[leetcharmer]

Hello, I've been recording services at my church for a couple weeks and
I thought I had all the settings correct, because it normally records
fine. This particular week though, the line in port wasn't working as
it did in the past -- it would only record up to -6db on all software,
when cables were plugged in to line in. When I unplugged and popped
them into the mic port, I was able to get it to normal clipping levels,
and then when I put it back into line in -- the clipping happened at
-6db again. Any ideas why this would happen and how I can fix this?
Thanks

[Richard Crowley]

"leetcharmer" wrote ...
Hello, I've been recording services at my church for a
couple weeks and I thought I had all the settings correct,

Do you mean the settings for the computer sound card?
What comptuer are you using?
What sound card?

Or do you mean the settings for the audio recording aplication?
What software are you using to record?

because it normally records
fine. This particular week though, the line in port wasn't working as
it did in the past -- it would only record up to -6db on all software,
when cables were plugged in to line in.

Recording live sound up to -6dB is a reasonable amount
of headroom for unpredictable levels. But still, it is not
desirable to have to run "wide-open" to get there.

When I unplugged and popped them into the mic port,
I was able to get it to normal clipping levels,

What do you mean by "normal clipping levels".
Most people believe that clipping should not be "normal".

and then when I put it back into line in -- the clipping
happened at -6db again.

Sounds like the signal may be clipping before it gets
to your computer.

Any ideas why this would happen and how I can fix this?

Go back through the audio path and make sure the levels
at each point are set properly.

[leetcharmer]

Alright, I'll try to be more in depth this time -- I was trying to see
if anyone had dealt with something similar for a quick answer.

1) I meant the settings on the computer's sound card, which is onboard
-- the computer is an HP m7330n:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/p...ang=en &cc=us
Also, we have a Mackie Onyx 4080:
http://www.mackie.com/products/onyx4080/
The original sound goes into the board into a sound compressor --
PreSonus ACP 8: http://www.presonus.com/acp88.html (except, ours is
discontinued).

Quick Synapsis of Setup: Original Recorded Sound to Onyx 4080 -
PreSonus ACP 8 to compress sound so it won't clip - Computer Line In
via 1/4 to 1/8 cable.

2) To Record sound we've been using softwa both --
Audacity: http://audacity.sf.net
and SoundForge XP (really old version) -- default settings are used in
both applications and recording in mono on both. When recording comes
in via windows volume control center via Line In, the sound is
controlled to a maximum of -6dB on the applications, and sound even
clips at that amount. When recording from the mic port, it can go all
the way to 0 before clipping in the software; this originally happened
with the Line In port -- not sure why this has changed.

3) Normal clipping levels mean 0dB+ to have a clipping sound (instead
of the current -6dB -- which it doesn't register as a clip, but the
sound quality surely becomes distorted as if it did clip.

[Eeyore]

leetcharmer wrote:

Hello, I've been recording services at my church for a couple weeks and
I thought I had all the settings correct, because it normally records
fine. This particular week though, the line in port wasn't working as
it did in the past -- it would only record up to -6db

-6dB what. dB means nothing without a reference level.

Graham

[leetcharmer]

Whatever the reference level is for programs such as Sound Forge and
Audacity -- links listed in my last post. (Sorry I'm not highly
knowledgable in sound and recording -- what are typical reference
levels?)

Eeyore wrote:
leetcharmer wrote:

-6dB what. dB means nothing without a reference level.

Graham

[Eeyore]

leetcharmer wrote:

Eeyore wrote:
leetcharmer wrote:

-6dB what. dB means nothing without a reference level.


raham
Whatever the reference level is for programs such as Sound Forge and
Audacity -- links listed in my last post. (Sorry I'm not highly
knowledgable in sound and recording -- what are typical reference
levels?)

I'll read that as -6dBFS then - dB relative to full scale ( i.e. clipping level
).

It's not such a bad thing. You don't want to get near a digital clip anyway !

Graham

[Geoff]

Eeyore wrote:
leetcharmer wrote:

Eeyore wrote:
leetcharmer wrote:

-6dB what. dB means nothing without a reference level.


raham
Whatever the reference level is for programs such as Sound Forge and
Audacity -- links listed in my last post. (Sorry I'm not highly
knowledgable in sound and recording -- what are typical reference
levels?)

I'll read that as -6dBFS then - dB relative to full scale ( i.e.
clipping level ).

It's not such a bad thing. You don't want to get near a digital clip
anyway !

There is no such thing as -6dBFS on the analogue input side of things. Has
to relate to a real signal level. And if somethng did in fact clip when the
D side of things was at -6dBFS, then that means that the input circuitry is
broken or incredibly pooorly designed.

Also why the compressor - why not just set the level so it doesn't clip ?!!

geoff

[Richard Crowley]

"Geoff" wrote ...
There is no such thing as -6dBFS on the analogue input side of things.
Has to relate to a real signal level. And if somethng did in fact
clip when the D side of things was at -6dBFS, then that means that the
input circuitry is broken or incredibly pooorly designed.

Also why the compressor - why not just set the level so it doesn't
clip ?!!

The compressor might be a good candidate to remove,
at least for debugging purposes.

[Jeff Findley]

"leetcharmer" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello, I've been recording services at my church for a couple weeks and
I thought I had all the settings correct, because it normally records
fine. This particular week though, the line in port wasn't working as
it did in the past -- it would only record up to -6db on all software,
when cables were plugged in to line in. When I unplugged and popped
them into the mic port, I was able to get it to normal clipping levels,
and then when I put it back into line in -- the clipping happened at
-6db again. Any ideas why this would happen and how I can fix this?
Thanks

Adjust the volume control for the Line In jack. This should be on the
recording software you're using. If it's not there, go to the Windows
Volume Control and do it there (Options, Properties, Recording, OK).

Jeff
--
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a
little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety"
- B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919)