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Subject:SF recording limits to -6dB. How?
Posted by: PeterWright
Date:8/21/2003 10:16:43 AM

I have been recording VO with mic input to Sound Forge, and it seems to have a default recording level limit of -6dB. The LED doesn't go past -6, and after recording, the recorded waveform is flattened at -6, and some loud syllables are clipping and sounding distorted, even though it's hitting -6db, not 0dB.

I can avoid this by reducing levels, but would be better to be able to allow a few peaks of between -6dB and 0dB,

Is there a preference which sets this? I've looked without luck.

thanks for any tips.

Subject:RE: SF recording limits to -6dB. How?
Reply by: Rednroll
Date:8/21/2003 10:37:47 AM

"recording VO with mic input to Sound Forge"

There is no such thing as a mic input to Sound Forge. There is a mic input to your soundcard, or there may be a mic input to an external mic pre/amp and then the output of that would get connected to your sound card. You need to better describe how the mic is connected to your PC and what type of mic it is. There's a few gain stages that the mic signal goes through before Sound Forge ever sees it. Your problem lies within those stages and not Sound Forge.

Subject:RE: SF recording limits to -6dB. How?
Reply by: PeterWright
Date:8/21/2003 6:58:52 PM

Thanks Red - I didn't twig that the hardware could be causing the -6dB cutoff.

The Rode NT1 mic is plugged into an MAudio Audio Buddy Pre-amp with phantom power.
From there the line signal goes to an MAudio Quattro, which is connected to a USB port on a Sony Vaio Laptop.
I guess it could be the Quattro Input or Output level push buttons that are causing the limitation - I'll set it all up again later and have a fiddle.

Thanks.

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