Low Gain from AT 2020

  • Thread starter Thread starter Inonly
  • Start date Start date
I

Inonly

New member
AT2020 > Alesis iO2 Express > Laptop (Windows Vista, 32-bit)
Recording Software: Adobe Audition 3

The gain on the interface is halfway turned and it is still :(. Please help me.
 
2ivmzrc.jpg
 
There's no rule against turning the gain knob past halfway.

What is the level in the DAW? It should be peaking around -12dBFS and the average level should be lower. Maybe what you think is too low is okay.
 
Phantom power on? Is there a software mixer for the Alesis? If so check the input level. What levels are you getting on the Alesis itself?
 
Inonly said:
2ivmzrc.jpg
Click to expand...

That first track is way too hot. The second track seems slightly low but not too bad. Switch to the track edit view and look at the meter to see the actual level in dBFS.
 
I was gonna mention the too-hot track too but saw the compressor VST highlighted so I figured he had already compressed that track.

Still too hot though.
 
That's an entire other thread anyways.

"How come my tracks sound like ass?"
 
Starting to see more and more people asking stuff like this...they want to know why their recording seems quiet compared to something else, but that "something else" is usually blazing hot lol.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
There's no rule against turning the gain knob past halfway.

What is the level in the DAW? It should be peaking around -12dBFS and the average level should be lower. Maybe what you think is too low is okay.
Click to expand...

I'm a complete beginner and I don't know how to check the level of the dBFS in Audition. Please tell me how.

c7sus said:
Phantom power on? Is there a software mixer for the Alesis? If so check the input level. What levels are you getting on the Alesis itself?
Click to expand...

Yes phantom power is on. There is a mixer in Audition, not the interface. How do I know the levels that I'm getting on the interface itself?

Please ignore the instrumental on Track 1. I forgot to delete it before taking the screenshot.

The problem is when recording on the mic, it's really low on playback even when it's being played solo with the volume maxed on headphones.
 
Inonly said:
I'm a complete beginner and I don't know how to check the level of the dBFS in Audition. Please tell me how.

The problem is when recording on the mic, it's really low on playback even when it's being played solo with the volume maxed on headphones.
Click to expand...

It looks like your interface is marked in dBFS. You can tell by the fact that the top number is 0dB. When recording at 24 bit you can/should have the level low enough so peaks don't ever go above -6dBFS, and -12dBFS is even better. That's only a couple of lights above -20dBFS at the bottom of the meter.

Does the Mon Level knob affect the headphones? If so perhaps you could turn it up there a bit. It's normal to work with track levels like this during tracking and mixdown and to turn up your monitoring system. Later, after a song is mixed, you can bring it up to final product level.
 
Inonly said:
I'm a complete beginner and I don't know how to check the level of the dBFS in Audition. Please tell me how.
Click to expand...

Just click on the track you want to look at to highlight it, then click the "Edit" button near the top left of the screen. This will take you to edit view and there'll be a scale (in dBFS) at the right hand end of each track.

As has been said, you want the peaks to be at around -12dBFS on this scale when you're recording.

To get them there, just turn up the gain on your interface a bit more--as has been said, there's no rule at all against going above half way--that's what the extra gain is there for!

The importance of checking the actual level rather that just compare to other tracks is that, when recording, you don't want a super-loud track like the one at the top of your picture. You need room to mix, add effects, etc. Most final mixes look like that top track after mastering (alas--see all the threads about the "loudness wars") so inevitably they will sound louder than anything you're recording while you're in your studio. This is entirely normal.

Hope this helps,

Bob
 
Inonly said:
I'm a complete beginner and I don't know how to check the level of the dBFS in Audition. Please tell me how.

Yes phantom power is on. There is a mixer in Audition, not the interface. How do I know the levels that I'm getting on the interface itself?
Click to expand...

From the meters on the interface!

io2_express_web_large.webp
 
The peak dBFS is around -21 to -18.
When I turn the gain knob past halfway, background noises start to get real loud.

The dBFS lights on the interface itself doesn't show any. It shows around -20 when I turn the Gain knob fully to the right
 
Like "background noise" as in ambient noise? Or as in fuzz/crackling noise?
 
@guitaristic,
I don't know what ambient and fuzz/crackling noises are. It's like the noise you hear on the TV. Like the one in the movie The Ring. lol I guess that's the best way to describe it. Not exactly that kind of noise but you know what I mean (hopefully).

Could it be the interface or the mic? Cuz I've seen other people on youtube with the same mic but their voice ain't as low as mine's when recorded.

Or the XLR cable? (If XLR cable affects anything...)

Just want yall to know that I appreciate all your replies.
 
Inonly said:
@guitaristic,
I don't know what ambient and fuzz/crackling noises are. It's like the noise you hear on the TV. Like the one in the movie The Ring. lol I guess that's the best way to describe it. Not exactly that kind of noise but you know what I mean (hopefully).

Could it be the interface or the mic? Cuz I've seen other people on youtube with the same mic but their voice ain't as low as mine's when recorded.

Or the XLR cable? (If XLR cable affects anything...)

Just want yall to know that I appreciate all your replies.
Click to expand...

Ahhh ok, now we're getting somewhere. Yeah, it could be a few different things...the preamp in the interface could be at fault, or it could simply be a bad cable. I doubt the lowness of your voice has anything to do with it! :)

If you can, try switching out the xlr for a another one and see if it helps! If not, then it's either the mic itself or the interface.
 
Yep, starting to sound like a cable issue. Can you post a sample of the sound you're getting?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top