Clipping problem!

  • Thread starter Thread starter thehoneypies
  • Start date Start date
T

thehoneypies

New member
Hello, first time poster here, with a problem that's driving me a little crazy. Setting up my first home studio and have resolved a few other problems along the way, but I've hit a real road block here and I'd love some help.

Program: Cubase
Preamp: Golden Age PRE-573 Mic & Instrument 500 Series Preamp
Interface: Alpha Lexicon

Anytime I record anything remotely loud, (even a clicking finger at a distance) it's clipping. I guess the gain or output is too high except

a) Adjusting the output/gain on the preamp seems to have no effect (turning it all the way down is no different than all the way up)
b) Adjusting the output on the Alpha Lexicon doesn't have any effect either, all the way up, or all the way down, records at the same level and clips.
c) Bypassing the preamp, and going straight through the Alpha Lexicon, I have the same problem.

Anybody have any idea what this might be?
 
What exactly is clipping?? The mic pre? the interface? some meter in Cubase??

What mic are you using?
 
Silly question but have you tried turning down the input? Im assuming your recording through a microphone. I had a similar issue and i had my input way to loud
 
You'll have to excuse the terminology I use, because I'm a layman, but when I record in Cubase, the levels there are clipping and distorting. If I turn down the level in cubase, it makes it quieter but still clipping and distorting.

I think the interface is the culprit because when I remove the pre amp I have the same problem.
 
thehoneypies said:
The input where?
Click to expand...

Try turning down the actual input on the interface. When you plug into the input how much do you turn up the level?

ai.webp
 
Bet you are Win 7?
So, go> Start>Ctrl Panel>Hardware and Sound>Manage Audio Devices>(select device)>Recording(select device)>Levels.

You will probably want the AI set to less than 10%.

Dave.
 
I suggest reading the manuals on all your equipment before trying to do anything.

Or as we used to say in the Navy RTFM.... :RTFM:
 
Please check the interface (Manual?) to see what input standard it is set to. I would expect there would be an option somewhere to change the input sensitivity between consumer -10dBV and professional +4dBu. It could be a menu item or even a physical switch. If the interface is set to -10dBV, the poor thing is gonna have a hell of a time dealing with the +4dBu output of a preamplifier. Also check to see that your'e not sending a line level signal of any kind into a microphone input (-50dBu approx). That would also bugger things up and may damage your interface.olduncledino
 
Just looked at the manual on-line. You should be using the rear inputs for any outboard gear, not the front panel "Instrument" input. The interface itself doesn't appear to have a -10/+4 adjustment and it seems like the level control is used to set the input sensitivity between consumer and professional gear. That kind of goes against my old school way of doing things, but that's what you get on budget priced equipment these days I guess. The max input for line sources is +13dBu if I recall correctly, which should work, but doesn't give you a lot of headroom if you have a preamp that can output +20 something dBu.... oud
 
thehoneypies said:
If I turn down the level in cubase, it makes it quieter but still clipping and distorting.
Click to expand...

Just for future reference, any adjustments in cubase is just like turning down your speakers, if your signal is clipping on the way in.
If you're clipping the preamp/converters, then anything in cubase is after the problem.
 
Just looked at the manual on-line. You should be using the rear inputs for any outboard gear, not the front panel "Instrument" input. The interface itself doesn't appear to have a -10/+4 adjustment and it seems like the level control is used to set the input sensitivity between consumer and professional gear. That kind of goes against my old school way of doing things, but that's what you get on budget priced equipment these days I guess. The max input for line sources is +13dBu if I recall correctly, which should work, but doesn't give you a lot of headroom if you have a preamp that can output +20 something dBu.... oud
Click to expand...

^^^^

This.

The front input is for instruments...and instrument level is sort of a half way house between mic and line. The output of a pre amp is line level so probably 20 or 30dB too high for that one (and also the wrong impedance though that's the least of your problems).
 
Thanks for all your help guys, it was a combination of a few things, some of them very silly on my part.

The new (and hopefully last) roadblock I'm having is that Cubase is crashing when I go to export. Freezes at 0%, any ideas?
 
I don't know Cubase, but are you rendering to a stereo WAV format first? (Maybe that is called exporting in Cubase?)
 
Yup, Cubase exports to a wav file. "Rendering" in Cubase is when you freeze a track.

Curious if the OP is giving the computer enough time. Maybe it's working. But, in actuality, you should be seeing some kind of progress.

This isn't a cracked version of Cubase, is it? Honestly, you shouldn't see it freeze up during export, but cracked versions are known to not work properly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top