levels when recording to PC

[kristian]

ok, so you got all 16 tracks flowing through your board from tape, and you are ready to record the final mix to PC. There are 2 options. have the master levels on the mixing board set low and dont tweak the computer levels. Or set the mixing board around 7 and then adjust the computer accordingly. which if any has a better frequency range, or perks, or negative things? or is there nothing different about the two?

 

[Ptron]

Hey kristian,
It's been so long since you posted this, I don't know if you will see this. This EXACT same question has been bugging the hell out of me too. It seems like an obvious question, but despite all my searching, I haven't found the answer. I posted this question a few days ago on the "computer recording & soundcards" section (windows recording level control?) but I didn't word it very well and got an answer that wasn't. Try asking this again on that bbs section and see what happens. I will watch with great intrest.
Ptron

 

[sonusman]

Unless you are having a big problem with trying to match a +4 and -10 level together you should be able to just leave your soundcard volume up all the way. And, your mixer output should be at unity.

If the input to the soundcard is too hot in this case, you either have all your channel faders to high, and thus are probably distorting the output of the console anyway, or, you are running a +4 output from your console to a -10 input on your soundcard.

If you had to choose which to turn down, it should be the output of the mixer. Leave the input on the soundcard all the way up. You would be using software control on the computer to turn it down, and that would not offer the best fidelity because you would be changing the number of number's after the dicimal point in the bit length. On a 16 bit converter, this is death!!! It cannot do anything but "average" the extra numbers after the decimal point, and that will make your .wav file sound dull and edgy. ANY volume change you apply to a 16 bit file will do this. With 24 bit you have less worry, but eventually you have to dither the file for 16 bit playback.

Ed

[This message has been edited by sonusman (edited 03-09-2000).]

 

[DropD]

Anyone knows if a tape-out on a console is +4 or -10? I suppose my card support -10db signals because it's not pro-sumer stuff, and I know my board is +4, so I use the tape-out (rca jacks) but I still have to leave the volume all the way down (on the sound card AND the mixer!!!) or it clips like crazy! I sometimes wonder if my line-in on my sound card is a mic in!

 

[Mountaineer]

DropD:

You might check to see if your software mixer has a gain setting adjustment for your line-in. I tend to get better results if I go out of the mixer with -4dB to 0dB and adjust my sound card line in accordingly.

Regards,
PAPicker

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply, sonusman, since I too am interested in the answer to this question. But could you clarify what you mean by "leave your soundcard volume up all the way"? Since the question is about transferring audio from other devices into the PC, are you referring to the "Line In" Volume level? If that's the case, I'm still confused because on my computer the "Line In" Volume level is set about 2/3 of the way up by default. Are you saying I should leave it where it is or raise it up to the top?

Thanks!

 

[Ptron]

Thank you, thank you, thank you sonusman for that answer. I'm really suprised that it can make such a difference seeing as I've NEVER seen this info before. My mackie mixer must have a pretty hot output since I have to go way below unity when the soundcard record volume is all the way up. I was setting it at less than half in order to get the board out near unity.
To sleepyhead: I don't know about your setup, but with my soundcard(an ensoniq soundblaster64 audioPCI)I have a line in level and a recoerd level in the mixer. The line in fader affects the record level not one iota, which might explain why turning yours down isn't helping.
Ptron


[This message has been edited by Ptron (edited 03-10-2000).]