Hi, this is my first time on the forum and would be grateful for any assistance from your good selves.

My problem is the USB microphone causing a background hum when recording vocals via RealBand 2011.

I have a Sony Vaio laptop 64 bit system, running on the (irritating) Windows 7 Home Premium. I know that the hum is definitely coming from the USB microphone setup after much time spent on identifying the culprit.

I am using the Shure SM58 + X2U combo as the "USB microphone" input. There is a Realtek High Definition Audio driver (6.0.1.6235 - appears to be latest version as is at Location 0 (Internal High Definition Audio Bus)).

In the "Microphone Properties" of the "Manage Audio Devices" it is possible to adjust the microphone recording level for the Shure to be louder or softer, but not eliminate the hum. There is no microphone boost option, only a basic microphone levels.

When I click on the Controller Information properties, the driver details appear to be Microsoft 6.1.7600.16385 and saved in a Window systems 32 drivers folder.

There is an internal Realtek high definition audio microphone, but the microphone input is a 3.5mm Jack.

I have searched this forum and found the suggestion to try reducing hum using Audacity. I tried this at several different noise reduction levels, but it reduced the quality of the vocals at any level I tried.

Anyway I find it devastating that with all the expensive (to me) gear that this problem should be happening and would be most indebted for any suggestions.

Many thanks!