can't record above -6db ...

[williams]

hi everyone ... i have the most annoying problem ...
i have an E-MU 1212m and a ThreeQ
i just can't record anything above -6db
when i record something louder the waveform just lookes like it's limited to -6db and everything that is on that line of -6db in the waveform sounds distorted
also when i'm not recording and only listening everything louder sounds distorted ...
i tried this with everything possible ... recording vocals ... guitars
recording through mics , line in ... tried connectng my electric guitar to one of my soundcard's inputs through my amp's line out ...
can't record above -6db
and everything louder sounds distorted ...
what's the problem here ???
anyone ... please help !!!!!!!

thanks ...

 

[Farview]

First of all, you don't need to record any hotter than that.

That said, you might have some software setting that is doing this to you. If you turn the signal down in the software, it happens after the converters. It sounds like you are cooking the converters and have the input fader turned down by 6db.

 

[Jim Y]

More info needed...

What version Windows? 2000 or XP?
What driver type? ASIO?
What recording software? The version of Cubase supplied with the card?
Have you got a clean setup in the Patchmix application so that recordings are not passing through any of the Cards FX?

 

[williams]

win xp , ASIO i think ... audition 2.5 + cubase 2.0

win xp , ASIO i think ... audition 2.5 + cubase 2.0

 

[Massive Master]

There probably is something "in the way" there - You're going to have to dig into some readin' materials I'd imagine...

But I'm also with Farview... You shouldn't even be *near* -6dBFS on the input... That's WELL into the headroom of anything in front of it. Probably 10 or 12dB into it.