Soundcard overloading

[grandmsterflash]

Hi ive got an sm57 plugged into a behringer tube mic100 preamp, going into my soundblaster audigy 4 card for HD recording. When im setting the preamp levels for recording (guitar cabs mostly), the line-in levels reach 0dB overload well before the preamp goes into clipping, is this normal? This is with the pc record levels set to max, and then increasing the preamp gain. It just seems like a lot of the available gain from the mic is being wasted and the recordings are too 'quiet' sounding! Is it better practice to turn the preamp gain up to near-clip, and then bring the levels up on the computer? any advice welcome!

Thanks

 

[Farview]

Your soundcard was not designed to do what you are doing with it. Your problem is a level mismatch. Your preamp is putting out a +4 signal and the soundcard is expecting a -10 signal. You are going to have to set the levels in your computer and ignore what the preamp says.