Noise redux sounds crappy

[Ding Dong]

I am i the only one who never uses noise reduction? for some reason as soon as I press the DBX button on my tascam, my recording instantly sounds like shit! I'm sure there is something I should be doing differently if I wanted to use it , but i'm not sure what. has anyone else found this to be true?

[Hi_Flyer]

I've never used it on my 4 track, which is only a cassette recorder... Then again, the stuff that I've recorded has always been loud rock, and I record it hot, so its not like I've had a problem with noise.

[cjacek]

Originally Posted by Ding Dong

I am i the only one who never uses noise reduction? for some reason as soon as I press the DBX button on my tascam, my recording instantly sounds like shit! I'm sure there is something I should be doing differently if I wanted to use it , but i'm not sure what. has anyone else found this to be true?

I consider my ears as being very good and can honestly say that dbx nr has never sounded bad to me or even questionable. When dbx is engaged you must realize that the usual advice of getting a "hot signal" (to tape) and "going into the red" doesn't fit well with dbx noise reduction. At the very most you need only occassionally go into the +3db area and that's only for peaks. You should never have to go beyond that and stay there with dbx engaged. Preferably stay below 0db with occassional peaks at around +3db. Btw, what is it exacty that you feel sounds like "shit" with dbx engaged ?

Daniel

[Beck]

Originally Posted by Ding Dong

I am i the only one who never uses noise reduction? for some reason as soon as I press the DBX button on my tascam, my recording instantly sounds like shit! I'm sure there is something I should be doing differently if I wanted to use it , but i'm not sure what. has anyone else found this to be true?

What tascam product are you using? Do you record with the dbx engaged, or just try to play it back with dbx?

[MadAudio]

I ALWAYS used the dbx on my old PortaOne (with no problems), but only rarely used the dbx units with my 38. Never had anything sound worse because of it, though. Dolby SR is the only Dolby format that ever really impressed me.

[A Reel Person]

That's pretty much the rules of the road for dbx. If it's used this way, there should be no ill side effects.

[wildflower soul]

On my MSR-16 I really like recording with no DBX at all. I don't get much hiss either. On my 388 I used the DBX all the time though.

[acorec]

Originally Posted by Ding Dong

I am i the only one who never uses noise reduction? for some reason as soon as I press the DBX button on my tascam, my recording instantly sounds like shit! I'm sure there is something I should be doing differently if I wanted to use it , but i'm not sure what. has anyone else found this to be true?

Pretty much sums up DBX. The TASCAM recorders need it though because of the so-so electronics. They are a bit hissy. Use the DBX and watch the drums as the DBX makes them sound "squished". Make sure that you engage the DBX switch when you RECORD a track and not just at PLAYBACK. DBX is an encoder/decoder system. You cannot just put it in on playback.

If you choose to not use the DBX, then run every track hot.

[Ding Dong]

Thanks guys- this has been really helpful. I DONT record with DBX on, but tried it during playback- the sound became muddy and volume levels became very uneven and almost sounded as if they were about to clip. Ill try some tracks with it on during recording.
I have a TSR-8. Its really not very noisy w/o the DBX so its not a major problem. I would like to learn to use it though, just to hone my skills. Thanks again.

[MadAudio]

Originally Posted by Ding Dong

I DONT record with DBX on, but tried it during playback- the sound became muddy and volume levels became very uneven and almost sounded as if they were about to clip.

Ah, that explains it. And if you want to hear something really funky, try recording with the dbx on and then play it back with the dbx off.