wonderful volume levels

Posted on Feb 19, 2006 09:58 pm
triprolo
Pslam 34:8
Member Since: Dec 04, 2004

I am recording through a EURORACK UB802 "Ultra Low-Noise Design 8-Input 2-Bus Mixer with Premium Mic Preamplifiers"
My volume levels are rather low when I burn onto a cd. If I use a M-Audio Fast track, does anyone thing that will make a difference. I'm thinking it will cause the Mixer is not amplified and the M-Audio fast track is geared toward doing that sorta thing.
Any thoughts on this worn out subject???????????

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Kaos62
Kaos is only a form of insanity
Member
Since: Feb 03, 2005

Feb 20, 2006 06:52 am

What is your sound card at present? it may help but also it is about recording and then mixing techniques and mastering.

pjk
Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004

Feb 20, 2006 08:51 am

first, learn to get the signal into the computer as hot as possible. learn to gain stage your input signal chain to get as much signal into your PC as possible.

Then, in your recording/mixing software, you can add compression, then up the output gain to increase the perceived volume. This will increase the noise floor, so that's why it's good to record your tracks as hot as possible (step one).

You can put a master limiter on the master channel, so you don't clip anything.

Play with this scenario until you get the volume you want, but don't squash the signal to death.

There's also maximizer software plugins that will increase your volume, my above concept is certainly not the prettiest or only solution.

I think wavelab should have some sort of maximizer plugin.

The fast track is only an interface, it can record and output quiet or loud just like anything else. Learn the steps to maximize your signal, and you should be able to do it on anything.

Noize2u
Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Feb 20, 2006 05:49 pm

It does sound to me as though you are not getting the signal into the PC at a high enough level as pjk stated. That is the first step, getting it into the PC at a decent level. Then if needed you can lower the level once it is recorded.

For the final mix you want it to be again as pjk stated as hot as possible, trying to stay between -3dB and 0dB. That means if you export the stereo file to be vurned to CD you will either want to export it at that level or run it through something like Wavelab or SoundForge to get it up to that level before burning it to CD.