Help me with my Roland VS 1824!

[angelmusictj]

Please, if there is anyone out there who can help me with my Roland VS 1824 then please get in touch.
Roland have been absolutely useless, basically I need some advice with the mastering side of things, I'm getting a really low output and when I record to CD it is just so quiet and CRAP!
Please help, it was alot of many and I'm supposed to be working to deadlines.
Cheers all.
Tim Jones

[mikemoritz]

How "quiet" and "crappy" is the output? Is it the roland's fault, or is it the fact that it is not easy to get the loud results you seek? To get a loud mix direct from a digital recorder, you have to have a killer mix. Perhaps you don't have this killer mix?

Mike

[angelmusictj]

The mix seems fine when just playing it back. The levels are up at 0db and just prior to peaking. I have a feeling that it's got something to do with the 'mastering toolkit'. It was suggested to me that I apply a mastering effect e.g 'Mixdown' to boost the levels, but if I do it before I record then it outputs at the same level because you have to turn down the gains to compensate. But if you apply it afterwards then it peaks and distorts. How can it be possible to get that boost to the volumes? On playback on the CD it just sounds distant and I've compared it to recordings that I have done in studios and it doesn't even come near.
Surely the point of mastering is to boost the volume level as well as other things?
Any responses would be greatfully received.
Thanks,
Tim