Volume of CD recorded from Philips CDR

[vibe]

I am trying to record live piano using SM57 mic through a Mackie 1202 mixer. Mixer output is routed through a Sony home type amplifier tape inputs. The output is directed into a Philips CDR. When the resulting CD is finalized and then played through a CD such as a car CD player, I have to turn the volume up to very high levels. How can I get increased volume out of the CD recorder?

Also loud passages are "clipped" and distorted in live recording of the piano. If I turn down the gain to reduce clipping, the resulting volume to the CD is barely audible. What is missing with this picture? Thanks for helping!

 

[Dom Franco]

I have seen the prices of these CD recorders come way down. I have considered buying one for my studio as a mastering recorder. However I have heard of similar problems being encountered. (low volume, distortion etc.)

Have you tried using a compressor to increase the signal being recorded, and limit the loud transients?

Does the unit have VU meters (Level indicators).

Are you dipping into the RED?

Are you distorting the input to the mixer
(Red light indicator on board)?

Just some ideas... try recording to a cassette deck with the same setup...
what do you find?

Dom Franco