Subject:Peaking before its time

Posted by: cgoldrmx

Date:11/27/2007 9:33:30 AM

I'm recording using a mobilepre USB preamp and Sound Forge Audio Studio 8.0 on Windows XP and I can't seem to get the audio over -6.0. I'll scream into the mic and it'll stop at -6.0, leaving that fertile ground up to 0 unused. Is there a setting that I can adjust so that I can use that space? Even though the audio is never going into the red zone it's peaking -even before -6.0- so that I can never get respectable volume. Any thoughts?

Subject:RE: Peaking before its time

Reply by: Kennymusicman

Date:11/27/2007 5:16:21 PM

I can't speak for the mobilepre - but many such hardware devices feature compressors on the input stage, and so you could simply be hitting the wall on that - but you wii probably be able to affect the gain/ input level via some form of control software for the pre?

Subject:RE: Peaking before its time

Reply by: Geoff_Wood

Date:11/28/2007 9:41:19 PM

It may be that the mobilepresimply does not have enough gain for your (very low output ?) mic.

Or needs a firmware or driver update ?

geoff

Subject:RE: Peaking before its time

Reply by: thirdnostril

Date:12/3/2007 10:50:31 AM

I've always heard that -6.0 is the sweet spot for digital recording. Is that such rubbish?

Subject:RE: Peaking before its time

Reply by: rraud

Date:12/3/2007 12:12:38 PM

Yes & no. depends on head-room needs. (many variables there).
I would consider a sweet spot, as "hot" as possible WITHOUT CLIPPING. That yields the max dynamic range. Taking advantage of most or all of the 16 (or 24) bits.