In an attempt to round up many similar questions about this family of mics, I'm adding more generic information into this question.

I bought a Neewer NW-800 to record with on my computer. When I got it, it was hissing like crazy and my voice was super low, so I looked into it and apparently you need a power source externally from your PC.
So I bought an external phantom power unit. It fixed the low sound issue but not the buzzing/hissing issue. It uses a 3.5mm jack.
I looked online again and most people say you need a "USB audio interface" to remove buzzing completely, is the Scarlett 2i2 good to remove the buzzing/hissing?

Here's me doing a snap test

I am on a budget. What would remove hissing/buzzing?


Modified from my answer at https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/322301/xlr-microphone-not-working-with-phantom-power-supply

You still need a microphone preamp.

As always seems to happen with these mics, they are bought by people for whom it is their first venture into the audio field, beyond a headset mic.

Unfortunately, nothing in any of these ads tells you precisely what you are going to need - nor do they even supply the right cables in the box to be able to do it.
Theoretically, you can get a signal out of them by using a PC's built-in low voltage supply that can power headsets.
In practise, that really doesn't work well at all - so then people buy a phantom supply, without realising they still really need something to get the signal into the computer at good levels.

If you bought a separate phantom power supply & can return it, do so, you don't need it.

BTW, there is nothing inherently wrong with these phantom supplies, it's just they are more use to a sound crew with 48 inputs, but only have phantom on the first 24, for instance. Keeping a box of these on the truck is a cheap, efficient alternative to a more expensive desk.

Even on the picture for these supplies it shows you need to connect it to a preamp.

enter image description here

Preamps are readily-available with built-in phantom power & USB connection.
They become the instant bridge between your mic & your computer. They supply the correct phantom power to the mic & become a useable input for the computer.

Get anything like the following list obtained by Googling "USB Phantom" -
Random selection on Amazon
Example -

enter image description here

They run from approx £30 to many hundreds, depending on number of inputs/features etc.
All you need as a basic starter kit is 1 mic input with phantom power.

You also need a male-female XLR cable which will connect to the pre-amp's mic input, which those mics are not supplied with.

enter image description here

  • Thank you very much, so the Scarlett 2i2 could do what i need? Is it good? – Anders Apr 21 '18 at 11:49
  • Should do. I've not used anything by Focusrite in a long long time, but people seem to like them & they're still around decades after I last used them, so presumably they're fine. – Tetsujin Apr 21 '18 at 11:53
  • Thank you! I had no idea about any of this so its loads of useful info. i appreciate the help very much – Anders Apr 21 '18 at 11:55
  • Most welcome :) – Tetsujin Apr 21 '18 at 11:56

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