Microphone too quiet as external live input into deck D of S4 Mk3

Hello

I'm using a new Shure SM58 as my first ever mic. It's connected to the deck D mic input at the front of my S4 Mk3. The external live input setting has been activated by holding 'SHIFT' and pressing 'EXT' on deck D. The input routing settings in Traktor confirm that deck D has the external mic as its input.

Here is the problem:

The gain for deck D is turned up to the max, the deck D volume level is at the max, my mouth is right up to the microphone and talking at a radio host's conversational volume is VERY quiet. At most, only half of the LEDs on deck D's level meter are lighting up in the peak volume moments of my speech. I have to shout to reach the bottom of the yellow LEDs on the level meter.

This doesn't feel at all right. In order for my voice to be heard when talking over a mellow and ambient track, I need to turn its volume level down to half way, with the microphone's gain as high as it can go and the mic level at its max too.

Is this the best I can expect from an S4 Mk3 with a Shure SM58? Or, is there something I can do to improve this situation?

I've raised a support ticket with Native Instruments and explained the problem. So far, I've just received this reply:

Thank you for contacting Native Instruments.
Please make sure you have the right permissions for your Traktor app:
https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001937098-TRAKTOR-Does-Not-Receive-Audio-or-Timecode-Signal-with-macOS-10-14-Mojave-and-Higher

My MacBook is already set up as per the link I was sent and I fail to see how the permissions outlined in the link would even make a difference to an external input routed through the S4, so I'm not sure that the person handling my query has even understood it.

I'd love to hear from someone who can offer any helpful insight. Ultimately, my aim is to use a mic for livestream and internet radio shows.

Thank you for reading!

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Traktor Pro 3

S4 MK3

Accepted answers

lord-carlos

I made similar experience with a run of the mill Shure microphone.

I bought a cheap 18 buck microphone. https://www.thomann.de/intl/tbone_mb55.htm

That does not need as much gain.

Also I use OBS for streaming. And instead of running the mic through traktor I directly add it to OBS (But still through my s4 mk3) There I can add compressor and gain even more.

All comments

lord-carlos

I made similar experience with a run of the mill Shure microphone.

I bought a cheap 18 buck microphone. https://www.thomann.de/intl/tbone_mb55.htm

That does not need as much gain.

Also I use OBS for streaming. And instead of running the mic through traktor I directly add it to OBS (But still through my s4 mk3) There I can add compressor and gain even more.

Kin

> @lord-carlos

That's funny a cheap mic is you giving better results than a professional standard in the music industry but you do say 'run of the mill' and Shure in the same sentence. Is there something I should know about Shure? I've heard and read many good things from people who know much more than I.

It's also strange that a cheap option gives better results than a pro option when being used with the S4 Mk3. What is going on there? Can we tag the relevant people in Native Instruments within these threads? Do they use this community as a customer feedback and product development resource? They should.

Am I missing anything in my set up or doing anything wrong? I think I'm following NI's instructions to the letter and I'm pretty sure I understand them OK, so I need to know if I'm missing a piece of this puzzle.

Thank you! Going direct through OBS is new to me and sounds promising. How do you go about this using the S4? Are the instructions with OBS, NI or elsewhere? Any well written / presented links much appreciated!

lord-carlos

do say 'run of the mill' and Shure in the same sentence

It's just means is an ordinere microphone, use in many places. Does not mean it's bad. Like you said, it's more or less the industry standard.

It's also strange that a cheap option gives better results than a pro option

The cheap one probably has less impendence or something like that. I don't know much about microphones.

Do they use this community as a customer feedback and product development resource?

Yeah, naw .. yeah. Not really. Traktor team is very small and they don't even have time to look at longstanding bugs. Much less this.

Am I missing anything in my set up or doing anything wrong?

Sounds like you did everything right

Going direct through OBS is new to me and sounds promising.

That will only be useful if you stream / record a video.

https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006980357-How-to-Stream-Your-TRAKTOR-Performance-to-YouTube-Live-or-Twitch

BravoBonez

I had this problem of low gain in deck D Live Input with a Shure SM57. Thought maybe a battery-powered condenser would solve the problem, and it did. The microphone I am using now is a Rode NT3. Not an expensive mic. Takes a 9 volt battery. Sounds good. Gain on the meter is getting into the red so requires a small reduction in gain on the mixer.

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