On The Mic? On The Interface? Where Does The Fethead Go?

Many people that record audio invest in a microphone activator such as a Triton Audio Fethead, sE Electronics "Dynamite" DM-1 or a Cloudlifter CL-1 and many times the first decision they face is where to install it. Should they install it on the mic and deal with the awkward eye sore or install it on the mixer, interface or recorder and deal with a potential performance loss. Is there a performance loss? In this video, I'm going to do some testing and see if we can find the answer.
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[@fransv1398]

Thank you Allen, a very interesting subject and a good investigation. Maybe your special soundspeed cables are too good. It woud be interesting to see what happens if you introduce more noise pick-up on the cable. May be a more noise agressive environment or a longer or lower quality cable.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Interesting one about the cable but I'm not thinking that's the case. The signal for is the same, it's just the order that's changing. I am now curious about a cheap cable though.

[@tombuck]

Super helpful to know the answer to this isn’t black and white. I didn’t expect there to be so much variation!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Maybe not with my cable but normally. :-)

[@joshmcdzz6925]

This experiment goes to show to always follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Triton recommends the fethead be plugged on the recorder/audio interface rather than the mic itself. Thanks for confirming it..

[@SoundSpeeds]

Sure thing!

[@managherroad]

My takeaway from all these sorts of tests, is that if you have to measure with a computer to tell the difference., it's not really worth worrying about. More often than not, sets are such noisy places, where the self noise of microphones tends to not matter much at all. I do love this channel, and i love the nerdy in depth study of these things. Thanks Allen, you're much appreciated!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Thank you. If you haven't watched my short, watch it next. In it I find that the noise floor on a cheap, short cable is 16X louder on one side than the other. The big takeaway here is that quality cables matter. kzbin.infoTdkIzeIyGuo

[@reread2549]

Thanks so much for running this test. I run a fethead on my non active ribbon microphone in between two 3 foot XLR cables. I also run a cloud lifter the same way on my sure SM7B. I run both of them into an Audient ID14 MKII. I’ve never tried Testing for any differences between connecting to the microphone end or the preamp end. All I know is it’s nice and clean. Thanks again for the test

[@SoundSpeeds]

On an Audient you may have a lower noise floor and better quality without the mic activator. You might try it without and see what you think.

[@maximmunity2059]

Great video and interesting results. I'm a hobby podcaster and a noob at that, so I'm on a budget. So, I'm using PodMics, FetHeads, Mogami CorePlus 5' cables and recording with a Zoom P4. I was connecting the FetHead at the mic, and it was fine for the first few months, but then I started getting static and cut-outs. I traced this to the FetHead->PodMic connection and attributed it to stress put on the connection (as you point out in the beginning of the video, this is an awkward setup). I tried all forms of wrapping and stress relief to varying degrees of success, but ultimately I just couldn't get any consistency and the slightest bump would potentially derail my recording. Placing the FetHead at the P4 was better, but still not great. I finally (and reluctantly) arrived at the conclusion that CloudLifter has the connection right; I actually use my FetHeads with two cables a la the CloudLifter. I wonder what the numbers would look like in your test with that configuration.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Depnds on the quality of the cable. Check this video out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJLPeYKMd9elo7c then: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ep7Ug3aFq7aYm5I

[@imark7777777]

Interesting this is something I've been pondering as well. It would make the most sense to have it at the beginning of the cable amplifying the source to increase the margin over the cable to the recorder. Although if you use a good cable recorder combo.....

[@SoundSpeeds]

It matters less, yeah.

[@JasonRaneses]

Thank you for doing this test, I happened to be considering the same question today. A semi related question came to mind when watching this -- I am using an EV RE320 with an Apollo Solo, and to reach a good level the interface has to be set to between 55 and 60 dB of gain. I also have a FetHead that can be introduced into the chain, which brings the necessary gain on the Apollo down to around 30 dB. The Apollo tops out with enough gain to fully power the mic, however the signal sounds subjectively cleaner with the FetHead attached and the interface running cooler. Objectively I can see where native power from the interface should be cleaner, especially with the quality of the Apollo preamps. Curious to get your thoughts.

[@SoundSpeeds]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5W9pGmEZtF9obs

[@JasonRaneses]

@@SoundSpeeds Just the breakdown I needed, great content my man. Takeaway, no FetHead in my vocal chain with the Apollo Solo.

[@SoundSpeeds]

👍

[@pierrelebreton7634]

That makes a lot of sense. but if you don’t use such type of pre-amplification and only rely on the audio interface preamps, it is like having these sort of devices on the interface: the amplification is done at the end of the cable. So it seems to me that if it really matter where you connect the preamp, maybe you should get better cables… Or maybe we could mention that as a pro for these inline preamps: if you are afraid of RFI maybe these can be useful. Would then they allow longer run cables? Or the power of phantom power will die out before it matters?

[@SoundSpeeds]

The best is likely amplifying out of the microphone and to use a great cable. This will give you best results over long cable runs

[@ThisKory]

Hey Sound Speeds, audio noob here. I have a Fethead into my PodMic but it is causing a static popping and ticking sound. I am confused about this issue, any thoughts on this? Love the content, keep up the great work!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Is the level too hot? If you remove the Fethead, how's the level? Low but clear? Drop the level to a better level and see how it sounds.

[@ThisKory]

@@SoundSpeeds I appreciate you. The levels are fine (well under clipping). If I remove the fethead I have to max out the gain on the mixer, but I think removing the Fethead resolved the issue. No more static sounds.. hmm, maybe I have a faulty Fethead? After more testing the Fethead sounds clear plugged directly into my mixer, but it eventually starts to make static sound again.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Very possibly a faulty Fethead. It wouldn't be the first time I've heard of that happening. Might get a replacement.

[@ThisKory]

@@SoundSpeeds Unfortunate. Thanks for the help! I appreciate your time.

[@BleepingWorld]

Where should i get a fethead? on Amazon they are $80 dollars. On eBay they are new for $36 dollars.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Look at Triton Audio's website or a place like B&H

[@casemcdonald2152]

I disagree. It concludes that amplification will amplify equally, regardless of which end of the cable it's on, because the entire signal and noise combination is amplified in both cases. A signal chain is a signal chain. Right?

[@SoundSpeeds]

That is correct but this is analog we're talking about. If any noise in picked up down the cable, it will show up on the other end. Would you rather noise of a fixed volume affect a 2mV signal or a 20mV signal? In the case of this cable run, there wasn't any interference introduced down the cable run. Just wait until you see the short I drop today at noon.

[@Dizintegrator]

Soundspeed Special (tm) Cables - is a very good brand name with a catchy acronym SS Cables

[@SoundSpeeds]

That's what viewers started calling them so I did too.

[@Dizintegrator]

@@SoundSpeeds Have you considered doing the same test but with the worst cable you could possibly find? If anything, it should exaggerate the results since it seems to me you're dealing with such low noises that even a little deviation causes the Allen from post to appear :)

[@SoundSpeeds]

Thinking about it... Maybe as a short.

[@d-sx560]

You need to buy magic silver/secret alloy solder for the resistor in the dummy or everything else is invalid. It’s a molecule thing.

[@SoundSpeeds]

I meter mine and it's 150.0-150.1 ohms routinely. No issues. Good note though.

[@d-sx560]

@@SoundSpeeds r/woosh

[@SoundSpeeds]

👍

[@JoshuaBartleson-jt5ie]

Just bought the Fethead and had to move it away from the mic due to more noise. Using H6 with RE20 and Amazon Basics...

[@SoundSpeeds]

How far away and what cables are you using?

[@JoshuaBartleson-jt5ie]

using 15' cable

[@JoshuaBartleson-jt5ie]

Sorry, amazon basics cable...on a budget and allocating money to better pre-amp soon.

[@SoundSpeeds]

You might want to get a more premium XLR. Those Amazon Basics cables are problematic.

[@JoshuaBartleson-jt5ie]

I know, trying to upgrade to Sound Devices Mix Pre-6 II, budget is tight and cables I want are about $70 a piece...any advice...equipment wise: Nikon Z6 & D850, Zoom H4N Pro & H6, RE20 & NTG5, did photography so full studio set up lighting, cstands, tripods...the works...cables are cheap...have budget for 1 big item this year and figured the sound devices...

[@carriersignal]

Hmm... I guess you should never underestimate CMRR being done by a high quality OP amp. The fact that the test are inconclusive perhaps demonstrates that. It's the reason why we use a balanced design to start with. Good video.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Thank you.