mixdown

[daveh]

ok,..here is the deal. I record on an ADAT,....mix on a Behringer 32 track 8 buss.
Mix to CD from the rca outs on the mixer to the rca ins on the cd recorder. Is that the right thing to do? Am I missing something in between there? Should I go to DAT first,..then to cd?
Also,..does anybody else out there have bass response problems?? My mix sounds different on every freakin' system I play it on. I realize thats true for everything,..but my mix swings so wildly from system to system and really the only problem is the bass response. I mix with Alesis point sevens and a/b that with an inexpensive sub-woofer surround sytem.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!

Thanks!

 

[werewolf831]

I'd like to know the answer to this question also. I have a similar setup: Adat LX20, Mackie 1604vlz. I use Alesis effects and a compressor, use the rca outs from my board to the 1/8" Line In on my PC, make a wav file, then burn to cd. The end result sounds good to me, but from what I understand, my soundcard isn't good enough (Soundblaster 128PCI, I mix down to 16/48) and that I should be recording to a sound card that records at 24 bit. Would this make a dramatic improvement in the final mixdown?

 

[daveh]

hey bro! Thanks for writin' back. You have me at a loss as to your sound card dilema. I havent tried, as of yet, to incorporate my computer into my studio. But,..have you heard of the ADAT PCR card? I think that would be your best solution and i guess that would add another 8 recordable tracks for ya. I think the card is like $250.00 or something.
Another problem I'm having is that the overall volume of my mix is about half of a store bought CD. No matter how hard I pound the CDR. I just bought the Ultramizer from Behringer,..but havent yet been able to get it to work quite right yet. I auditioned a couple mix's with it. They did come out a little louder but were compressed beyond belief!!!! Made the whole mix reside in muddville! HA! Thats what started me thinking,...maybe I need to mix to DAT first then to CD.
Anyway man,...I've been at this for quite some time and do know alot about it,...so if I can be any help to ya,..just let me know.
Later,......

 

[kristian]

In respect to the 24 bit soundcarf issue- read this http://www.digido.com/ditheressay.html

And in respect to Ultramizers. You should be working on the Dynamics of the mix. Peak power and RMS power are different. Peak is what will cause you to clip, while RMS will be your average sound level. Using the search function for these terms will yeild results ( Look for comments from users sonusman and Shailat about dynamics and volume) or reading this articles (https://homerecording.com/mixing_fundamentals.html).

 

[Lt. Bob]

In regard to the cd volume levels, I think it might be because of the limited dynamic range of cd's. You have to be so careful not to overdrive them, unlike analog, that your overall level is governed by where you have to set it to keep the peaks from redlining. I have two audio burners and both have digital limiters so that they will not write higher than redline so I can turn up the average volume without the peaks going over. You could probably do the same thing with a limiter. Not a compressor though, You want to leave the low level stuff alone.:^)