Zoom HD16 help !!!

E

EternusMorbus

New member
Hey !
My last thread was about my studio and some problems, I got the help I wanted. But In this thread I'd like to focus on the ZOOM HD16 Hard disk recorder.

I've had it for quiet some time now, and I'm sure its a wonderful recorder. But, I think I'm doing something wrong, because the quality is quiet low, and so are the volume.
Everything sounds great when I play it on the recorder, but after mastering and finalizing it, it sounds more/less bad. The quality is so much reduced and volume much lower.
What I probably need is some "recording / mastering" tips.

By the way, I do not use computer to this.

In case you need this information :
I plug my guitar in the a amphead, then from the amphead to the hd16.
I plug my bass stright to the hd16.
Drums and vocals I do through mics. (Thats not the quality problem)
I plug my synth stright to the hd16.


Thanks for your time ! Appreciated.

Mads. :)
 
EternusMorbus said:
Hey !
My last thread was about my studio and some problems, I got the help I wanted. But In this thread I'd like to focus on the ZOOM HD16 Hard disk recorder.

I've had it for quiet some time now, and I'm sure its a wonderful recorder. But, I think I'm doing something wrong, because the quality is quiet low, and so are the volume.
Everything sounds great when I play it on the recorder, but after mastering and finalizing it, it sounds more/less bad. The quality is so much reduced and volume much lower.
What I probably need is some "recording / mastering" tips.

By the way, I do not use computer to this.

In case you need this information :
I plug my guitar in the a amphead, then from the amphead to the hd16.
I plug my bass stright to the hd16.
Drums and vocals I do through mics. (Thats not the quality problem)
I plug my synth stright to the hd16.


Thanks for your time ! Appreciated.

Mads. :)
Click to expand...

I don't know too many people that are using the HD16. If you don't get any answers, you might try the ZOOM forums. http://2090.org/zoom/bbs/index.php
 
Hey again bud. Local ZOOM user at your service...

okay, its a shabby master mix compared to what you are hearing? First off... I understand you have decent mics you are satisfied with so that isn't the preob. The problem with those things (which BTW use the same effects programs as my PS04, PS02) overdo the mastering settings.

Here's something to try out just as a startoff point:
don't change the multi-band compressor frequencies, change their threshold settings. And either up the level output of the compressor algorhythm (sorry sp?) output while downing the threshold for a more constant signal... or upping the threshold for a more 'what it really sounds like' kind of signal and decrease its output.

Then the limiter is your friend. Compressing everything makes it lose its 'touchey-feely' ness of playing dynamics. The Limiter quite simply just doesn't allow levels allow it past a certain point, which is good for digital audio files because it absolutely wont let them get ugly....


So here's just an idea to try: put in a limiter to the effect chain, at the end, then change your mastering effect so that the threshold is higher and the ratio is lower. Threshold is the point where your compressor starts to drop high signals, ratio is the dramatic amount of that drop. A lower ratio would make playing nuances more apparent, but when this is chained into the limiter, it means that you can't overblast it by keeping the thresh too low and the volume too (relatively) high. What this makes is the possibility for most of the playing nuances and a loud signal and it won't distort because of the limiter at the end of the effect chain. You don't want to be pushing everything on the limiter because it will all end up jammed up together, just the peaky points. Now you get a clear, unmuddy signal, AND playing nuance, AND loudness.
 
Hey man !
Wow! This helped a lot ! I'm going to follow your instruction. I learned lots of great stuff I needed to know. I'm not confused anymore :).
You sure know what you are talking about, no doubt.

Thank you very much, I appreciate it.

Mads.

AbuseTheMuses said:
Hey again bud. Local ZOOM user at your service...

okay, its a shabby master mix compared to what you are hearing? First off... I understand you have decent mics you are satisfied with so that isn't the preob. The problem with those things (which BTW use the same effects programs as my PS04, PS02) overdo the mastering settings.

Here's something to try out just as a startoff point:
don't change the multi-band compressor frequencies, change their threshold settings. And either up the level output of the compressor algorhythm (sorry sp?) output while downing the threshold for a more constant signal... or upping the threshold for a more 'what it really sounds like' kind of signal and decrease its output.

Then the limiter is your friend. Compressing everything makes it lose its 'touchey-feely' ness of playing dynamics. The Limiter quite simply just doesn't allow levels allow it past a certain point, which is good for digital audio files because it absolutely wont let them get ugly....


So here's just an idea to try: put in a limiter to the effect chain, at the end, then change your mastering effect so that the threshold is higher and the ratio is lower. Threshold is the point where your compressor starts to drop high signals, ratio is the dramatic amount of that drop. A lower ratio would make playing nuances more apparent, but when this is chained into the limiter, it means that you can't overblast it by keeping the thresh too low and the volume too (relatively) high. What this makes is the possibility for most of the playing nuances and a loud signal and it won't distort because of the limiter at the end of the effect chain. You don't want to be pushing everything on the limiter because it will all end up jammed up together, just the peaky points. Now you get a clear, unmuddy signal, AND playing nuance, AND loudness.
Click to expand...
 
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