' 'Line'
  Item0: 'Mic'
**Simple mixer control 'Input Source',1
**  Capabilities: cenum
  Items: 'Mic' 'Line'
  Item0: 'Mic'

Where the ‘Mic’ is feeding alsa and not the ‘line-in’. So I’m surprised this works without changing that setting - or maybe you did change it during your subsequent efforts.

I don’t understand that. The diagnostic script clearly showed hw:0,0 and hw:0,2 as your input mics. It makes me think that maybe the old microphone was not attached when you ran the diagnostic script, and then when you plugged in the old microphone it may have change the hardware card assignment designations. But that is speculation on my side.

Its also a mute speculative point as you now have this working. I’m glad to read that.