Stupid question (probably.....)

Gandalf

Gandalf

Number 10
When I record, I set the input to my audio interface (Echo Audiofire12) so the peaks just clip the red (-3db I think although the labelling isn't clear).

However when I record this into cubase and look at the waveform in the sample editor, the peaks bearly get to 60%. I would have expected them to be higher.

I am doing something stupid or missunderstanding something? :confused:
 
The answer is..... record at a lower level. :confused:

(trust me, you'll get an earfull about this by the end of the day)
 
hmm, sounds odd. My inputs on the Echo control panel match what is going on in Cubase. I agree that tracking lower in volume is MUCH better, I used to think that getting levels as hot as possible without clipping is the best. But with current convertors and 24bit you can afford to track way lower. And it just sounds better!

But it seems to me that you have some other issue going on here, are you keeping the virtual faders in the echo control panel all the way up? Let your pre-amps control the input volume.
 
lomky said:
But it seems to me that you have some other issue going on here, are you keeping the virtual faders in the echo control panel all the way up?
Click to expand...


Yeah, everything in the echo control panel is allways up full.
 
Here is a pic of what I am talking about. Notice that in the echo control panel (left) a peak is nearly clipping, yet in the waveform in cubase the peaks don't get above about 60%. Most of the stuff isn't getting above about 10%....

Can someone explain to my why recording at a lower volume is better? How much lower then flat out nearly clipping should I record at?
 
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With 24 bits on a well designed interface, you have so much dynamic range and are so far above the noise floor that that's not your concern. More important is to give yourself headroom, which you have virtually none when peaking at -3dBfs. -18dBfs is the defacto standard level to track at these days.
 
I allways set my record levels down to -20db ,This way when I record I get no clipping of my Inputs or in my DAW ,and it is allways easier to make soft unclipped Music loud than it is to make Loud clipped music soft and unclipped....
Pluss Tracks seem to add to the Total output level so if you record at a lower level you will have much more headroom for other tracks .......

Your Waveform looks fine but your Level indicator seems to be clipping so it sounds like it is either a software setting or maybe a Driver setting...I don"t use the Interface or software than you have so I can"t be of much help in that regard....

Good luck
 
If no one gives you a specific answer by tonight, I will have a look at my setup and see what I see. I pretty much have the same setup as you (Audiofire12 to CubaseSX)
 
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