Sound level issue.

[Timanator]

I have just put together everything for my small recording setup. But when I mic the amp, the volumn to the mixer and Cakewalk is pretty low. Does this mean I need to crank the amp more(Already at the point of rattling the speaker)?

I am using an Edirol USB Soundcapture device, a Nady MM4 mixer and a Shure PG58 Mic. Crate DFX-112

The Mic is plugged in to the channel 1(mono) of Nady MM4, Levels on the Mixer is all the way up on the channela and the master out. Gain Select is at 0 vs -10MIC(I'm guessing this is supposed to be what Mic's need to be set at?).

I can barely get in to the red (clipping) when I play as hard as I can and with all controls turned up in Cakewalk and the Mixer.

What do I need to change?

Thanks.

 

[Stealthtech]

Sounds like your problem is in the preamp stage of the mic
Check your trim and gain pots on the chl your mic is plugged into on the mixer. The problem my be the mixer settings{hardware mixer that is} Perhaps try another channel for he ha's

 

[M.Brane]

I can barely get in to the red (clipping) when I play as hard as I can and with all controls turned up in Cakewalk and the Mixer.

What do I need to change?

Thanks.

Probably nothing. With digital, you don't want to be in the red. Bad things will happen to your audio when you clip. As long as your above -6db your using all 16 bits. There is no benefit to going any higher than that, and if you go over 0db your screwed.

Don't worry that your stuff doesn't sound as loud as a commercial release. The "pro" mastering houses these days are in the middle of a volume war that is sucking the quality out of thier mixes faster than you can say "peak-limiting".

Those major-label CD's shure are loud though.