USB plugs and my Voiceover recording booth setup

by | Studio Equipment, Technology, Voice Over, Voiceover

We voice peeps are constantly tinkering, working to get a better, cleaner sound out of our audio.

I recently started hearing some white noise issues coming through my Centrance Mic Port Pro. (MPP)
After talking with a tech at Centrance, plus a trusted voiceover friend who knows audio and the Mic Port Pro, at his suggestion, I first went into the program files in my computer and adjusted the latency of the Mic Port downward.

My friend also asked how  the MicPort was connected to the computer. I had one 18 inch USB (from an old Seagate external drive) coming out of the MPP and connecting to another USB 16′ extension booster cable, which then plugged into the laptop which resides outside the recording booth.

My friend suggested I get a single-piece shielded USB cable, which sounded simple enough. The shielding reduces the RF and other little sonic fragments that lurk with a bunch of wires and powered electronics in close proximity. Plus the longer the cable, the more the power driving the mic could fluctuate and diminish data transfer.

So I visited my local Fry’s Electronics store and bought a 12′ shielded USB cable, and thought I was home free. But as soon as I got home I had a crash course in educating myself on the myriad of USB connecter plugs…as I purchased the wrong type. It was an A to B USB.

After I learned what I needed upon finding a very informative website by Access Communications, complete with pictures, I learned I needed an A to 5 pin mini-B plug.

Plug & Receptacle Pinouts

Plugs Receptacles

Series A

 usb universal serial bus pinout connections mini-usb series-a series-b colour code USB-A receptacle

Series B

 usb universal serial bus pinout connections mini-usb series-a series-b colour code v-bus data contact numbering bus description overview interface bus usb universal serial bus pinout connections mini-usb series-a series-b colour code v-bus data contact numbering bus description overview interface bus

Mini-USB Series A

 usb universal serial bus pinout connections mini-usb series-a series-b colour code v-bus data contact numbering bus description overview interface bus usb universal serial bus pinout connections mini-usb series-a series-b colour code v-bus data contact numbering bus description overview interface bus

Mini-USB
Series B

 usb universal serial bus pinout connections mini-usb series-a series-b colour code v-bus data contact numbering bus description overview interface bus

So upon my second trip to Fry’s that day, I found a lovely Belkin shielded 10′ Hi Speed USB A to 5-Pin Mini, and now for the most part,  my white noise issues are history!

4 Comments

  1. Caroline Corser on April 13, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    Sooo many tricky details. Dealing with the electronics is the hairy part, isn’t it? Your illustrations made it perfectly clear. Thanks

  2. Bobbin Beam on April 13, 2011 at 8:19 pm

    Hi Caroline,
    You are so right about those tricky details. Glad you liked the pictures. I found them to be immensely helpful, and hope someone else will benefit, too.
    All The Best,
    Bobbin

  3. David on April 15, 2011 at 5:02 am

    Bobbin,

    Your post just cleaned up my audio! I had been using an expanded/gate in ProTools to get rid of my white noise. I never thought that my USB might be the culprit!

    After getting a high-quality shielded USB cable the white noise disappeared!

    Thanks! 😀
    -David

  4. Bobbin Beam on April 15, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    Hiya David,
    I am so happy this post helped you out. I never even knew about shielded usb cables until about a week ago. A huge difference! Thanks for sharing here!.
    Best,
    Bobbin

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