Clipping issues?

[Shapelierpanda]

Hey guys. Some of you might know me from my TASCAM issues, but this is a different problem! I'm recording with a M-Audio Interface, and a MXL V63M condenser mic, or two if i'm doing drums. but the lights where the level is shown on the M-Audio have been acting weird, like not lighting up past green even if I crank the gain, and I still get clipping even if the lights are barely showing green. I thought "not a problem, I'll just use what reaper shows me to get levels." well that worked for tracking drums, but with guitar, the level shown in reaper won't go past around halfway, and I'll still get clipping. This causes me to put the gain low to avoid clipping, and I'll have an extremely quiet guitar track. Any Ideas?

 

[mixsit]

Just those mics? How about other sources?

 

[Shapelierpanda]

I used a ribbon mic and had the same problem.

 

[Seidy]

Are you sure you aren't tracking guitar so loud that it exceeds the limits of mic?

 

[mixsit]

This isn't going to offer a whole lot. but you need to do some trouble shooting and what else you've tried in the way of figuring out what's happening? How about a known clean source -a cd player what have you?
Normally a ribbon would not be a source of 'clipping though. Perhaps 'popping from too much air movement (very bad for the ribbon), but not likely due to spl or level I'd think.

 

[Shapelierpanda]

yeah, the amp was really quiet. and it worked fine with drums that were much louder.

 

[mixsit]

yeah, the amp was really quiet. and it worked fine with drums that were much louder.

What does that mean- 'ribbon on drums = no clipping?

 

[Shapelierpanda]

I meant the condensers worked fine on drums. I didn't use a ribbon on the drums.

 

[mixsit]

What the.. Wasn't the question 'clipping--on drums?

 

[Shapelierpanda]

No haha. The issues are the levels being displayed on my Fast Track C400 being wonky, and getting clipping when I was recording guitar, when the levels weren't even half way to the max.

 

[mixsit]

clipping when I was recording guitar, when the levels weren't even half way to the max.

..so the only clipping problems is with the condenser on guitar?

 

[Shapelierpanda]

the condensers and the ribbon microphone get clipping.

 

[mixsit]

Right you did say that.

yeah, the amp was really quiet. and it worked fine with drums that were much louder.

Ok Records drums but can't a quiet amp-- I'm at a loss.

 

[Shapelierpanda]

It feels like a pre-amp or interface issue. In around a week I'll have a working TASAM 1800 to try.

 

[blinkofeye]

it maybe the cable or the plug , did you check that out ? was it acting wired (clipping , etc) when you record drums as well ?

 

[Shapelierpanda]

It was acting odd, but I wasn't having the clipping problem if I padded the Microphones. I did get clipping even if the level was low if I didn't pad however. This is both of the XLR ins of my Interface, with two seperate cables.

 

[blinkofeye]

both inputs , with different cables , different mics , my guess is something wrong with your interface , it s odd that both inputs got the same problem , so it is the main interface board itself ,not input jacks or pots , I m using m-audio fast track myself , I didn't have any problem with it YET , but a friend of mine has the same and always complaining about its issues , if i want to buy another interface it wouldn't be m-audio this time .

 

[mixsit]

It was acting odd, but I wasn't having the clipping problem if I padded the Microphones. I did get clipping even if the level was low if I didn't pad however. This is both of the XLR ins of my Interface, with two seperate cables.

You know, that may or not have squat to do with the actual problem- but why wouldn't you mention that at the first?

 

[Shapelierpanda]

I wasn't thinking... The issue isn't getting rid of clipping, the issue is that having the gain high enough that the level goes even half way to the ceiling gets me clipping.

I just did some tests with another mic I had lying around, a dynamic mic for performances, and with one of my condensers. For some reason the clipping issue seems to be gone, atleast it was with my voice, but I had to turn the gain all the way up to get the level halfway to the ceiling. I think it is a pre amp problem.

 

[Seidy]

I think it is a pre amp problem.

Just in case... Do you have second preamp before interface?