Blue Baby Bottle microphone issue

[pchadwick]

I was gifted a Blue Baby Bottle condenser mic. I hooked it up to my laptop PC (Windows 10) using a 48V NEEWER NW-100 power supply.

The microphone shows up in the device list in Settings. The first time I tested the mic it worked in Audacity and Zoom.

However, now I can't get it to work. It's still showing up in devices but it doesn't register when I speak into the mic. Not sure why it would just stop working.

Does anyone have a suggestion?

[Sam Spoons]

How are you getting the signal into the computer?

[ConcertinaChap]

That's my question as well. Normally you'd use an audio interface of some kind which, as an extra benefit, would also provide phantom power so you wouldn't need the NW-100. I used to own a Blue Baby Bottle, nice mics.

CC

[Sam Spoons]

As it stands it doesn't add up. An adapter lead between the Neewer and the computer's onboard mic input would probably work but the mic wouldn't appear on the devices list except maybe as an 'external mic' in the sound options?

Much more info required.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I was gifted a Blue Baby Bottle condenser mic. I hooked it up to my laptop PC (Windows 10) using a 48V NEEWER NW-100 power supply.

This device is just a power supply. It doesn't interface with the laptop... To figure out why you're apparently no longer getting signal we need to know what connected the NW100 to the laptop because that's undoubtedly where the problem lies!

[pchadwick]

An XLR cable goes from the mic to the NEEWER power supply, then another cable from the XLR port on the power supply to a USB port on my laptop. I also have a cable going from the power supply's DC 5V port to another USB port on my laptop to get power to the power supply. Hope that makes sense.

It just seems odd that it worked for a day and then stopped without me changing anything.

Here's a photo of the setup: https://visions-voices.org/wp-content/u ... scaled.jpg

[Drew Stephenson]

then another cable from the XLR port on the power supply to a USB port on my laptop.

OK, so this is the likely culprit, or rather, how your laptop is seeing it. This cable is acting as an audio interface, so check that your laptop is actually set to use this as the input and not the built in soundcard.

[pchadwick]

Thanks for your responses. I just tried an old condenser mic. All I did was unplug the XLR from the Blue and plugged it into the old mic. I am getting sound recording from the old mic.

Which makes it seem like it's the Blue mic. But I've already gotten a replacement mic from Blue. Both the Blue mics had this problem where they worked once then stopped.

[Drew Stephenson]

OK, yes that points the finger firmly at the mic. Do you have any other gear you can test it with to double check?

[adrian_k]

Bizarre that two new mics exhibited the same problem.

Very long shot but does the NEEWER auto power down in any circumstances?

[Hugh Robjohns]

I also have a cable going from the power supply's DC 5V port to another USB port on my laptop to get power to the power supply.

I would suspect this is the issue.

In all the NW-100 images I've seen, the power supply is marked as an 18VAC, and I gather a mains-powered wall-wart is provided for the purpose. This seems a reasonable starting point for generating 48V DC phantom power.

While it is certainly possible to have a DC-DC converter to create 48V from 5V, this seems less likely to me... so are you certain of the powering arrangements.

I have seen some similar products that can be powered from a USB 5V supply... and if yours is of that variation, perhaps the laptop is not capable of providing it with enough power. Can you try another source of USB 5V?

Alternatively, it might be that your new mic needs more phantom power current than the power supply can deliver. Does the mic have any specs regarding phantom current?

[Tomás Mulcahy]

So the USB is only providing power, it is not an audio interface? I would guess that the reason it "worked for a while" was that the audio was being recorded via the laptop's onboard mic. Seeing as there is no audio connection from the Blue mic to the laptop.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I had the impression the audio went via an XLR to USB cable with a biilt-in ADC — the lumpy lead in the photo.

[Tomás Mulcahy]

I had the impression the audio went via an XLR to USB cable with a biilt-in ADC — the lumpy lead in the photo.

OK so that cable is the thing that shows up on the computer, since it is essentially an audio interface. If that is not showing up that is the problem, not the Blue mic? Hopefully... we don't want more than one problem

[Drew Stephenson]

I had the impression the audio went via an XLR to USB cable with a biilt-in ADC — the lumpy lead in the photo.

OK so that cable is the thing that shows up on the computer, since it is essentially an audio interface. If that is not showing up that is the problem, not the Blue mic? Hopefully... we don't want more than one problem

Swapping the other mic in suggests that the ADC is still working ok, it might be as Hugh suggests that the power supply is not able to provide enough oomph to keep the Blue going but the other mic draws a lower current.

[Tomás Mulcahy]

I had the impression the audio went via an XLR to USB cable with a biilt-in ADC — the lumpy lead in the photo.

OK so that cable is the thing that shows up on the computer, since it is essentially an audio interface. If that is not showing up that is the problem, not the Blue mic? Hopefully... we don't want more than one problem

Swapping the other mic in suggests that the ADC is still working ok, it might be as Hugh suggests that the power supply is not able to provide enough oomph to keep the Blue going but the other mic draws a lower current.

Ah my mistake. That makes more sense. I got confused between "register" and "show up"- was worrying about a presentation at the time

[pchadwick]

I appreciate all the suggestions and attempts at figuring out the issue. The Blue mic says it needs 48v power and the Neewer power supply is 48V.

I switched the Neewer power cable (that plugs into a port labeled DC 5V) from a USB port on my laptop to a USB plug that's plugged directly into a wall outlet, but that didn't solve the problem.

Not sure why it wouldn't work, but maybe I should try a different power supply? There's one that's labeled DC 18V and the cable goes directly to the wall outlet without using a USB connection.

[adrian_k]

I think that’s your next step. As said above, the 5V supply may not provide sufficient current for the Blue mic. Only one way to find out.

[Arpangel]

Youv'e got a good mic, get a decent interface.

[Drew Stephenson]

I appreciate all the suggestions and attempts at figuring out the issue. The Blue mic says it needs 48v power and the Neewer power supply is 48V.

That's the voltage, but the actual power drawn depends on the current as well (P=VI) and some mics require a higher current than others.

You have checked that something in Windows isn't defaulting to the onboard soundcard haven't you? I'm just wondering if the power up cycle is getting the computer to recognise the external interface (cable) but then it's forgetting later on.

[adrian_k]

But OP doesn’t have the problem when using a different mic? So unlikely to be Windows, much as I hate to say it