So I've been making music for a few years and started to really get into it in 2025. Most of the time I've been using my phone's mic (which for some reason works great) and wanted to get a way better microphone, so I did. I bought everything from the interface, headphones, mic etc. But for some reason I sound a lot worse with the better gear. I have delay on my voice for some reason and sound weird in general. I don't know if I'm just bad at it but yeah🙃 Does anyone have an idea?
#Now that i have a way better mic i sound way worse?
main arch
covert hornet
hi,there are many reason that make you feel that way
first,the microphone on your phone may compress your sound and when you listen on your phone speaker it will sound okay to you.However,when you use a better dedicated microphone you capture the sound that is more natural,sound true to the real thing,and that comes up with one issue that every singer,podcaster faced when they heard their voice for the first time on the good mic.That issue is everyone thought the sound of their vocal is different to the one they heard themselve.if you ask the other that "is the sound on your recorded file is the same as they heard,they will say yes and you will doubt it.the reason is the sound your hear yourself come out of your mouth and go back into your ear canal and also the sound and the vibration of your vocal chord also travel through your flesh and goes into your ear canal,while others only hear you from the sound from your mouth travel through the air into their ear canal.But don't worry everyone have to face this,you will be unfamiliar with your true voice at first,but when the time pass you will get used to it.And the truth is even you don't like your true voice people still love your singing if you sing properly because the only reason that most people hate their true vocal on the microphone at first because they are unfamiliar to their true voice that others already used to it.
the second reason is because of the better microphone capture what is less compressed and true to the real thing you need to process the sound to make it sit better in the mix(vocal+instrumental file).I practicing mixing for almost 3 years and learn so many things,many trial and error,from many youtubes tutorial.Since then i have practiced mixing other vocal and my vocal for over 200+ songs.Sadly,i can't recommend you the 1 and only ultimate vocal setting that will always work on every vocal because every person has different vocal tone and different songs genre need different style and different vocal mixing technique will get different result,some may love bright and airy vocal that sounds like a modern pop,while others might loves the sound of the final mixing to be lush and warm.
and for the delay issue you need to set your interface to be on the ASIO low-latency driver.every modern audio-interface will come with it.However it also depend on your audio-interface price on this issue too.Cheap audio interface like the one I use,maono ps22,rely on the cpu to process the vocal while tracking when I'm recording that's mean if i put in too much plugin effects on my vocal while i am recording my vocal,I will notice a little delay of my vocal.so every time i have to record fast tempo songs i have to sacrifice that convenience and put only essential plugin like equalizer and compressor only for tracking/monitoring on my vocal while recording.This is what the more expensive audio-interface will take a win because expensive audio interface will have the dsp(digital signal processing chip)inside.it will process those plugin effect for you in almost realtime and that will make you hear the sound of a better mixed with more plugins without noticing a delay.
anyway if you really wants to know my mixing technique i will gladly show to you.here is my latest cover song with my mixing technique that i learn for almost 3 years