Aw4416 Questions

  • Thread starter Thread starter zx1
  • Start date Start date
Z

zx1

New member
Hi, how is everyone? New to the forum, its nice. It seems the other aw forums have closed, any users here? I have used the aw4416 in the past and I just got one again. I have a couple questions.

1.I see the update is at 2.12 I believe, I have the file but forget the setup to install?

2.I remember one of the problems I had with it, was my final stereo mix to cd would always be a little low in terms of volume, especially noticeable in cars. I would always have to turn it up a couple notches compared to a stored bought cd. Is there a way around this?

I would keep the faders on 0 and the red stereo fader on 0. The mic input if I remember about 1/4 of the way up? The main volume control at the top usually half way? I thought maybe the main volume was my problem or should I just bump the faders past 0 to get that louder final mix?

3. My voice is a little deeper and I notice it seems to interfere with the music sometimes. Should I add any type of effect or use the mic in a different position?

4. Will any plug and play mouse work? Most are usbs so I would have to get a serial adapter.

Thanks for your help and time.
 
As far as I know I'm the only AW4416 user hereabouts...

1. Can't help you with the upgrade but surely that info's on the web somewhere... there was an old AW4416 forum/site under www.socialentropy/.... see if you can find it as there's lots of good stuff on there. I happened across it the other day so it's still there, if inactive...

2. Not really - I use a compressor over the final mix and ramp up the gain a little to give it some more volume, but only so much you can do without squashing the hell out of it...

3. Try a different mic / different position / different voice (seriously - change the way you sing...) - also if you're too close to a cardioid pattern mic you can be getting the proximity effect, so stand back further...

4. Don't know, never tried... the mouse it accepted even when I bought it was obsolete... you could try... I just got used to buttons and wheel...

Good luck.
 
This is the second "Help, I have an AW4416 and I can't use it" thread I've answered recently from a first poster to get absolutely no response from said poster.

Ingrates... I'm going on strike. :mad:
 
Thanks Armistice and sorry for the late response. I saw your other thread with that guy asking for help and then disappearing. Do you compress with the aw or use software and do a transfer with cd? If you do use the aw to compress everything, could you help explain how to get it the loudest without squashing it? Thanks again.
 
Welcome back...

When I record to stereo track on the AW4416 I run one of the onboard compressors (there are a couple of mastering ones high up in the list if you look... can't remember what they're called but it's pretty obvious) over it and have quite a low ratio and low threshold - ie. I pick it up at a reasonably low volume and don't compress it all that much.. 1.1 / 1.2 something like that, and then use the gain to max the volume.

You can red light it without audible clipping, I've noticed, so the sensors are more sensitive than reality, if you follow me. But make sure you listen really closely if you're hitting them regularly. Too late afterwards. Depends upon musical style. I'm doing acoustic based stuff so clipping sticks out like dog's balls... noisier stuff it may not be so easy to hear.

You should ensure you have no nasty transients that pop out too far in the song as that limits what you can achieve.

I like dynamic mixes, so my aim isn't to squash everything, just maximise the volume with a touch of squish... depends upon the track tho.

If I then need to get a louder MP3, I'll burn that track to CD, import into software and compress / apply gain some more, then convert to MP3. but I keep that separate from my main mastered mix which is intended to end up on a CD, not as an MP3 - and where absolute volume is less of an issue.

I'm absolutely no expert at this "mastering" (if you could even call it that), so don't place too much emphasis on what I do!

Good luck...
 
Massive Master probably won't look in this thread as it's to do with AW4416 in the title and he's probably not that much interested in them, but he's the resident mastering guru... read some of his stuff via a search of his name and you'll learn all sorts of stuff.

Cheers
 
Thanks again. I am definitely rusty on this machine and I dont think I ever mastered more then the basics on it. I just stuck with that and recorded to stereo and finalized and it always came out decent. I need to learn how to do what you are saying to compress it with these onboard compressors?

With the software, what do you use to get a louder mp3, that might help with another project?

Do you usually record at 24 bit?
 
I just use Audacity and "normalise" it - it's in one of the menus... and convert to MP3 using the LAME encoder that you have to download separately. There are probably better options though...

And yes, always record at 24 bit..

Learn the automation / automix feature - it's a very powerful way to produce a good mix, including spot changes to problematic areas... takes a while but worth it. To be honest I haven't done much recording over the last couple of years, and have just started again so I'm on the learning curve myself.

The interface is a pain in these days of PC sound manipulation, but it's still a great machine.

Cheers
 
It is a great machine and I'm having a lot of fun learning it again. A couple questions if you can.

1. I tried the normalize function and it went through its motion but the fade out was still there?

2. If you upload a song that is already mixed from a cd to the aw and say you load it onto 3-4. Do you still pan the channels 3-4 and set the bus to l16 and r16 or leave it alone since it was already done?

3. I was playing with the attenuator in view mode of the stereo track and it raises the sound a good bit overall. Is there a way to do this in each individual track?

Thanks.
 
Hi

Not sure on #1 - I'd have to have a look - didn't know it had a normalise function. And I'm not sure about the fade out you're referring to..

#2 - I'd still pan the channels.

#3 - there's an attenuator on EQ for individual channels, but attenuators reduce the level, not increase it. I'm not sure why you would want to do this. If you want more volume on a particular track, use the slider. Perhaps I'm missing something.
 
I was referring to the audacity program with the normalize function. I could not get it to raise the levels that were faded out? I know I have done it before with a similar program.

When doing vocals do you always open 2 channels like 1 and 2 or just 1?

I noticed the eq attenuator it would only let you decrease it. I raised the levels with the faders but maybe I had it monitor ouput instead of what was recording.

Do you have that aw extract file? I tried to download it but its down everywhere?
 
Hello.
You can download the aw extract programme (for free) from softpedia.com.
I downloaded and installed it and it works no problem. 3 things, though-

1. It's quite slow
2. You can only download one song at a time.
3. As far as I know the files can only be extracted from files saved to a cd-rom or external drive.

It does work; all files are synced up and no loss of data/drop-outs.

Hope this is helpful.
 
AW4416DR1 said:
Hello.
You can download the aw extract programme (for free) from softpedia.com.
Click to expand...

Thanks dude, I'd completely forgotten about that program... I remember it being mentioned at the time I got my unit on the social entropy forum, which seems to be dead now, alas, but had no use for it at the time, so I never got it....

But your post reminded me so I've tracked it down and downloaded it. I assume it somehow reads the data of the backup disk and extracts WAVs when you put the backup disk in your PC, yes? Bit hard to get details on exactly how it works... :confused:

Means I can now have extra back up copies and do some editing in Reaper... :D
 
Hi again,

Yes. It reads the backup disc when you put it in your PC. The AW4416 is awesome, so it's great to be able to transfer the WAVs over (relatively) easily!
 
Indeed, I downloaded it and extracted all my recent work last night... yes, it's a little slow, but still, 5 minutes per tune didn't seem too long.

Good to have wavs as an extra back up as well.

Looks like the OP has buggered off... I basically gave up answering AW4416 questions because the posters never appeared to come back and read the answers...

See you round. :)

Cheers
 
Cool.

Shame there doesn't seem to be many more AW4416 users out there. I've had my machine for about 6 years and I've had no problems. It sounds immense and it's easy to use, especially as I don't use a PC for recording.

Cheers n beers
 
I think I've had mine since 2003 or 4... can't remember. I do find the 16 track count a bit limiting sometimes, but so far I can still get what I want to do done on it.

Find the Original Song Contest forum under the Special section if you want to hear recent results..

Cheers & beers back at ya...
 
I use a TC Finalizer Express-lets you really jack up the volume without too much compression. You can pick up a used one for not too much-Well worth the investment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top